Autism funding changes in B.C.: how long the old funding lasts, and how to get the new disability benefit and monthly supplement

1. The big picture: three kinds of money with similar names, so don't mix them up

This reform involves three kinds of money. Their English names all include the word "Disability," so they are easy to mix up. First, let's get the names straight:

There is also a federal payment, the federal child disability benefit (CDB), which is also paid together with the Canada child benefit and also requires the child's DTC to be approved. It is not part of this reform and is already being paid; section 10 explains it in detail.

A few key numbers (under the province's current plan):

• Autism Funding: up to $22,000 a year for children under 6, and up to $6,000 a year for ages 6 to 18; ends on March 31, 2027.
• Disability Benefit: two levels, $6,500 or $17,000 a year; it can be received until the last day of the month the child turns 19; open to all eligible families from April 1, 2027.
• Disability Supplement: up to $6,000 a year ($500 a month) for each eligible child; the reduction starts once family income is over $50,000; payments start in July 2027, based on 2026 tax information.

The two new things are assessed separately: you may get both, or only one. The province's February news release states that some families can get both. For example, a child who needs a lot of help, has the DTC and lives in a family without a high income may get both; a child whose needs fall short of the threshold for the dedicated funding but whose DTC has been approved may get only the monthly supplement; on the other hand, a child without an approved DTC cannot get the supplement, but can still apply for the dedicated funding as long as the child needs enough help.

The Disability Benefit is not only for children with autism. The old Autism Funding looks only at an autism diagnosis; the new Disability Benefit is open to all diagnoses, such as Down syndrome, intellectual disability and cerebral palsy, and looks at how much help the child needs in daily life.

2. After the election, has the timeline changed? Not decided yet

What the province's web pages say now. As of November 4, 2026, the B.C. government's program pages (updated on October 9, October 20 and October 23) all still show the original timeline: Autism Funding ends on March 31, 2027, the Disability Benefit opens to all eligible families on April 1, 2027, and the Disability Supplement starts being paid in July 2027. The province's pages do not mention any extension, and no new end date has been announced.

What happened in the election. B.C. held an early provincial election on October 24, 2026. According to the preliminary count published by Elections BC, the Conservatives lead in 63 of the 93 electoral districts. Mail-in and absentee ballots will only be counted in the final count from November 6 to 10. The new cabinet has not yet been sworn in: the B.C. government news site currently shows a notice that during the post-election period the site is not being updated, except for urgent public health and safety information and content required by law.

What the Conservatives said. During the campaign, the Conservatives wrote on their own website that they would extend Autism Funding and review the move of autism supports to the new benefit and supplement, so that no family loses the help it needs. A parent advocacy group (Fair Autism & Disability Funding BC Society) published on its own website, on October 27, a reply letter the Conservative leader had sent them on October 18. The letter says a Conservative government would extend the current Autism Funding by at least one year, that children receiving it now would keep receiving it, and that children diagnosed after the election could also apply on the same terms. To be clear: this is a party's campaign promise, and the letter was published by an advocacy group; neither is a government decision. The letter does not say from what date the extension would count, or whether the new benefit and supplement would change as well. The same article also says the ministry has postponed its information sessions on the Disability Benefit, and there are no new dates yet.

So what should you do now? Don't bet on things that are not decided. Following the province's current plan is the safest:

• If your child receives Autism Funding now, keep using it as usual, following the agreement you have and the letters you get from the province;
• If you receive a letter from the province asking you to submit information, try to submit it before the end of December 2026 (section 5 explains why);
• If your child does not have the DTC yet, start applying now (section 9). Whether or not the old funding is extended, the monthly supplement and the federal child disability benefit both require the DTC;
• Check the province's program pages every two or three weeks, and watch for announcements from the new government.

3. Autism Funding today: how much, what it can pay for, and what it cannot

Until the end date the province has announced, Autism Funding keeps running as before, and the rules have not changed.

