Do you or any loved person of yours have a disability? Well, then you are familiar with all the extra medical and living expenditures that are needed for them.
That’s why, to reduce the pain and suffering of this kind of people, the Canadian government has come to their aid. There are no age limitations!
You just need to show them that you are eligible enough to get disability benefits based on the requirements criteria they have set.
So, what conditions qualify for disability in Canada? Let’s know in this blog.
This article describes the common grounds and outlines the eligibility criteria for several types of disability benefits in Canada. As a result, you can finally know whether you are eligible for the benefits or not.
What Conditions Qualify for Disability in Canada?
Any person having a medical condition due to which s/he cannot work and do any regular activities as a normal person qualifies for disability benefits.
But that doesn’t mean you will get access to disability benefits merely depending on a medical diagnosis. Instead, they give away benefits based on the disability level caused by the medical condition.
Therefore, to qualify for disability benefits, you must prove that the level of disability from your medical condition ideally meets the requirements criteria as stated by the disability benefits plan.
Let’s know about each of them one of one:
CPP disability benefit
It is a monthly payment you can get if you fall under the below-mentioned criteria list:
- Your age is under 65 years
- You have made sufficient contributions to the Canada Pension Plan (CPP)
- Has a mental or physical disability that regularly prevents you from doing any sort of heavy work.
- Having a long-term disability for a long time now isn’t going to get cured and is most likely to result in death soon.
CPP Post-retirement disability benefits
In case you are enjoying the monthly CPP retirement pension now, these post-retirement disability benefits are for you:
- The age range is from 60 to 65 years
- Has contributed enough to the Canada Pension Plan
- Has a mental or physical disability that stops you from conducting any kind of hefty activities
- Suffering from long-term disability for an indefinite timeframe now
- You are receiving the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) retirement pension for over 15 months or become disabled after beginning to receive the retirement pension.
CPP Children’s Benefit
If you are currently getting a disability benefit, then any of your dependent children can also get entitled to receiving a monthly payment upon meeting the following eligibility criteria:
- Age is below 18 years, or
- Age is between 18 to 25 and is attending full-time school.
So, What are Disability Benefits?
Disability benefits are a tax-free financial recognition that the Canadian government gives to people who cannot work and earn a living due to their health conditions. The main agenda of these benefits is to lessen poverty and support this kind of person financially.
With the help of these benefits, the aged or disabled persons can lead a stress-free life and be financially strong. They will no more have to worry about their lost income or daily expenses. These benefits include disability pensions, children’s benefits, savings plans, etc.
In Canada, you can get up to an average monthly amount of $1,053.20 and a maximum payment amount of $1,464.83 per month for Canada Pension Plan (CPP) disability benefits.
It is indeed a great initiative taken by the government to help the elderly and disabled persons. Besides, physical disabilities, severe chronic pain, and mental health issues also fall under the disability.
However, to receive any kind of disability benefits, you must prove that you are eligible enough to get them. Otherwise, failing to prove may result in denying your appeal.
2 Types of Disabilities to Know!
There are two kinds of disabilities in Canada that you must know about to claim any benefits:
1. Mental Disability
This form of emotional disability is relatively hard to diagnose compared to visible physical wounds. For instance, depression. It is one of the most common mental disabilities that Canadian Disability Benefits (CDB) must deal with.
Although not visible to the eyes, this disability has the full power to change a person’s life drastically. They can get so severe that many people even have trouble getting out of bed or keeping up with their full-time work. As a result, to make life simpler for them, the disability tax credit can help them to a great extent in coping with the hardship of life.
Whether born with a mental disability or has developed at any phase of life due to any tragic events, every Canadian citizen can always appeal for one when needed. So, in case of encountering any symptoms and meeting the eligibility criteria, you can claim assistance from the Canadian government.
2. Physical Disability
Physical disabilities are impairments and injuries that are visible to the eyes. In comparison to mental disabilities, they are much easier to identify.
You have it either by birth or may have developed due to meeting any tragic accidents. These disabilities can sometimes be so severe that they can completely change a person’s life, putting a limitation on their work movement and various other activities.
Therefore, no matter the reason, you can always claim disability benefits if your condition ideally qualifies you for one.
Check Also: How to Apply for Short Term Disability in Canada?
List of Medical Conditions that Qualify for Disability Benefits
Always remember not all medical conditions fall under disability benefits. However, there is a common list of pertaining medical conditions which may qualify you for these disability benefits.
