Receiving CPP disability benefits

When will my disability benefits start?

Under the terms of the CPP legislation, your disability benefits will start the fourth month after the month you are determined to be disabled. You may be eligible for benefits dating back a maximum of one year from the date you apply.

When will I receive my payments each month?

If you are like most CPP recipients and you choose to sign up for direct deposit, your payment will be deposited automatically into your bank account on the third to last banking day of the month. Otherwise, your payment will be sent to you by mail, usually during the last three banking days of each month. See "Direct Deposit " for information on how to sign up for direct deposit and avoid payment delays.

Do I get cost-of-living increases?

Yes. We will increase your CPP disability payments to reflect increases in the cost of living as measured by the Consumer Price Index. We adjust payments in January of each year, if needed.

Can I volunteer, go to school, or work while receiving CPP disability benefits?

Yes:

• You can volunteer or attend school, participate in training, or upgrade your skills without affecting your CPP disability benefits; however, you need to notify Service Canada when you are in a paid education or training program or successfully complete a school, university, trade, technical training, or rehabilitation program.
• You can work and earn up to $5,000 in gross income before taxes for 2012, whether you are employed or self-employed, without having to report these earnings to Service Canada. This figure is normally adjusted annually, so please contact us for updates or to learn more about employment supports.
• Once you have earned $5,000 in 2012, you need to contact Service Canada. This amount is not a point at which benefits are stopped; rather, it is an opportunity to see if you would benefit from some additional support that may help you continue working on a regular basis.

In consultation with Service Canada, you can also:

• plan a return to work, tailored to your needs, through our CPP vocational rehabilitation and return-to-work services; and
• participate in a paid work trial for up to three months while continuing to receive CPP disability benefits. This gives you an opportunity to test your ability to work on a regular basis.

At what point would my disability benefits stop?

Your CPP disability benefits are stopped if you are:

• capable of working on a regular basis;
• meeting the performance expectations of your job; and
• making enough money from your job for it to be considered as substantially gainful employment.

If you are receiving CPP disability benefits when you turn 65, they will automatically be changed to a CPP retirement pension.

What if my disability recurs?

A provision in the Canada Pension Plan called automatic reinstatement helps take the risk out of returning to work. It provides a financial safety net for clients whose benefits stopped because they returned to regular employment. If within two years of stopping your benefits your disability recurs and you can no longer continue working, your benefits will be quickly reinstated. All you and your doctor have to do is fill in a simple form.

There is no limit to the number of times you may request reinstatement, provided you meet the requirements. Your request must be received within one year of stopping work.

There is also a fast-track reapplication available for up to five years after your benefits stop if you have been contributing to the CPP. To obtain a re-application form, please contact us.