The amount depends on age:

The province's February news release describes the $22,000 level as "ages 3 to 5," while the funding amount page says "under 6"; this guide follows the funding amount page.

"Up to" is a limit, not cash paid to you. What the province approves for your child is a funding amount. The therapist provides the service first and then invoices the Autism Funding Unit, and the Unit pays the therapist directly from your child's funding. Parents cannot pay for services first and then be reimbursed. This is how most families use the funding; a small number of families use the "Direct Payment" option instead and must also submit the Accountant Confirmation Form (the deadline is in the table of dates in section 5); the rules are set by the agreement you signed and the Autism Funding Unit's instructions.

What the RASP is. Its full name is the Registry of Autism Service Providers. It is a list kept by the province of professionals whose education and experience meet the requirements for providing services to children with autism. If your child is under 6 and you want to pay with the funding, you must choose someone from this list. The province also states that being on the list does not mean the government vouches for that professional's therapy; who to hire and how the contract is signed are the responsibility of the parent who signs the funding agreement. Under the province's current plan, the RASP will be used until March 2027.

If your child is 6 or older and you find someone yourself, check their licence first. For ages 6 to 18, you do not have to choose from the RASP, and parents often have to find someone themselves. Speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, dietitians and psychologists can all be looked up by name in the registry of the College of Health and Care Professionals of BC (CHCPBC); registered social workers can be looked up in the public directory of the BC College of Social Workers (BCCSW). We did not check whether behaviour consultants or registered clinical counsellors have a provincial licensing body in B.C.; ask about the person's education and qualifications, and if you are not sure, ask PAIRS.

These are usually not paid for: child care, respite care, ordinary recreational classes (for example swimming or karate), medical services, and services received outside B.C. The province says there are exceptions; you need to work with your therapist to explain clearly how the service helps your child develop skills and how it fits with your child's intervention plan.

Equipment, training and travel. Part of the funding can be used to buy equipment and supplies that help your child develop, to take autism-related training courses, and for travel and accommodation to receive services or take courses away from home:

• Limit: a page the province updated in August says that these three together cannot be more than half of the annual funding (for funding periods of 12 months or less); for funding periods of 13 months or more, 20% applies to the first 12 months and half applies to the remaining part; for children who turn 19 before March 31, 2027, the limit is 20%. The province's training and travel pages from April still say 20%; go by the August wording and your remaining balance, and before you spend, check your balance on My Family Services or call to ask;
• To buy equipment, you must first fill out a Justification for Equipment (JFE) form together with a professional such as your therapist or pediatrician, and you can only buy it after it is approved; submitting on My Family Services is fastest, while email, mail or fax can take up to 30 business days;
• Some common items do not need approval first, such as communication apps, small stress-relief toys, noise-cancelling headphones, visual timers, Lego and puzzles, picture books and visual schedules; after buying them, claim them with your receipts on the reimbursement form (CF0926);
• Examples of what is not paid for: renovations, swimming pools, trampolines, exercise equipment, household appliances, televisions, vitamins, ordinary clothing, items used only at school, monthly phone bills, and things children of the same age would normally use anyway (for example, a high chair for a two-year-old);
• Travel: round trips of 80 km or more within B.C.; $0.40 per km if you drive yourself; up to $150 a night for a hotel; up to $15 a day for parking; ferries and tolls can be claimed.

Invoices and reimbursement claims have a deadline. Invoices or reimbursement claims for services, equipment, training and travel must all be submitted to the Autism Funding Unit within 6 months of when they happened. The date it happened decides which funding period the money comes out of.

A payment form must be submitted again each funding period. After your child is approved, you will receive a letter stating the funding amount and the funding period. You choose a therapist and fill out a Request to Pay (RTP) form together with them, once for each funding period. Submitting on the My Family Services website is fastest; mail, email or fax can take up to a month. If your address, your child's care arrangements or custody changes, you must tell the Autism Funding Unit within 30 days.

