What are an ODSP recipient’s responsibilities?
General Rule: If your client is receiving ODSP, they, and the adult members of their family that receive money from the program, will have responsibilities which they have to meet in order to continue receiving assistance. If they don’t meet these responsibilities, any assistance they receive from ODSP could be reduced, terminated or suspended. If your client is single and doesn’t support a family on their ODSP payments, they will likely have their assistance cancelled if they don’t meet these responsibilities. If they are supporting a family, their payments might be suspended or reduced, but shouldn’t be cancelled.
Some general responsibilities that all ODSP recipients have:
- Income-Related Responsibilities:
- Report any earned income (e.g., employment, training program, CPP, etc.)
- Make reasonable efforts to get any other income they are entitled to (e.g., spousal support, EI, etc.)
- Repay money they are not entitled to (e.g., overpayments)
- Administrative Responsibilities:
- Keep receipts and statements for income, assets and expenses, in case ODSP wants to verify them
- Update ODSP on changes in circumstances (e.g., being hospitalized, being taken into custody, moving to a new address, etc.). For more information, see: “What are recipients required to report to ODSP?”
- Provide documents to ODSP if requested
- Attend meetings with ODSP if requested
Note: Non-disabled adults (e.g., a spouse or adult child) are required to comply with the employment requirements under Ontario Works. For more information on these requirements, see: “What are an Ontario Works recipient’s responsibilities?”
