Can I get child support and also get money from ODSP?
Long delays for 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.
The rule says payments don't affect the amount of you get from the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP).
So, if you get child support, you get that money and your income support.
When the rule applies
This rule started in January 1, 2017. But it only applies to child support payments that are owed for periods of time that begin on January 1, 2017, or after that date.
And it has to be child support that the law says a person must pay. For example, someone might have to pay child support because of a court order or an agreement.
Trying to get child support
ODSP will not say that you must try to get child support when you're getting or applying for income support.
But the rule is different for spousal support.
Reporting child support payments
Even when child support payments don't affect the amount of income support you get, you still have to tell ODSP about them. See Step 2.
Applying to ODSP
ODSP does not count child support payments when they decide if you qualify for income support.
This is important because to qualify for ODSP, your can't be more than a certain amount. That amount depends on the number of people in your household and the cost of your housing.
If you get ODSP and live with your parent
Some adults who get ODSP live with a parent who gets child support for them.
Usually, parents don't pay child support for their children who are 18 or older. But support payments may continue for an adult child who can't support themselves because they:
- have a disability or illness, or
- are going to school full time.
If this applies to you, the child support payments your parent gets won't affect the amount you get from ODSP.