How to manage the funding. Log in to My Family Services (https://myfamilyservices.gov.bc.ca/) to check your balance, view invoices, send messages to the Autism Funding Unit and change how much is allocated to each therapist.

4. Families who have not applied yet: get a diagnosis first, then apply

Under the province's current plan, families whose child has just been diagnosed and who have never received the funding can still apply for Autism Funding the old way until March 31, 2027 (some of the province's pages only say "until March 2027," while the Disability Benefit page says "before March 31, 2027"); from April 1, new families apply directly for the Disability Benefit, and the province says the new way to apply will be posted separately on its website. If the new government extends the old funding, this date may change; go by the province's web pages.

Step 1: Ask your family doctor for a referral for a diagnostic assessment.

• If you think your child may have autism, first ask your family doctor for a referral for an assessment. If you do not have a family doctor, see Guide No. 5, Health care roadmap for how to find a doctor and get care.
• The free route: The BC Autism Assessment Network (BCAAN) provides free assessments for children under 19. After your doctor's referral, BCAAN tries to arrange the assessment close to where you live, and when it is done gives you a "Clinical Outcomes Form." The province's page says BCAAN wait times are published on the website of the Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA), but that link could not be opened on November 4, 2026, so this guide did not check the wait times; if you want to know, you can call PAIRS (see the end of this section).
• The private route: You can also book a private assessment yourself with a licensed pediatrician, psychiatrist or registered psychologist in B.C., and pay for it yourself. To use it to apply for Autism Funding, a private assessment must use both the ADOS-2 and the ADI-R; other assessments do not count, and the ADOS cannot be done by video or phone. Take the "Non-BCAAN (Private) Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder" form (CF0904) with you. Before you book, check that the person really is licensed: doctors (pediatricians and psychiatrists) can be looked up in the directory of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia (CPSBC); psychologists can be looked up in the registry of the College of Health and Care Professionals of BC (CHCPBC). For children under 6, a multidisciplinary report covering psychology and speech-language is also required; since October 8, 2025, the requirement for a pediatrician's report has been temporarily suspended province-wide.
• If your child was diagnosed in another province or another country: You need to have a licensed pediatrician, psychiatrist or registered psychologist in B.C. confirm it, bringing the "Confirmation of Previous Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder" form (CF0905) and the original diagnostic report. If the B.C. professional cannot confirm that it meets the DSM-5 criteria, a new assessment in B.C. may be needed.
• How to prepare for the appointment: The province suggests preparing a folder with your child's medical records, any past assessments, and your own notes on your child's behaviour, strengths and difficulties; you can bring someone you trust to help take notes. For how to explain your child's situation clearly, see Guide No. 41, Preparing for a doctor's visit.

While you wait for an assessment, you do not have to just wait. The province states that you can use community services before you have a diagnosis, such as child development centres, the Infant Development Program, occupational therapy, speech therapy and support in child care (Supported Child Development). Section 10 lists organizations in Victoria. Children who are not diagnosed with autism may also be eligible for other supports from the Ministry of Children and Family Development.

Step 2: Prepare the application documents. Whatever kind of assessment your child had, you need proof of your child's age and residence (for example, a birth certificate or BC Services Card). Then add the following, depending on the type of assessment:

• BCAAN assessment: a copy of the BCAAN Clinical Outcomes Form (PANTER form); the assessment report is optional;
• Private assessment: a copy of the CF0904 form, plus the diagnostic report signed by the assessor (the report must show that the ADOS-2 and ADI-R were used; for children under 6, it must also include the results of the speech-language and psychological assessments);
• Assessment from another province or country: a copy of the CF0905 form, plus the original diagnostic report.

Step 3: Submit the application. There are two ways:

• Online: first register for a Basic BCeID (an account for B.C. government online services, which takes only a few minutes to set up; if you have logged in to B.C. government online services before, you may already have one), then fill out the online application form;
• By email or at an office: fill out the Autism Funding application form and email it with your documents to mcf.autismfundingintake@gov.bc.ca, or hand it in at your local CYSN office (CYSN is short for the "Children and Youth with Support Needs" services of the Ministry of Children and Family Development).

