Latest news with #disabilitysupport
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Jamie Golombek lays out everything you need to know about the new Canada Disability Benefit
Applications for the new, much anticipated Canada Disability Benefit (CDB) open on June 20. The tax-free monthly CDB payments are meant to provide financial support to qualifying people with disabilities. The program is administered by Service Canada and the first month of eligibility is June, with the first payments beginning in July for applications received and approved by June 30. To qualify for the CDB, you must be between 18 and 64 years old and be approved for the disability tax credit (DTC). The DTC is a non-refundable tax credit that's intended to recognize the impact of various non-itemizable, disability-related costs. For 2025, the value of the federal credit is 14.5 per cent of $10,138, or $1,470. But add the provincial or territorial tax savings and the combined annual value can be worth up to $3,200, depending on where you live. To qualify for the DTC, you must complete the Canada Revenue Agency's Form T2201, Disability Tax Credit Certificate, upon which a medical practitioner must certify that you have a 'severe and prolonged impairment in physical or mental function.' This form can be completed online or in paper format. Once the form is completed and sent in, the Canada Revenue Agency will either approve the DTC or deny it. If your application is denied, you can appeal the CRA's decision to the Tax Court. If you're still under 18, you can apply for the CDB as early as age 17 1/2, but your application won't be processed until your 18th birthday. This means that you won't get an eligibility decision or any payments until after you turn 18. Assuming you qualify, you'll begin receiving CDB payments the month after your application is received and approved. But don't panic if you don't get approved right away. If you only find out about the CDB well after July 2025, you can get back payments for past months that you were eligible for, but only for up to 24 months from when the government gets your application (and only for months from July 2025 onwards). Individuals who have been approved for the DTC and who meet most of the eligibility criteria will likely have already received a letter this month that includes a unique application code and instructions on how to apply. To complete the application, you'll need your social insurance number and your direct deposit information, as Service Canada is encouraging all applicants to sign up for direct deposit for the 'fastest and most reliable way to get your payments.' If you didn't receive a letter from the government with an application code but you still think you're eligible for the CDB, you can still apply, but you will also need to provide your mailing address and your net income from line 23600 of your recent 2024 notice of assessment. Applications for the CDB can be submitted on the web via the application portal, by phone and in person at a Service Canada Centre as of June 20. To apply for the CDB, you and your spouse or common-law partner (if applicable) must have filed your 2024 federal income tax return(s), and you must be a Canadian resident for income tax filing purposes, among other criteria. Benefit amounts for the July 2025 to June 2026 payment period are calculated using your adjusted family net income for the 2024 tax year. The maximum amount you could receive from July 2025 to June 2026 is $2,400 ($200 per month). This amount will be adjusted upwards for inflation each year to reflect changes in the cost of living. Because the CDB is an income-tested benefit, the benefit amount you will receive will start to decrease after your 'adjusted family net income' reaches a certain threshold. This is basically equal to your combined family net income as reported on line 23600 of both you and your spouse or partner's returns. If your adjusted family net income is considerably above that threshold, your benefit amount could be zero. How exactly your income affects your benefit amount is complicated and will depend on three factors: your marital status; whether you and/or your spouse or partner have income from employment or self-employment and whether you and your spouse or are both receiving the CDB. Note that a certain amount of income from employment or self-employment is excluded when calculating your benefit amount. This is called the 'working income exemption.' If you are single, up to $10,000 of working income will be exempt, and if you're married or living common-law, up to $14,000 of combined working income will be exempt. The government has provided an estimator to find out how much money you could get from the CDB. To get an accurate