A new Canadian government benefit payment launched this year and it's not too late to apply

A new monthly payment from the federal government is now rolling out — and there's still time to apply if you missed the initial deadline.

If you're living with a disability in Canada, applications for a long-anticipated new government payment finally opened in June, and payments started rolling out to eligible folks as early as July.

The Canada Disability Benefit (CDB) officially launched this summer and is part of the federal government's push to improve financial security for people with disabilities.

While the first two payments have already gone out, Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) says that eligible applicants can still get in on the action — including back payments for previous months they qualified for, going back as far as June 2025.

Here's how it all works.

Payments have already started — but it's not too late

This new Government of Canada benefit was designed to help low-income Canadians with disabilities between the ages of 18 and 64. According to ESDC, it's available to anyone in that age group who has already been approved for the Disability Tax Credit (DTC) and meets the other eligibility criteria.

The first CDB payments were issued on July 17, and a second round was deposited last week on August 21. But if you haven't received anything yet, don't stress. The feds say you may still qualify for monthly payments — and if your application is approved after the deadline, you could get back pay for up to 24 months from the date your application is received (as long as those months are after June 2025).

So even if you haven't gotten around to applying yet, don't panic! You won't miss out on any money you're owed.

Who can apply?

To qualify for the Canada Disability Benefit, you must:

• Be between 18 and 64 years old
• Have been approved for the Disability Tax Credit (DTC)
• Have filed your 2024 income tax return (and your partner too, if you have one)
• Be a resident of Canada for tax purposes and a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, Indian Act registrant, protected person or long-term temporary resident

There are a few other exceptions. For example, if you're 65 or older, you could still get back payments for time you were eligible before turning 65. And if you're incarcerated in a federal penitentiary for more than two years, you're not eligible, except for the first and last month of your sentence.

How much can you get?

The maximum you can receive is $200 per month — that's $2,400 per year. But like many government payments, it's income-tested. So the amount you get this benefit year depends on how much you (and your partner, if you have one) earned in 2024.

If you're single and your income is under $23,000, you're in line for the full $200. There's also a working income exemption of up to $10,000, meaning you could make up to $33,000 and still get the full amount as long as $10,000 of that is from employment. For every dollar of income you make over that threshold, your payment amount will be reduced by 20 cents (20%)

Couples can earn a bit more — up to $46,500, as long as at least $14,000 is from employment — before the benefit starts to shrink. If both partners are eligible, the threshold is the same, but the benefit is reduced by 10% for any income over the limit instead.

You can check the specific numbers for your situation using the Canada Disability Benefit Estimator tool on the Service Canada site.

How to apply

You can apply for the Canada Disability Benefit:

• Online through the official CDB portal
• In person at any Service Canada location
• By phone at 1-833-486-3007 (or TTY 1-833-467-2700)
• By mailing or dropping off a printed form to Service Canada

You'll need to have info like your Social Insurance Number (SIN) and legal status in Canada ready when filling out your application.

If you already received a letter from Service Canada with a 6-digit application code, use that when applying — it'll help speed things up. If not, you can still apply without the code, but you might need some additional info like your net income from your 2024 tax return.

Service Canada also recommends having your direct deposit info ready, since that's the fastest way to get your money.

Still waiting on your payment?

If you've already applied but haven't received a payment yet, hang tight. According to ESDC, it can take up to 28 days for Service Canada to process applications and send a decision letter. If a legal representative applied on your behalf, the wait could stretch to 49 days.

Your first payment — including any retroactive amounts — will be issued on the third Thursday of the month after your approval. For reference, the next few payment dates are:

• September 18
• October 16
• November 20
• December 18

Need help?

If you need support figuring out the CDB, the DTC or the application processes, community-based organizations across Canada offer free assistance for disabled people navigating government supports. Service Canada's site has a list of these resources.

Bottom line

The Canada Disability Benefit is the newest government payment to launch in recent years — and it's designed to offer lasting support, not just a one-time boost. If you're living with a disability and haven't applied yet, there's still time to qualify and receive monthly payments, along with retroactive pay for months you were eligible.

So if you think you might qualify, now's a great time to get your application in. Just don't wait too long — back payments only span 24 months!

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