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Many people need to take breaks from work, including because of a mental health or substance use problem. Others may need to leave their work for long periods of time or leave their career altogether. Whatever the reason, everyone should have a dignified, stable income they can live on, whether that is through paid work or through income assistance.
Your workplace may offer benefits that help cover your income when you take time off for health reasons. This includes paid sick days, short-term disability, and long-term disability. Talk to your employer about your options.
Many people don't have these workplace benefits (or use up workplace benefits before they are well enough to go back to work). This infosheet outlines provincial and federal programs that may support you when you have a mental health or substance use problem and can't work.
Provincial income support
Income assistance
Income assistance (also called welfare) is for a person who isn't working, earns below the income cutoff, or urgently needs basics like food or housing. People who receive this assistance are expected to show that they are looking for paid work, but there are exceptions (called exemptions) for certain groups including people who have a health problem.
If you qualify for other provincial or federal assistance like Employment Insurance (EI), you may be asked to apply for that assistance before you apply for income assistance. However, you may be able to apply for and receive income assistance while you wait for other assistance to be processed and approved.
In addition to basic assistance, the government of BC provides two different kinds of disability assistance for people who can't work because of a health problem: Persons with Disabilities (PWD) income and Persons with Persistent Multiple Barriers (PPMB) income. Each level of assistance gives you a different amount of money.
Persons with Disabilities
If you want to receive Persons with Disabilities (PWD) disability assistance, you have to apply for income assistance first and let them know that you want the PWD designation. This step is meant to look at your financial eligibility, including your assets and earnings. Once you've applied for income assistance, you can apply for PWD. At that point, you (and your health care professionals) will need to provide more information about your disability and needs.
Persons with Disabilities (PWD) is disability assistance for people who need more support with daily living activities due to a disability, which includes a mental illness or substance use disorder.
When you make a PWD application, it's important to be very clear and thorough when you describe your disability and explain how your disability affects your daily life. Your doctor or nurse practitioner alone or with another professional (such as a registered psychologist or social worker) must fill out sections of your application. It's also a good idea to talk with an advocate about your application. You can find information about advocates below.
Persons with Persistent Multiple Barriers
Not all health problems are considered disabilities in terms of income assistance or may be more temporary. Persons with Persistent Multiple Barriers (PPMB) is income assistance for people who currently receive or recently received income assistance, experience a health problem that makes regular work impossible, and experience an additional barrier to employment like homelessness, family violence, or a criminal record. The amount of money you get with PPMB is more than basic assistance but less than the PWD amount.
It's important to be thorough and clear when you describe your health problems and barriers to employment. You will need an approved health professional to complete a PPMB application, which includes a doctor, nurse practitioner or a registered psychologist. Again, it's a good idea to talk to an advocate about your application. You can find information about advocates below.
To learn more about all the levels of provincial income assistance including basic, PWD and PPMB eligibility and the application process, visit myselfserve.gov.bc.ca or call 1-866-866-0800.
Federal income support
The federal government also provides some disability benefits:
Employment Insurance (EI) is for people who lost a job. Sickness benefits help people who can't work for a short time (up to 15 weeks) due to an illness or injury. Caregiving benefits help caregivers who need to take time off work to support a child or adult family member. To learn more about EI, visit www.canada.ca/ei.
Canada Pension Plan disability benefit (CPP-D) is for people who can't work due to a long-term disability. CPP-D is for previously-employed Canadians who contributed the minimum amount to the CPP. To learn more about CPP-D, visit www.canada.ca/disability. At this link you can also learn more about disability tax benefits, education funding, the Registered Disability Savings Plan, and other benefits.
Indigenous Services Canada's On-reserve Income Assistance program covers immediate needs like housing, essential household items, food, and medical diets. Contact your band office to learn more or visit www.canada.ca/indigenous and go to Funding Programs, then Social Programs to learn more.
Learn more
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BC Disability Benefits help sheets from Disability Alliance BC: disabilityalliancebc.org/publications/publications-bc-disability-benefits-help-sheets/
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Your Welfare Rights series from the Legal Services Society: legalaid.bc.ca/publications/
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Ask an Advocate information on income assistance and disability benefits: askanadvocate.ca
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Pensions, benefits & welfare library of legal resources from ClickLaw: www.clicklaw.bc.ca
Find an advocate
Applying for disability assistance can be confusing and can take a lot of work, especially if you aren't feeling well. For that reason, it's a good idea to talk with an advocate about your options and application.
Advocacy Access Program from Disability Alliance BC: One-on-one support when you apply for PWD, PPMB, or federal disability benefits or appeal denial of benefits, as well as information, advice, and referrals to other organizations in your community. They help people by phone or email but you need to make an appointment first. Call 604-872-1278 in the Lower Mainland or 1-800-663-1278 in the rest of BC. Visit disabilityalliancebc.org to learn more.
PovNet: Search for organizations that offer advocacy services across BC. Visit www.povnet.org.
British Columbia Aboriginal Network on Disability Society (BCANDS): Supports Indigenous people living with a disability. Visit www.bcands.bc.ca.
About the author
The Canadian Mental Health Association promotes the mental health of all and supports the resilience and recovery of people experiencing a mental illness through public education, community-based research, advocacy, and direct services. Visit www.cmha.bc.ca.
