Canada Disability Benefit Application Process

IL Canada, June 18, 2025

Application Announcement:

The Federal government has confirmed that applications for the Canada Disability Benefit (CDB) open on June 20, 2025.

Once applications open, you will be able to access the application form here

 

We have created this article to provide as much comprehensive information to you regarding both the application process and benefit payment calculation in one place as possible.

Click here to jump to our Guide to Eligibility   Click here to jump to our Guide to Benefit Payments

 

How can I prepare for the application?

The government is sending out letters in June 2025 to people who have already been approved for the Disability Tax Credit (DTC) and who meet most of the eligibility criteria for the CDB. The letter will include a unique application code and instructions on how to apply.

It may be helpful to gather some key information before you complete the form, including:

  • Social Insurance Number (SIN)
  • Direct deposit information

If you do not receive a letter from the government and think you are eligible for the CDB, you can still apply. You will need to provide additional information including:

  • Your mailing address
  • Optional: your net income (line 23600) from your 2024 notice of assessment. Providing this information will speed up your application, but it is not required

How can I submit my application?

You will be able to submit your application via the application portal, by phone, and in-person at Service Canada locations. 

Can someone represent me?

A representative can take the following actions on behalf of a beneficiary (the person approved to receive the benefit):

  • complete the benefit application,
  • request a reconsideration of a decision, and
  • appeal a decision.

An authorized legal representative, such as a guardian or trustee, is only needed to receive benefit payments on behalf of a beneficiary. Payments may only be directed to someone's authorized legal representative in situations where such a person has already been appointed in accordance with federal, provincial, or territorial law.

What should I do if I have questions?

You can talk to Service Canada directly about the CDB on their designated CDB call center telephone line: 1-833-486-3007 or by teletypewriter (TTY): 1-833-467-2700.

 

Guide to CDB Eligibility

To qualify for the CDB, you must:

  • be between the ages of 18 and 64,
    • eligibility begins the month that you turn 18 and ends the month that you turn 65
  • be currently approved for the Disability Tax Credit (DTC),
  • have filed an income tax return for the previous tax year,
  • be a resident of Canada for the purposes of the Income Tax Act,
  • be a resident of Canada, which means you must be one of the following:
    • a Canadian citizen,
    • a permanent resident,
    • a temporary resident who has lived in Canada for the 18 months preceding that month,
    • a protected person,
    • a temporary resident who has lived in Canada for the past 18 months, or
    • someone who is registered or entitled to be registered under the Indian Act, and
    • not currently be serving a prison sentence of two years or more in a federal penitentiary.

You must also meet the low-income requirements set out by the government, which are different depending on your family status.

If you are married or in a common-law relationship, your spouse or common-law partner is also required to file an Income Tax Return and Benefit Return with the Canada Revenue Agency for the tax year that ended before the payment period starts. In some cases, you can ask Service Canada to waive the requirement.


For more information about income requirements, see our Benefit Payments section below.

For more information on the eligibility requirements see the Government of Canada website

 

Guide to CDB Benefit Payments

How much is the benefit?
The maximum amount for the Canada Disability Benefit (CDB) is $2,400 per year, or $200 per month.

The amount you receive from the CDB will depend on your income from the previous tax year, and:
Family status

  • Income threshold
  • Working income exemption
  • Reduction rates
  • Phase-out income

The government has created a Canada Disability Benefit Estimator tool.

The tool asks for information about your marital status and income to estimate how much you could be eligible to receive from the CDB. We also provide information below to help you understand how your benefit amount will be calculated.

Family Status:

Income Threshold:

The maximum amount of income you can earn before your benefit amount is reduced

Reduction Rates:

How much your benefit amount will be reduced if your income exceeds the income threshold

Phase-Out Income:

Amount at which you will no longer receive the CDB

Single

$23,000 (plus up to $10,000 of working income, for a total income threshold of $33,000)

20%, or 20 cents for every $1 above the income threshold

$35,000 (plus up to $10,000 of working income, for a total phase out income of $45,000)

Couple with one person eligible for the CDB

$32,500 (plus up to $14,000 of combined working income, for a total income threshold of $46,500)

20%, or 20 cents for every $1 above the income threshold (for the eligible person)

$44,500 (plus up to $14,000 of working income, for a total phase outincome of $58,500)

Couple where both people are eligible for the CDB

$32,500 (plus up to $14,000 of combined working income, for a total income threshold of $46,500)

10%, or 10 cents for every $1 above the income threshold (for each person)

$56,500 (plus up to $14,000 of working income, for a total phase outincome of $70,500)

 

Benefit Payment Definitions:

Your income from the previous tax year:

Your benefit amount depends primarily on your income from the previous tax year. The Government of Canada calculates your benefit amount based on your adjusted income. If you have a spouse or common-law partner, your combined income is used to find your benefit amount.

To find your adjusted income, refer to your income tax form from the previous year:

  • Line 23600: your net income (add line 23600 of your spouse or common-law partner's tax return, if applicable)

  • Subtract the following amounts from your income or your spouse's or common-law partner's tax return (if applicable):

    • Line 11700: child care benefit (UCCB)

    • Line 12500: registered disability savings plan (RDSP) income receive

    Add the following amounts from your income or your spouse's or common-law partner's tax return (if applicable):

    • Line 21300: UCCB repayments

    • Part of line 23200: RDSP repayments

Click here for more information on adjusted income.

To simplify payment explanations, we refer to adjusted income as income from now on.

