The new Canada Disability Benefit officially has a launch date — Here's when you can apply

If you've been waiting to find out when the new Canada Disability Benefit will actually start, it's finally official — and it's happening very soon.

The newest monthly federal government payment from Service Canada is getting ready to roll out, with plans to support low-income Canadians with disabilities. It's all part of a wider effort to improve financial security for people with disabilities and is tied to the national Disability Inclusion Action Plan.

Employment and Social Development Canada confirmed on Friday morning that applications for the long-awaited monthly government payment will officially open in one week, on June 20, 2025.

If you're eligible and get your paperwork in by the end of the month, you could see your first payment hit your account as soon as July.

The new benefit has been years in the making and is now being cemented as a major piece of Canada's social safety net. Employment and Social Development Canada says more than 600,000 people could benefit from the program.

To make the application process as easy as possible, the government says you'll be able to apply online, by phone or in person at a Service Canada Centre — whichever works best for you. If you already qualify for the Disability Tax Credit (DTC), you may even get a letter in the mail inviting you to apply.

Plus, the feds have launched an all-new online Canada Disability Benefit Estimator that can show how much money you might be able to get each month.

How much can you get?

The Canada Disability Benefit maxes out at $200 per month, or $2,400 per year. But the exact amount you receive depends on your income and whether you have a spouse or partner — it's income-tested, which means it gets smaller as your income goes up.

If you're single and make under $23,000 per year, you're eligible for the full amount. That income threshold rises to $33,000 if at least $10,000 of your income is from employment. Once your income hits $45,000, you no longer qualify.

For couples, the numbers shift a bit. If only one person qualifies, your household income has to be under $32,500 to get the full benefit — or up to $46,500 with earned income exemptions. For every dollar you make above that, the benefit drops until it hits zero at $58,500. If both partners qualify, the threshold is the same, but the reduction happens a bit more gradually, with full phase-out at $70,500.

Who's eligible?

To qualify for the Canada Disability Benefit, you must:

• Be between 18 and 64 years old
• Be approved for the Disability Tax Credit (DTC)
• Be a Canadian resident for tax purposes as well as a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, protected person, individual registered under the Indian Act or temporary resident who's lived in Canada for at least the last 18 months
• Have filed your 2024 tax return (along with your spouse or common-law partner, if you have one)

What to do now

To make sure you're ready to apply next Friday, you'll want to:

• Make sure you know your Social Insurance Number (SIN)
• File your 2024 federal taxes if you haven't already
• Apply for the Disability Tax Credit if you haven't yet — it's required

If you're not sure how to apply for the DTC or need some help navigating the process, there are community-based organizations across Canada that offer free, accessible support to help people apply for disability programs — including both the DTC and the Canada Disability Benefit.

According to the feds, you'll get your first payment in July as long as your application is received and approved by June 30.

But if you miss that deadline, don't worry — you'll have up to two years to apply and still get back payments from when the benefit begins. So even if you're not ready yet this month, you can still catch up without losing out on money you're owed.

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