Will living with my partner affect my ODSP?
Long delays for appeal hearings
If you're appealing a decision made by OW or ODSP in 2020, your appeal hearing may not happen for a long time. People report that they're getting hearing dates from the that are between 9 and 16 months in the future. We'll update this information as things change.
If the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) thinks you live with someone who is your spouse, neither one of you can get as a single person or as a .
ODSP has rules that they use to decide:
- whether 2 adults who live together are spouses
- when 2 people who live together must apply as a couple
If ODSP thinks you're living with someone, they'll look into it. For example, they might:
- give you an appointment to come and answer questions
- ask your landlord if there's someone else living with you or named on your lease
- check the voters' list for the names of people at your address
Why ODSP might think you live with someone
ODSP might think this if, for example:
- another person tells them that you're living with someone
- someone gets their mail at your address, so it looks like they're living with you
What can happen if ODSP thinks you live with someone
If you're getting income support, ODSP could decide that you got money you should not have received. This is called an and they can take steps to get the money back.
If they think you broke the rules on purpose, they can ask the police to charge you with fraud.
How much you can get
How much you get from ODSP depends on many things. Usually, your monthly payment includes:
- a basic needs amount, and
- a shelter allowance.
Your basic needs amount is based on who's in your .
The shelter allowance is based on who you live with and the costs related to your housing, like rent or a mortgage.
There's a limit to how much ODSP will pay for a shelter allowance. The most you can get is called the “maximum shelter allowance”.
Below is the highest monthly payment for 2024, if you're:
- single and living alone, or
- living with a spouse who does not have a disability.
| 2024 rates | Basic needs amount | Maximum shelter allowance | Total monthly payment for 2024 |
| Single person | $786 | $582 | $1,368 |
| Couple | $1,134 | $915 | $2,049 |
You may also be able to get more money from ODSP in certain circumstances, including if you:
- are pregnant or breastfeeding
- live in a remote community
- need a special diet
- are a single parent
Getting help
If you need help to decide whether ODSP will see you as a couple, contact a community legal clinic.