The list includes the following conditions:
- Back problems and conditions
- Bipolar mood disorder
- Chronic Pain Syndrome (CPS)
- Crohn’s disease
- Fibromyalgia
- Carpel tunnel syndrome
- Complex regional pain syndrome
- Depression
- Carpel fatigue syndrome
- Severe headache and migraine
- Crohn’s disease
- Heart disease
- Lyme disease
- Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
- Lupus
- Knee disorders
- Visual disorders
- Neck and cervical disorders
- Sleep disorders
- Multiple sclerosis
- Psoriatic Arthritis
- Vestibular disorders
- Alzheimer’s Disease
- Arthritis
- Behcet’s Disease
- Colitis
- Autism
- Vivo Illness
- Dementia
- Parkinson’s
- Chromosome Abnormality
Note: It is a list of the most common medical conditions and thus can vary from one state to another state. So make sure to talk with an experienced lawyer regarding your health condition before going ahead with the process.
What Medical Conditions Qualify for CPP Disability?
If any medical condition prevents you from doing any hefty or normal work, it may qualify as a CPP disability. However, in this case, you must prove that your condition is permanent.
On the other hand, if you are suffering from a terminal illness, then, in that case, CPP disability will fast-track your appeal.
Below is a list of the official medical eligibility criteria for falling under CPP disability benefits:
- You have had a severe mental or physical condition for a long time now.
- You cannot do any kind of work and earn a living due to your disabilities.
- Your condition is permanent and is most likely to result and end in your death.
So, What Conditions Qualify for the Disability Tax Credit in Canada?
The disability tax credit is a non-refundable tax credit that is used for lessening the income tax payment for people having severe and prolonged physical/mental disabilities.
This is the most complicated disability benefit in comparison to the other various forms. Here, instead of directly focusing on how a certain kind of medical condition is affecting your work ability, they emphasize the impairment with your regular activities.
However, if your medical condition falls under the below-mentioned eligibility criteria, you will automatically qualify for the Disability Tax Credit.
The criteria list includes the following:
- Blind, for this criteria, you must show that your field of vision in both eyes is either 20 degrees or less than that.
- Marked as restricted in at least one of the basic activities of daily living (BALD)
- Significantly restricted in either two or more basic activities of daily living (BALD)
- Have to take lifelong treatment and therapy
Basic activities of daily living (BALD)
To show you are legible for the Disability Tax Credit, you must prove that you are marked as restricted in either one of the basic activities of daily living.
It consists of the following things:
- Speaking
- Hearing
- Walking
- Feeding
- Mental functionalities
- Dressing
- Eliminating (Bowel or bladder)
A marked restriction refers to having trouble conducting the basic activities of daily living. Such as, these limitations are present with you at least 90% of the time.
What to Do If I Have Missed Applying for Disability Benefits in the Past?
For this kind of scenario, the good news is you can still apply for one even though you have stopped working for a while now. However, there is a “but” condition here.
You may get entitlement to receive the disability benefits only if the below conditions are met:
- Have made adequate contributions to the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) before becoming severely disabled
- Have always been disabled from that date up to the current one.
What is the New Canada Disability Benefit 2023?
The Canada Disability Benefits Act, Bill C-22, was introduced on June 2, 2022, by the Canadian government. The Canada Disability Benefit is a new benefit that the government suggests (CDB). For Canadians with disabilities who are of working age, this benefit would help fight poverty.
Working-age The COVID-19 pandemic has made matters much worse for Canadians with disabilities, who are twice as likely to live in poverty than working-age adults without impairments. The Canadian government is working to solve the financial difficulties and other obstacles that people with disabilities experience. The objective is to guarantee an inclusive Canada for all Canadians, including those with disabilities.
The Bottom Line
Disability benefits are mainly for helping disabled people who cannot earn a living on their own due to physical/mental disabilities. No matter the reason, anyone can appeal for one if they know what conditions qualify for disability in Canada.
However, due to not having enough knowledge, many Canadian citizens don’t appeal for one, even if it’s their right. So, why leave your legal right and make it harder when the government has come in front to help you and make it smoother?
For any kind of issue, you can consult with an experienced lawyer. From application to getting things done properly – they can be of great help throughout the entire process.
FAQs
Check out the below queries regarding disability benefits in Canada:
What is a list of disabilities?
Disabilities can be either physical or mental, depending on one’s state. However, some common disabilities include Learning disabilities, Mobility disabilities, Medical disabilities, Psychiatric disabilities, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), Visual Impairments, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Deaf, etc.
What is the most common disability in Canada?
The most prevalent disability in Canada that most people tend to suffer from is pain, mobility, and flexibility limitations, with a rate of 9.7%, 7.6%, and 7.2%, respectively.
What is the most approved disability?
The most commonly approved condition for disability benefits is Arthritis and various other musculoskeletal disabilities. With this condition, you can neither walk properly nor do any other normal movements like typing or writing, etc. Thinking of doing a job with this disability is nearly impossible.
Is depression a disability in Canada?
Yes, it is. However, you must prove it to Canadian law and disability insurance policies that you are suffering from it. And due to this condition, you can neither work nor perform other normal life activities, ultimately compromising your quality of life.