 

Family Status 

Your family status also determines your benefit amount:

  • Single means the person receiving the benefit has no cohabitating spouse or common-law partner living with them.

  • Couple means the person receiving the benefit has a cohabitating spouse or common-law partner living with them. The couple's combined income is used to calculate their benefit amount.

The income threshold, working income exemption, and reduction rates used to calculate your benefit amount vary depending on your family status. Couples have higher income thresholds because they share living expenses and costs.

Income Threshold

The income threshold is the maximum amount of income you can earn before your benefit amount is reduced. The income threshold is:

  • $23,000 for a single person

  • $32,500 combined for a couple (this income threshold applies regardless of whether one or both people qualify for the CDB)

If your income is below the income threshold (including the working income exemption, if applicable), you will receive the maximum benefit amount of $2,400 a year or $200 a month.

However, if your income exceeds the income threshold (including the working income exemption, if applicable), your benefit amount will be reduced. Any income above the income threshold will be reduced by a specific percentage, known as the reduction rate. Your benefit amount may be reduced to the point where you no longer receive the CDB. This is known as phase-out income. 

Refer to the reduction rates to determine how much your benefit amount will be reduced if you earn above the income threshold. Also, see below for phase-out income.

Working income exemption

The working income exemption allows you to exclude a portion of your working income when calculating your benefit amount. Working income includes income from employment, self-employment, or taxable scholarships. The working income exemption is:

Up to $10,000 for a single person

  • You can earn up to $10,000 per year in working income, which will be excluded from the calculation of your benefit amount. This means if your working income is at least $10,000, your income threshold increases from $23,000 to $33,000.

Up to $14,000 combined for a couple

  • You can earn up to a combined $14,000 per year in working income, which will be excluded from the calculation of your benefit amount. This means if your combined working income is at least $14,000, your income threshold increases from $32,500 to $46,500.

Reduction Rates

Any income that exceeds the income threshold will reduce your benefit amount. For every dollar of income above the income threshold, your benefit amount will be reduced based on the following rates:

20% or 20 cents for every $1 above the income threshold, for a single person

  • Without the working income exemption: Your benefit amount will be reduced if your income exceeds $23,000. For every dollar you earn above this amount, your benefit amount will be reduced by 20 cents.

  • With the maximum working income exemption: Your benefit amount will be reduced if your income exceeds $33,000 (this includes the maximum working income exemption of $10,000). For every dollar you earn above this amount, your benefit amount will be reduced by 20 cents.

20% or 20 cents for every $1 above the income threshold, for a couple if only one person is eligible for the CDB

  • Without the working income exemption: Your benefit amount will be reduced if your combined income exceeds $32,500. For every dollar you earn above this amount, your benefit amount will be reduced by 20 cents.

  • With the maximum working income exemption: Your benefit amount will be reduced if your combined income exceeds $46,500 (this includes the maximum working income exemption of $14,000). For every dollar you earn above this amount, your benefit amount will be reduced by 20 cents.

10% or 10 cents for every $1 above the income threshold, for a couple where both people are eligible for the CDB

  • Without the working income exemption: Your benefit amount will be reduced if your combined income exceeds $32,500. For every dollar you earn above this amount, your benefit amount will be reduced by 10 cents.

  • With the maximum working income exemption: Your benefit amount will be reduced if your combined income exceeds $46,500 (this includes the maximum working income exemption of $14,000). For every dollar you earn above this amount, your benefit amount will be reduced by 10 cents.

Phase-out Income

You will not receive the CDB if your income exceeds a specific limit, known as the phase-out income. The phase-out income is:

$35,000 for a single person

  • Without the working income exemption: You will not receive the CDB if your income is $35,000 or more.

  • With the maximum working income exemption: You will not receive the CDB if your income is $45,000 or more (this includes the maximum working income exemption of $10,000).

$44,500 for a couple if only one person is eligible for the CDB

  • Without the working income exemption: You will not receive the CDB if your combined income is $44,500 or more.

  • With the maximum working income exemption: You will not receive the CDB if your combined income is $58,500 or more (this includes the maximum working income exemption of $14,000).

$56,500 for a couple where both people are eligible for the CDB

  • Without the working income exemption: You will not receive the CDB if your combined income is $56,500 or more.

  • With the maximum working income exemption: You will not receive the CDB if your combined income is $70,500 or more (this includes the maximum working income exemption of $14,000).

 

Other ways your benefit will be determined

Inflation: Your benefit amount may change as a result of inflation. Each year, the maximum benefit amount, income threshold, and working income exemption will be adjusted to reflect the cost of living based on the Consumer Price Index. The Consumer Price Index measures changes in prices experienced by Canadian consumers.

When will I begin receiving payments?

The payment period begins in July. You will receive monthly payments starting in July based on your income tax from the previous year. If your monthly payment is $20 or less, you will receive a single combined payment for the entire period on the day the first monthly benefit would have been paid instead of separate monthly payments. 

The first payment period is from July 1st, 2025, to June 30th, 2026, and will be based on your 2024 income tax return. You will receive your CDB payments starting the month after your application is approved. Payments will begin in July 2025 for applications received and approved by June 30, 2025.

Can I get retroactive payments?

In the future, you may be able to receive retroactive payments for up to 24 months if you were eligible at the time the payment would have been made. This means that even if you do not currently qualify for the CDB, you may still be able to receive payments for any months in the last two years in which you were eligible. However, you cannot receive retroactive payments for any months before June 2025.