If you’re disabled and unable to work, you might find it very difficult to navigate through everyday life. You won’t have any income, so meeting living expenses can be tough. To help such people, the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) has a specialized disability benefits section where people can claim support even if they’re not technically qualifying for Pension Plan. This specialized section is known as the CPP Disability Benefits, and it is supporting thousands of households all over Canada.
People are entitled to receive the CPP disability benefits even if they didn’t incur their disability from their workplaces. Anyone can apply for the benefits given that they meet certain criteria. So, how to know that you meet those criteria and if you’re eligible for CPP disability benefits? Here’s how.
How To Know If You’re Eligible
As we’ve previously said, anyone can apply for disability benefits. However, only people meeting certain criteria are selected to receive the benefits. These criteria include:
- You must be under 65 years old
- Have a severe and prolonged disability that prevents you from working
- Must have enough contributions to the pensions
Generally, the contributions to the pensions are based on how much you and your employers contribute to the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) while you were employed. Depending on how much and how long you have contributed to the plan, your basic CPP disability benefits will be calculated.
Understanding Severe and Prolonged Disability
One of the main criteria for receiving the CPP disabilities benefit in Ontario is having a severe and prolonged disability. But, what does this actually mean?
Severe means that you’ve incurred a serious disability and you’re not able to work at all, or that you can’t work full-time on a regular basis. For this reason, you have little or no scope or earning enough to sustain.
Prolonged means that your disability is going to last a long time. Or, it may not go in your lifetime.
Both of the above criteria must be met simultaneously in order for the application to be selected. Moreover, there’s something that you must keep in mind. The word ‘disability’ has no common definition in Canada. This means that even if you qualify for disability benefits under government programs or from other private entities, you may not be selected for receiving CPP disability benefits.
Moreover, the medical team from CPP will review your application and all your supporting documents in order to justify if you qualify for the CPP disability benefits. Once the applications are assessed, the ones that fill up the criteria are accepted for the CPP benefits.
What If You Have Terminal Illness?
A ‘terminal illness’ is defined as an end-stage disease that’s incurable nor is adequately treated. Also, even if the patient receives extensive medical care, the patient is expected to die from the disease within a certain time frame.
If you have a terminal illness, you might be running low on funds to live off your last time on earth. The CPP disability benefits help people suffering from terminal illnesses receive benefits at very fast rates. Once you’ve applied for the CPP claim, you’ll receive a decision just within five business days.
The Bottom Line
If you’re suffering from disabilities, you’re entitled to receive CPP benefits given that you meet with some of their criteria. The criteria include you having a severe and prolonged disability, which prevents you from working. Also, you must be under 65 years old and have enough contributions to the Pensions Plan Canada to be entitled to receive the CPP disability benefits.
If you have a terminal illness, you’ll get your reviewed applications within 5 business days. This will help you cover most of your medical expenses so that you live tension-free for the rest of your counting days.
Whether it’s about disability benefits or not, the application process can be quite lengthy and gruesome. That’s where you need professional help! We at Meducation Services can take on your cases from the very beginning (or the application stage) right until the final level of Appeal, referred to as the Social Security Tribunal or SST! With us, you’ll save time, money, and energy! Contact us, and let’s review your case in detail!