If you have trouble registering for a BCeID, call the Service BC help desk at 1-888-356-2741, Monday to Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. (B.C. time), or go to a Service BC office for help. If you have problems with the online application form, call PAIRS at 1-844-878-4700 (see below).

Step 4: Sign the agreement. Once eligibility is confirmed, you will receive two copies of the Autism Funding agreement; sign them and send them back within two weeks. Each agreement can be signed by only one parent or guardian. After that, you will receive a letter stating the funding amount, and you can then choose a therapist and submit the Request to Pay form (section 3).

PAIRS: free advice, with Chinese available depending on staff availability. What used to be Autism Information Services (AIS BC) is now called PAIRS (Provincial Access, Information & Resource Services). Its support staff can explain assessment and diagnosis, how to apply for and use Autism Funding, how to use the new Disability Benefit, how to find service providers, and the transitions to school and to adulthood. The province states that, depending on staff availability, help can be provided in English, Chinese, Punjabi and Tagalog, and interpreting can be arranged in more than 50 languages. Phone 1-844-878-4700, email PAIRS.Connect@gov.bc.ca, Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., except statutory holidays. For families whose child has just been diagnosed and who are new to Autism Funding, PAIRS also offers a one-hour online information session, with separate registration for children under 6 and for ages 6 to 18.

Related: Guide No. 5, Health care roadmap; Guide No. 41, Preparing for a doctor's visit

5. Families receiving Autism Funding now: how the transition works, and dates to remember

The province will write to each family. Since July 2026, the province has been reviewing, in batches, whether children now receiving Autism Funding can move to the Disability Benefit. Families who receive Autism Funding and are not in the At Home Program (a program for children with severe disabilities and complex health needs, explained below) will receive a letter from the province asking them to submit information about their child. Families whose funding is not related to autism do not need to contact the ministry themselves; the ministry will contact them when the time comes.

The province's review schedule:

• Collecting information: the province's page (updated October 9, 2026) says "now through fall 2026";
• Reviewing information: started in summer and fall 2026 and is still going on;
• Assessment and decisions: fall and winter 2026 to early 2027;
• Notifying results: sent out bit by bit from late 2026 to early 2027. During the review, the ministry will not reply to you right away.

Submitting information: use the online form, one per child.

• The form requires a Basic BCeID login; filling it out takes about 15 minutes, plus time to upload files. If the online form does not work well for you, you can download a paper form, which comes with instructions on how to submit it.
• It is filled out by the parent who signed the Autism Funding agreement and is the child's main caregiver, or by the child's legal guardian.
• Submit a separate form for each child; do not put two children's information in one form.
• Submit only once for each child, so gather everything you want to submit before you submit. If you find new information after submitting, you must resubmit the whole form with all the original attachments plus the new information; the ministry only looks at the most recent submission, and if it has already been reviewed, there is no guarantee that what you add later will be looked at.
• File formats: pdf, doc, docx, jpg, jpeg, png; each file can be up to 25 MB.

What to submit: what you already have is enough; no new assessment is needed. The province is very clear: you do not need to redo an assessment for this transition; assessments from years ago can be submitted, autism assessments without a level are accepted, and submitting more does not make approval more likely. Examples of what you can submit:

• a detailed autism assessment or diagnostic report;
• a psychologist's report or pediatrician's report;
• a psychoeducational assessment;
• a mental health assessment;
• speech-language therapy, occupational therapy or physical therapy reports;
• behaviour support reports;
• the school's Individual Education Plan (IEP) can also be submitted, but it is not written by a clinical professional, so an IEP on its own may not be enough; it is best to submit it together with the clinical reports above.

If all you have is the "Confirmation of Previous Diagnosis" form, the province says this form may not show how much help your child needs, so it is best to submit other reports with it.

