I Need to Apply for Disability Benefits

If you have disabilities, you may qualify for either Persons with Disabilities (“PWD”) benefits, or Persons with Persistent Multiple Barriers (“PPMB”) benefits.

To qualify for PWD benefits, you must:

• be at least 18 years of age;
• have a severe mental or physical impairment that is likely to last at least two years;
• be restricted continuously or for extended period in daily activities; and
• need help or supervision because of the disability.

If you do not qualify for PWD benefits but have a medical condition that seriously, but temporarily, affects your ability to look for, accept or continue employment, you may qualify for Persons with Persistent Multiple Barriers (“PPMB”) benefits. Please note that PPMB benefits are only available to people who have been on welfare for 12 out of the previous 15 months.

Try to get help from a friend or advocate in filling out your application. A lot of people tend to minimize their disabilities. It is much better to put in a very thorough application, than to be turned down and have to appeal.

First steps- PWD Benefits

1. Ask your ministry worker for an application for PWD benefits.
2. Complete the application carefully. It is more than 20 pages long and has three parts—Part 1 for you to complete, Part 2 for your doctor to complete, and Part 3 for an “assessor” to complete. The assessor can be your doctor, or an occupational therapist, physical therapist, social worker, registered psychologist, nurse, or psychiatric nurse.
3. Mail your application to the address on the application.

First steps- PPMB Benefits

1. Tell your ministry worker you want to apply for PPMB benefits. He or she will do an assessment of your non-medical barriers to employment (eg: lack of education, literacy or work history) and give you a medical report form for your doctor to complete.
2. Your doctor must complete the application, including details about why your medical condition stops you from looking for, accepting or continuing to work.
3. Get the completed medical report form from your doctor and take it to your worker.

What happens next?

A decision will be made and you will be advised of the decision. If you are not happy with the decision, you can ask for a reconsideration. See page 32 above under the heading, “I have been denied or cut off welfare”, as the process is the same.

Where to get help

See Part 2- Resources, starting on page 43, for a list of helpful resources. Your best bets are:

• Legal Services Society Publications: “Your Welfare Rights: A Guide to BC Employment and Assistance”, “Social Assistance on Reserve in British Columbia”.
• Advocacy Access.
• PovNet, for contact and website information for welfare advocates near you.
• Access Justice, Lawyer Referral Service, Salvation Army Pro Bono Lawyer Consultation Program, Private Bar Lawyers.

If you have contributed to the Canada Pension Plan through your employment and have a disability that prevents you from working on a regular basis, you may qualify for Canada Pension Plan disability benefits. To get more information or apply for CPP disability benefits, call Income Security Programs at 1-800-277-9914 or go to the website, www.hrsdc.gc.ca/en/isp/cpp/cpptoc.shtml.

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A request to the court that it make a specific order, usually on an interim or temporary basis, also called a "chambers application" or a "motion." See also "interim application" and "relief."

An application to a higher court for a review of the correctness of a decision of a lower court. A decision of a judge of the Provincial Court of British Columbia can be appealed to the Supreme Court of British Columbia. A decision of a judge of the Supreme Court can be appealed to the Court of Appeal for British Columbia. See "appellant" and "respondent."

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