estimate, start with your and your spouse's or partner's 2024 notices of assessment to input the exact numbers from various lines on the assessments. Finally, keep in mind that the DTC not only entitles you to the new CDB, but it's also the gateway credit to opening up a registered disability savings plan (RDSP). These plans are designed to help build long-term savings for individuals with disabilities. Individuals may contribute up to $200,000 on behalf of a beneficiary who qualifies for the DTC. There is no tax on earnings or growth while in the plan. In addition to the power of tax-deferred compounding, Canada Disability Savings Grants (CDSGs), with a lifetime maximum of $70,000 per beneficiary, and Canada Disability Savings Bonds (CDSBs), with a lifetime maximum of $20,000 per beneficiary, may be received up until the end of the year in which the beneficiary turns 49, depending on family income. Jamie Golombek: July brings a greater opportunity for income splitting Lack of documentation can be fatal when claiming expenses on taxes Original contributions are not taxed when disability assistance payments are ultimately made to the beneficiary, but earnings, growth and government assistance are included in the beneficiary's income. If the beneficiary has zero or minimal other income, the basic personal amount combined with the DTC may allow most or all of the funds to come out of the RDSP tax-free. Jamie Golombek, FCPA, FCA, CFP, CLU, TEP, is the managing director, Tax & Estate Planning with CIBC Private Wealth in Toronto. If you liked this story, in the FP Investor newsletter. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Irish Times
3 days ago
- Health
- Irish Times
Ombudsman ‘cautiously optimistic' ‘injustice' over personal transport for disabled people ‘about to be righted'
The Ombudsman Ger Deering has said he is 'cautiously optimistic that a long-standing injustice' in relation to supports for people with disabilities to access personal transport 'is about to be righted'. In his annual report for 2024 published today, Mr Deering welcomed a commitment from the Department of Transport to develop a new scheme to support people with disabilities to access personal transport. Mr Deering has previously said the manner in which people with disabilities continue to be denied access to personal transport supports was 'nothing short of shameful'. The Ombudsman's office investigates complaints from members of the public who believe they have been treated unfairly by public service providers. READ MORE For more than a decade the Ombudsman and his two predecessors have highlighted the lack of appropriate supports for people with disabilities since the personal Mobility Allowance and the Motorised Transport Grant were closed to new applicants by the government in February 2013. Details of the new incentives have not yet been published but the Department of Transport has undertaken to introduce such a scheme. It will be separate to the extension of the public transport Free Travel Scheme to people who cannot drive due to a disability, which was announced last July. The Ombudsman said he will 'closely monitor progress on the Government's new scheme.' He also called onGovernment to provide 'sustainable and annual funding' to support younger people in nursing homes through the Enhanced Quality of Life Supports (EQLS) scheme and, where appropriate, funding to move younger people to more suitable accommodation. Following the Ombudsman's 'Wasted Lives' investigation in 2021 – which found some younger people with disabilities did not give informed consent about being placed in nursing homes long term -the HSE set up an 'Under 65 programme' and successfully transitioned more than 100 people to more suitable accommodation. The scheme also improved the lives of those who could not transition out of nursing homes. However, the HSE later said there was insufficient funding to continue to assist many of the young people move to more appropriate accommodation, or to continue the programme. The Ombudsman said, 'it is completely unacceptable that this excellent programme, which brought hope and independence to people with disabilities cannot be delivered because of a lack of funding'. The Ombudsman's team dealt with 4,673 complaints last year – an increase of nearly 5 per cent on the 2023 figure. In 2024, 1,497 complaints were made to the Ombudsman about local authorities, with 218 received about Dublin City Council and 150 about Cork City Council. Some 1,397 complaints were received about Government departments and offices with the Department of Social Protection being the subject of 604 complaints. There were 887 complaints about public bodies in the health sector with 705 involving the HSE and 149 about Tusla.
