Canada offers a certain amount of income assistance for citizens under the age of 18-65 with disability. That sounds fair and truly helpful.
Sadly, it’s actually not that easy to get the CPPD benefits.
Read this article to understand why and how hard it is to get CPP disability benefits. We will also inform you about the eligibility criteria and the application and appeal procedure.
How Hard is It to Get CPP Disability?
The 2016 audit implies that there is only a 40% approval rate among 70k yearly CPPD applications. So, you can guess how difficult it is to receive CPPD benefits.
Apparently, until 2016, the government couldn’t help much as there were other complications in the system, like lower human resources.
However, the authority worked on it and fixed the problem. Despite that, there is still a significant amount of application dissimilar rate!
Reasons Why Your CPPD Application May Get Denied in Canada
The specific reason for the CPPD application denial is not obvious at first. And that leaves all the rejected applicants wondering about what could be the reason.
Commonly, your application may get denied for the following five reasons.
- The physical condition doesn’t fall under the CCPD requirements.
- Late CPPD application
- The application doesn’t have enough information about the proving medical condition and employment
- Not enough contribution to CPPD benefits
- Might not have properly understood the specific requirements listed as eligibility.
We have handled many CPPD cases and found out – people don’t receive the benefits because they don’t apply properly and understand the requirements.
Worry not. Considering how hard it is to get CPP disability advantages, we can guide you to get CPPD benefits.
Let’s check the eligibility first.
Check Also: What Conditions Qualify for Disability in Canada?
Who is Eligible for CPP Disability Benefits in Medicine Hat Canada?
Receiving CPPD benefits depends on 3 basic factors – age, contribution, and severe and long-term impairment.
Check the following points to get more information on CPP disability eligibility.
- You must contribute to the Canada Pension Program if your annual income is from $3500 to $17,610.06.
- Your age has to be around 18-65 years to make the contribution
- Have a serious health condition from an injury or some long-term medical condition that is stopping you from working
You can consult a lawyer regarding your query and get legal help. You can also check details on the official site of Canada.
Now, let’s know which physical and mental conditions qualify under the CPPD program.
What Medical Conditions Fall Under CPP Disability?
Even though CPPD benefits include a wide range of illnesses and ailments, a diagnosis of the condition does not automatically entitle you to benefit.
The eligibility requirements set by Service Canada are based on how your medical condition affects your ability to work again or look for new employment and your day-to-day activities.
Here is the list of impairments that fall under CPP benefits:
Mental/Psychological Impairments:
- Alzheimer’s Disease
- Anxiety
- Bipolar Disorder
- Borderline Personality Disorder
- Dementia
- Depression
- Insomnia
- Huntington’s Disease
- Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
- Panic Disorder
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Physical Impairments
- Angina
- Arthritis
- Back Injury
- Bowel Disorder
- Cancer
- Congestive Heart Failure
- Diabetes ( Type 1, Type 2, Diabetes Insipidus (DI)
- Elimination (Impairment in bowel or bladder functions)
- Emphysema
- Fibromyalgia (FM)
- High Blood Pressure (Hypertension)
- Glaucoma
- Hip Replacement
- Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)
- Incontinence
- Knee replacement
- Macular Degeneration
- Migraines
- Myocardial Infarction
- Obesity
- Osteoarthritis (OA)
- Hearing Loss
- Osteoporosis
- Parkinson’s Disease
- Retinopathy (diabetic, hypertensive, solar)
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Spinal Cord Injury (SCI)
- Transient Ischemic Attack
- Ulcerative Colitis (UC)
- Walking Impairment
- Heart Disease
Apart from those, there are also other conditions that may fall under disability benefits. If your condition is not listed, you may still be eligible if you can prove how it affects your capacity to work. You can also consult a lawyer to ensure you are eligible for the benefits.
Know Also: How to Apply for Short Term Disability in Canada?
How to Apply for CPP Disability Benefits?
The application procedure for CPP disability is pretty simple now. You will need to fill out the following CPP disability forms:
4 Steps to Apply
Follow the below steps to apply for CPPD benefits.
Step 1: Check your eligibility
Step 2: Get the application form and fill them out
You will need to meet your doctor to fill out the Medical form completely. So, book an appointment beforehand without wasting any time.