If you do not have copies of the assessment reports. Ask the doctor, organization or school that did the assessment. If your child currently receives Autism Funding, the cost of getting copies can be paid from the funding, up to $300; this $300 can also be used to get a new report, if one is really needed.

Why it is best to submit before the end of December. Under the province's current plan, the online form is open until March 31, 2027. But the province states that if you submit after December 2026, even if your child is found eligible in the end, there is no guarantee that the new benefit will start on April 1, and there may be a gap. December is the key month for moving over on time, and March 31 is the day the form closes; these are two different dates. Not submitting does not mean your child is left out of the review, but the review will only take place after Autism Funding ends (March 31, 2027).

Families in the At Home Program do not need to submit. The At Home Program is for children aged 0 to 17 with severe disabilities and complex health needs. Children still in this program are considered by the province to be eligible for the Disability Benefit and do not need to submit assessments or any documents. Since the summer, the ministry has been sending these families a "welcome package" with the funding amount, a new Disability Benefit agreement and instructions on how to use the money; if you disagree with the amount, you can submit more information after receiving the welcome package and ask the ministry to reconsider. For families who are in the At Home Program and also receive Autism Funding, the province's questions and answers say: once the signed new agreement is sent back, the At Home Program and Autism Funding files are closed and the Disability Benefit file is opened; if you want to keep using the old funding until March 2027, you can wait until early 2027 to send in the new agreement and start using the new benefit on April 1. Elsewhere, the province also states that At Home Program medical equipment and supplies do not change. For exactly what to do, go by the letter the ministry sends you. School-Aged Extended Therapies (SAET) and the Disability Benefit cannot be used at the same time.

The end date of the old agreements has already changed. Autism Funding agreements are being changed so that they all end on March 31, 2027. The last renewal starts on your child's birthday and runs to March 31, 2027, and the amount is prorated by the number of months from your child's birthday month to March 31, 2027. For example, if your child's birthday is in September and the funding is renewed in September 2026, the last funding period runs from September to March of the following year, about 7 months, and the amount is worked out by the number of months; on the other hand, if the funding was renewed early in 2026, the funding period may be longer than 12 months. Go by the letter the ministry sends you. If your child moves to the Disability Benefit early, Autism Funding stops from that point; the two cannot be used at the same time.

Dates to remember (under the province's current plan):

Keep "the day of the service" and "the day you submit the invoice" separate. For services provided and items bought before March 31, the usual rule applies: submit the invoice or reimbursement claim within 6 months; for those on March 31 itself, submit by September 30 at the latest.

Who to ask during the transition:

• Submitting information, forms and transition questions: CYSN Resource Line 1-833-882-0024, Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (except statutory holidays), email CFD.CYSNResourceInformation@gov.bc.ca; interpreting can be arranged in more than 50 languages;
• Balance, invoices and reimbursement for your current funding: Autism Funding Unit 1-877-777-3530 (Greater Victoria 250-387-3530), email MCF.AutismFundingUnit@gov.bc.ca;
• School-Aged Extended Therapies (SAET): Medical Benefits Program 1-888-613-3232, email mcf.medicalbenefitsprogram@gov.bc.ca;
• You can also ask in person at your local CYSN office.

6. The new Disability Benefit: who can get it, and $6,500 or $17,000?

Who it is for. Children and youth from age 0 until the last day of the month they turn 19 who have a lifelong disability and, because of it, significant and complex support needs. The province's questions and answers put it this way: it is for children who are likely to need intensive, ongoing help all their lives, including those who may need lifelong care or a supervised living arrangement as adults.

Not based on income, and not just on the diagnosis. Whether a child can get it, and at which level, depends on how much help the child needs, not on the name of the diagnosis or the parents' income.

Two levels: the base level is $6,500 a year; the higher level is $17,000 a year. The province's financial supports main page says the higher level is "up to $17,000," decided when ministry staff or other professionals make a support plan with the family.