ABC News
5 days ago
- Health
- ABC News
Tip shop makes change after parents address sale of kids' disability equipment
When Bridget Lockley and her partner saw their local tip shop selling an adaptive children's bike, what could have been an opportunity instead left them outraged. The bike was priced at $500. The same store was also selling a children's high-low chair without cushions for $1,500. Ms Lockley said bikes for those without specialised needs were typically about $25 at the store. One of Ms Lockley's daughters has a rare gene change causing multiple diagnoses. She said her daughter requires a lot of different equipment, listing a walking frame, adapted bike, specialised seating, self-care equipment, standing frame, change table, shower equipment and a high-low bed as some of the items needed. While she said navigating the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) could be "stressful", it had helped her family overcome barriers by covering expenses and providing essential supports. Prior to the NDIS, equipment could be accessed locally through TasEquip's loan system, but this changed when the NDIS began and took over government disability funding. Ms Lockley felt things were easier with TasEquip, saying they often deal with lengthy processes involving a range of trials, assessments and reports. Her friend, Lauren Miller, agreed, saying it took nearly two years to receive a powered wheelchair for her daughter, and while she began the application process in advance — it still became "urgent" as her daughter grew out of her existing wheelchair. With others struggling to access the NDIS, Ms Lockley said there are likely people going without the support they need — and the store was sending the wrong message to the community. If her own daughter saw it, she said "it could make her feel like her needs are less valued than her sisters',". Ms Miller and Ms Lockley are among parents who disagree with supports usually covered by the NDIS being onsold without proper understanding of the items. "Pricing them so highly puts them completely out of reach for the very families who rely on community resources like [the tip] shop to bridge critical gaps in access and funding." Ms Lockley wrote to the tip shop to voice her concerns and said a positive outcome followed. Belinda Hazel, from Hobart's Mornington Park Waste Transfer Station, which was selling the bike and high-low chair, said "it certainly wasn't intentional" and her team had gone through normal pricing processes but were unaware of the extra considerations for disability equipment. "When we get different types of items in, we do research to see what those items may be priced on the second-hand market," Ms Hazel said. Ms Hazel said she contacted a local disability service provider and ended up donating the equipment, saying this would be the process from now. The provider would also assess the item for safety and quality. "If we ever get an item like that coming in, we'll reach out to that service provider and have them come up [to the store], and if it's something that a client could use, then they will take that item. "And if it's something that they're not able to use, then they will work with us to price that accordingly to what they think would be meeting a client's expectations." For Ms Lockley, it's a welcome outcome. Assistive Technologies Suppliers Australia, which represents suppliers and advocates for better access, said the Therapeutic Goods Administration regulated some disability equipment. "Having the TGA ensure that equipment that's coming in is tested is ensured that it's OK safety-wise, that it's actually running at the right speeds, means that everyone is safe when they're using that equipment," Serena Ovens, the industry body's chief executive said. But she said while there were "reasonable marketplaces out there", buying equipment from "de-regulated" markets wasn't without risk. "People could be being sold something that is not appropriate for use, that possibly hasn't been tested for them to ensure that they even fit the device, that it's safe for them, that it's not actually going to cause more damage." Tammy Milne, director of Physical Disability Australia and Disability Voices, said safety and quality was not guaranteed on disability equipment sold outside the NDIS or other disability-tailored outlets. "In my opinion, tip shops and charity shops should not be selling the stuff at all," she said. "Who tests them for workability and safety?" she questioned. Along with Ms Milne, they called for the return of a hire system like TasEquip, which they could use for urgent equipment needs and also selling or donating their own items once they were no longer needed. The National Disability Insurance Agency said there has been "considerable progress over the past years in reducing wait times for participants, even as the NDIS continues to grow". "The Agency has implemented several new processes to improve the participant experience for those with Assistive Technology (AT) needs, including improving quick access to low and mid-cost AT," a spokesperson said.
RNZ News
5 days ago
- RNZ News
Disabililty support workers failed to follow policy in not physically checking on resident who went missing
Commissioner Rose Wall was critical of the fact that three support workers failed to follow policy. Photo: LANCE LAWSON / SUPPLIED A disability support service has installed alarms on all its doors after a resident who went missing on her birthday was found more than a day later, cold and naked, less than a kilometre away from the facility. The 32-year-old woman, who had an intellectual disability, was seen on CCTV footage wandering neighbouring properties in the early hours one night in 2020, however her disappearance didn't raise an alarm for another six hours. The support service was found to have failed in its care to the woman, after the woman's sister, known as Ms A, made a complaint to the Health and Disability Commission (HDC). In her decision - which was broadly accepted by the support service - Commissioner Rose Wall said the support service breached its own policies and she was also critical of the facility's communication with Ms A, during and after her sister, was in its care. The woman, known as Ms B, who had an intellectual disability and has since died, was known to exhibit challenging behaviours and had a complex medical history, Wall said. The facility where she lived was staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with two support workers rostered on during the day, and one