CPP Disability

CPP disability benefits program is designed to provide financial assistance to CPP contributors who are not able to work regularly because of a severe and prolonged disability. Service Canada pays monthly CPP disability benefits to eligible applicants and their dependent children.

CPP defines disability as a (physical or mental) medical condition that is severe and prolonged.

To qualify for CPP disability benefit, you must:

• Have a severe and prolonged disability as defined by CPP legislation
• Be under the age of 65
• Have earned a minimum specified amount (currently around $5200) and contributed to the CPP while working for minimum of four years in the last six years. At or above the minimum level of earnings or in three of the last six years if you have contributed at or above the minimum level of earnings for at least 25 years.
• To remain eligible, you must continue to have a disability according to CPP legislation.

You may still qualify for CPP disability when you have not contributed in the last few years but;

1. You had enough years of contribution when you became disabled and stopped working.
2. Your CPP contributions stopped or were reduced because you were raising children under 7 years.
3. You have obtained enough CPP credits from a former spouse or common law partner through credit splitting to make you eligible or
4. You worked in another country with which Canada has a social security agreement where your contributions to that country’s benefit plan, when added to your CPP contributions, may be enough for you to meet the minimum requirement or
5. You were not able to apply because of your medical condition.

You should apply for CPP disability benefits when you develop severe long term or terminal medical condition that prevents you from working regularly at your own or any other job. The date your application is received affects when the benefits begin. Hence you should apply immediately upon you realize that there is a condition of disability.

To apply you must complete and sign a written application with a set of forms, questionnaire about your work history and medical condition, medical report to be completed by your doctor, a consent form signed to give Service Canada permission to get additional information on your condition from other medical and non medical sources such as your medical doctor, your employer, disability insurers and hospitals to process your application and a form to complete if you reduced your working hours or stopped working to care for your children under the age of seven.

For clarity and specific details please visit the web www.servicecanada.gc.ca