Step 3: Write a cover
This is optional, but it can help you can specify the content of your application package, education, work history, and impairment
Step 4: Submit the application.
( you can do it online or in person)
How Much Can You Expect to Get in CPP Disability Payments in 2023?
As of 2023, the average monthly disability pension payment is $1,053.20, with a maximum amount of $1,464.83. And the post-retirement disability benefit for 2023 is $524.64 per month.
However, your payment is derived by combining the baseline monthly payment with an amount based on your CPP contributions. To know how much you can get, use your “My Service Canada Account” and reach Service Canada to get an estimated amount of benefits.
Furthermore, if you get CPPD benefits, your dependent children may also be eligible for a children’s benefit.
How to Appeal a CPPD Application Denial?
With a higher dismissal rate of 40%, it’s nothing unusual for your CPPD application to get denied. However, you have options to challenge the decision. You can do it in 5 different stages depending on continuous rejection, which includes:
Initial Appeal
The earliest steps of the CPPD procedure mostly involve filling out paperwork and obtaining the data necessary to appeal on your own.
Reconsideration
At this stage, you contact Service Canada with an appeal. And you have 90 days to apply for reconsideration. To do that, you must confirm that you are at the reconsideration stage.
Next, check when to submit your application and let Service Canada know. You should gather documents to support the appeal after notifying. Send Service Canada a letter of appeal when you are done.
Social Security Tribunal – General Division
If your reconsideration request is rejected, you can move on to the Tribunal’s General Division. Again, you have 90 days to file an appeal against the verdict involving your earlier claim.
Social Security Tribunal – Appeal Division
You would have additional 90 days to file an appeal if the General Division Tribunal rejected your request.
Federal Court of Appeal
This is the final stage for appeal. You do it once all of your rejection attempts are failed. However, you must appeal within 30 days. Also, note that you can’t appeal to federal court in July and August.
Get Legal Help
The Canada Pension Plan Disability Benefit provides contributing workers with a solid safety net in the event of a major illness or injury. However, to qualify for the program, the person’s injuries or medical condition must be severe enough to prevent them from engaging in gainful employment.
Again, the program provides a rigorous appeals procedure if your applications are denied. Albeit, the process of filing an appeal can be challenging and time-consuming.
You can consult a lawyer in that case. A lawyer can help you file for CPPD benefits, assess eligibility, and help in appealing a rejection to the ‘Hearing.’
FAQs
For further clarification about CPP disability in Canada, check the below questions.
How Much Can I Earn While on CPP Disability in 2023?
You can receive some financial assistance from CPPD, but a maximum income threshold might make you ineligible for the benefit. Keeping that in mind, before taxes, if you earn up to $17,610.06, you will get disability benefits. If you earn more, you must notify Service Canada, and they will take steps to assess your income and health condition.
How Much Do You Have to Pay into CPP to Get Disability Benefits?
There is no specific amount because the rules suggest that your contribution depends on your earnings. Instead, your pensionable income will determine your contribution to CPP disability assistance. For instance, in 2019, $5700 annually was the required minimum contribution to qualify for CPP disability payments.
In 2023, you need to earn a minimum of $3,500 annually to contribute. You can not make CPP contributions if your annual income is below the threshold. Also, note that Canada Pension Plan (CPP) for disability is higher than the only retirement pension amount.
What Conditions Qualify for CPP Disability?
If you have a physical or mental condition that is completely stopping you from earning a living, you will be qualified for CPP disability benefits. Also, conditions like a long-term disability that you will be suffering for time indefinite or some terminal disease make you eligible for the benefits.
How Long Does It Take to Get Disability CPP?
The duration of the process depends on what sort of illness you have. Processing your application may take as long as 120 days. But if they confirm that your physical condition is severe, it might take only 30 days. They aim to send your feedback as fast as 5 working days regarding terminal diseases.
Why is CPP Disability Denied?
Usually, in Canada, the CPPD application gets denied for 3 reasons: impairment is ineligible, the application lacks information and no understanding of the requirement. Most of the time, people don’t get their application accepted because they are not well aware of the essential information and requirements.