2. Learn about your child’s options

If the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) says that your adult child who lives with you is financially independent, they may be able to choose between:

• applying for assistance from Ontario Works (OW) on their own, or
• being included in your household.

Or, your adult child may be able to apply for ODSP on their own if:

• they're a person with a disability
• they qualify for ODSP without proving they have a disability

To find out how this can affect your income support, talk to a community legal clinic.

When your child does not have a choice

There are times when adult children do not have a choice and ODSP will not let them be included in your household. This happens if:

• your child owns or rents the home where you live and you do not
• you get Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) money from Old Age Security (OAS)
• you get money from the Ontario Guaranteed Annual Income System (GAINS)
• you require your child to pay housing costs to live with you
• your child is legally responsible for paying some of the costs of living with you, such as rent, heating, or hydro. For example, their name might be on the rental agreement you have with your landlord, or on a utility bill.

Making a choice

Your child may want to know which option will lead to the most money in total.

For more information and help deciding what to do, they may want to contact a community legal clinic.