for a "sleepover shift" at night from 10pm til 6am. Support workers were expected to keep Ms B in their "line of sight" while she was awake and de-escalate if she was displaying heightened behaviours. On the eve of her birthday, Ms B was excited and awake - she was expecting a letter and planned to go for a birthday lunch, Wall said. An incident report earlier that day noted she was "'shouting", "[raising] her voice", "using rude language", and "making loud noise". "Medication was administered and staff instructed Ms B to '[calm] down and rest in her room'." Later, shortly before midnight, the sleepover support worker found Ms B awake and distressed, gave her medication and told her to go to bed. The support service told police that a check at 2am, found Ms B asleep in her bed. However, Wall said this was contradicted by CCTV footage that showed Ms B on neighbouring properties 400m away from the facility between 1.30am and 2.20am. In its own investigation the support service found that Ms B left the facility to check the letterbox - part of her normal routine - but became disoriented. The precise time she left couldn't be determined. Wall said at 6am the sleepover support worker completed a handover, but didn't physically check on Ms B and neither did the two incoming day workers. "The support service stated that this lapse in process was because staff had noted Ms B's agitation over the night ... and they wanted to allow Ms B to sleep in without disturbance." Wall was critical of the fact that three support workers failed to follow the policy, which she said was clear and particularly important given Ms B's agitation the night before. She said the failure amounted to a breach of the Health and Disability Code's standard of care and meant the alarm that Ms B was missing wasn't raised until a visual check at 8.30am. Her disappearance was reported to police about 45 minutes later and to Ms B's family shortly before 10am. Six additional staff deployed to help find her, in an extensive search undertaken by police and Search and Rescue teams. Ms B was found the next day at 1.15pm about 800m (an 11-minute walk) from the residence, Wall said. "Without any clothes, and she had a low body temperature, 'but otherwise [she was] OK'. Ms B was taken to hospital for treatment and observation." In her decision, Wall noted that as soon as Ms B was reported missing, the incident was escalated and managed promptly, however she was critical of the quality of incident reporting. Wall was also critical of the information provided to Ms A about assault allegations against Ms B and the adequacy of the documentation provided to Ms A when Ms B went to live with her following the incident. She said the support service had since enforced handover expectations for staff, increased the number of staffing on each shift, including the night shift, and placed alarms on its facility doors which were activated if anyone leaves the house. Wall acknowledged the improvements and also recommended the support service provide a written apology to Ms A and further training to staff around incident reporting, their roles and responsibilities, and documentation standards. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
ABC News
12-06-2025
- Business
- ABC News
Annecto shutdown leaves aged care, disabled clients scrambling for alternatives
Clients of a major aged and disability care service that is set to close next month say they have not been told who will be taking its place. Annecto Incorporated supports more than 4,400 clients across 19 locations in Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland and the Australian Capital Territory. The charity announced on Wednesday it would be closing before the end of July due to "financial challenges". Mildura resident Anne Berry said the charity had not contacted her or her husband Denis. "I'm not in a position to help Denis shower or anything, so if there's a lag between the changeover we're going to be in trouble," she said. Ms Berry said the couple relied on Annecto for daily support with personal care and weekly help with cleaning and shopping. "We were upset last night to think what was going to happen, because at the moment we couldn't cope without the extra help," Ms Berry said. First Choice Care Plus co-owner Raelene Houston said her company subcontracted to Annecto in the northern Victorian town of Robinvale and supported 26 aged and disability care clients. She said none of her clients had been notified by the charity of its impending closure. "For the elderly people it puts worry to them about who is going to provide their services," Ms Houston said. She said she was scrambling to find alternative providers for her clients and was prepared to work for free to make sure they were not left alone. "We will continue in the interim – even if it means doing that for nothing – until another provider comes on board and takes on their packages," Ms Houston said. Annecto interim chief executive Tyrone McCuskey said the organisation was confident it would find other providers to take on its clients. "We will reach out to customers in due course and make sure they understand what the transition process means to them and make sure there's no interruption of services," he said. Mr McCuskey said the "incredibly difficult" decision to close the organisation was the result of increased costs associated with recommendations from the aged and disability care royal commissions. "The board's made the decision that for the future benefit of our participants, and for our staff, that services would be better met by other trusted organisations," he said. Elder Rights Australia chief executive Debra Nicholl said it was disappointing to see any provider withdrawing services, particularly with the federal government's aged care reforms due to come into place on November 1. She said while it would be "tricky" to find alternative support services for all of Annecto's clients. "We can't have a situation where an older person is left without care and services because of a business decision made by Annecto," Ms Nicholl said. The Department of Health it was encouraging Annecto clients to get in touch if they needed support. "The Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission, the National Disability Insurance Agency, the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission and the Department of Veterans' Affairs are working closely with Annecto to ensure every person receiving care is informed about any changes impacting them," a spokesperson said in a statement.