Not every child now receiving Autism Funding can move over. The province's questions and answers answer this with a plain "no"; the new benefit is for children with the greatest and longest-lasting support needs. The province estimates that about 80% of families now receiving the ministry's services will get either the new benefit or the new supplement, and that 46% are expected to get the highest amount; this is the province's estimate, not a guarantee.

There are two ways to be found eligible:

The first way: direct eligibility. If your child's diagnosis is closely linked to very high support needs, your child is eligible automatically. Examples the province lists include:

• moderate to profound intellectual disability;
• genetic conditions or syndromes needing the most support, such as Down syndrome;
• autism together with an intellectual disability of any degree;
• an autism assessment showing the child is in the group with the highest support needs;
• progressive conditions (for example Duchenne muscular dystrophy, and type 1 and type 2 spinal muscular atrophy);
• a life expectancy of less than 6 months;
• gross motor function equivalent to levels 3 to 5 for cerebral palsy (GMFCS levels 3–5);
• severe self-injurious behaviour, where the child has been accepted by a self-injurious behaviour clinic;
• other clearly defined high-need conditions.

The province also gives the example that a child with autism whose ability to communicate is very limited, such as one who needs an augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) device to speak, may be directly eligible.

The second way: a review based on needs. Children who do not fall under the direct eligibility examples are reviewed by clinical experts (psychologists, pediatricians, therapists and others), who look at the information and make an overall judgment. You can apply even if your child's diagnosis is not one of the examples. The province's eligibility page divides needs into several areas; below are the province's examples of "significant needs" and of information you can submit:

Your child does not need to have difficulties in every area. Sometimes the needs in just one area are great enough, such as extremely limited communication or a very serious safety and supervision risk.

A few examples to help you compare (only to help you think; they do not mean approval): Can your child tell an adult where it hurts? How much help does your child need from an adult with eating and bathing? When you take your child out, can your child never be out of an adult's sight for a moment? Have you ever called the police because your child wandered off? Specific things like these show your child's needs better than just writing "my child has autism."

Once approved, no repeated assessments. The province states that because these needs are long-term, once eligible, your child receives it until the last day of the month they turn 19, and repeated reassessments will not be required.

Decisions are made by people, not artificial intelligence. The province states that eligibility decisions are made by the ministry and qualified clinical professionals, not by artificial intelligence (AI); tools such as text recognition may be used to organize documents, but they do not make decisions.

Comparing with the old funding (only the dedicated funding for a full year, not counting the monthly supplement):

• A 5-year-old child could previously use up to $22,000 a year. Under the new system, even with approval at $17,000, that is $5,000 less a year; with approval at $6,500, it is $15,500 less.
• A 10-year-old child could previously use up to $6,000 a year. Under the new system, approval at $17,000 means $11,000 more; approval at $6,500 means $500 more.
• If either child is not approved, that child gets no dedicated funding at all; whether they can get the monthly supplement is a separate question that depends on the DTC and family income (section 8).

How new families will apply in the future. After April 1, 2027, new families will apply directly for the Disability Benefit through a single application process; the province says it will post it on its website once it is decided. As of November 4, 2026, it had not been posted.

7. After the Disability Benefit is approved: how the money is used

For now there is only one way to pay: invoicing. The province's page of October 20 says that only the "Invoicing Pathway" is open for now:

• parents choose their own service providers and contact them directly;
• service providers send invoices to the ministry;
• the ministry pays directly from your child's annual amount;
• for eligible equipment, supplies, training and travel, the ministry can reimburse parents or pay the seller directly.

The ministry is designing two other ways (direct payment to families, and arrangements made through an authorized organization), which will be announced later. The "three payment options to choose from" on the province's financial supports main page is a plan for the future and cannot be chosen yet.

