What if an ODSP recipient has other financial resources?
General Rule: Any assistance your client receives from ODSP can be reduced if they receive money or funding from another source. Some examples of things that can reduce the amount of support your client receives include:
- Money earned from employment
- ODSP recipients can earn up to $200 in a month before their support payments will be reduced. Any amount earned beyond $200 will be deducted from their income assistance by 50%.
- Selling assets
- Inheritances
- Other benefits (CPP, EI, WSIB, etc.)
- Spousal support payments (only deductible if it is actually paid)
Your client, and any adult members of their family, also have an obligation to pursue other available financial resources while receiving assistance from ODSP. They have to pursue resources like:
- Ontario Child Benefit
- Support from a sponsor or co-signer
- Canada Pension Plan (CPP)
- Retirement or Disability benefits
- Employment Insurance (EI) benefits
- Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) benefits
- Spousal support payments
Note: Child support payments are not deducted in income support calculations and your client does not need to pursue these payments as another available financial resource.
How You Can Help:
- Ask your client whether they are pursuing other available financial resources. If they aren’t, help them identify the additional resources that might be available to them.
- If your client has lost their benefits or had them reduced, ask them whether they have been pursuing these other financial resources.