What the money can be spent on. Two principles: first, the support is needed because of your child's disability; second, it helps your child's daily functioning and life. A service must do at least one of the following: maintain or improve the child's functional skills; meet rehabilitation needs; or assess, treat, supervise or intervene in needs related to the disability. Examples the province gives include respite care, pediatric therapy, family counselling, genetic testing, sensory clothing and some travel costs for medical appointments. Some costs are not paid for, to avoid overlap with other programs, to make sure supports are safe and have a sound basis, and to prevent misuse. What can and cannot be paid for is set out in the province's "Invoicing Pathway operational policy" (a PDF on the Disability Benefit page). The province notes that parts of the "Guide for current recipients" are out of date, and the operational policy is what to go by.

Note: the old Autism Funding does not pay for respite care, while the new Disability Benefit lists respite care as an example of what can be paid for.

Online forms you will need:

• "Request for Services" (RFS): states which services, which service providers and how much for each. It must be submitted again for each Disability Benefit period;
• a form to change a service authorization: for changes to services that have already been approved;
• "Request for Equipment, Supplies, Travel and Training" (RESTT): together these cannot be more than 20% of the annual amount;
• a reimbursement or payment request form: to claim with receipts for approved equipment, supplies, travel and training, or for equipment and supplies already on the pre-approved list;
• an invoice form for service providers;
• the direct deposit application form (FIN 312, PDF): fill it out and attach a void cheque or your bank's pre-authorization form, and mail it to Specialized Provincial Services, PO Box 9776 STN PROV GOVT, Victoria, BC V8W 9S5.

After At Home Program families receive the welcome package, they also need to fill out a request form to transition to the Disability Benefit, choosing the month to start and confirming which guardian will sign the agreement. PAIRS's page (updated September 15, 2026) says families who have received the welcome package can sign up for a one-hour online information session; however, the advocacy group's article mentioned in section 2 says the ministry has postponed its Disability Benefit information sessions, so if you want to attend, first call PAIRS at 1-844-878-4700 to check whether any sessions are scheduled now.

Medical equipment and supplies do not change. At Home Program medical equipment and supplies continue as before and are not affected by the new benefit.

Who to ask about the Disability Benefit: the Disability Benefit team, 1-866-740-0047, email cfd.disabilitybenefit@gov.bc.ca, for service requests and authorizations, payments and reimbursements, processing times and so on. If you want to ask how to plan this money or how to build a support team, contact PAIRS at 1-844-878-4700 (Chinese available depending on staff availability).

8. The new Disability Supplement: how much low- and middle-income families can get each month

What it is. A tax-free monthly cash payment to help low- and middle-income families with the costs of raising a child with support needs. B.C. pays for it, and the CRA (Canada Revenue Agency) pays it out on the province's behalf, combined with the Canada child benefit (CCB), the federal child disability benefit and the B.C. family benefit, into your account each month. Under the province's current plan, the first payment is in July 2027.

Who can get it. Whether you can get it for a given month depends on these conditions:

• you lived in B.C. at the start of that month and in the month before;
• you are the person mainly responsible for the care and upbringing of the child;
• the child is under 18 and lives with you;
• the child's disability tax credit (DTC) has been approved by the CRA, and the approved years must include the year of the month the payment is for: for July to December 2027, the year that counts is 2027; for January to June 2028, it is 2028. If the DTC approval ends in a certain year, renew it early when it is about to run out;
• you (and your spouse or common-law partner, if you have one) file your taxes on time every year, and your family income is within the range.

Whether the Disability Benefit has been approved does not affect the supplement: even if the dedicated funding is not approved, you can still get the supplement as long as you meet the conditions above.

Do you need to apply? If your child's DTC has already been approved and you already receive the Canada child benefit, you do not need to apply separately. When you file your 2026 taxes in spring 2027, the CRA will work it out automatically and start paying in July. If your child does not have the DTC yet, you first need to apply to the CRA for the DTC (section 9). If you have filed your taxes but are not receiving the Canada child benefit or the B.C. family benefit, first register your child for the Canada child benefit. The province's February news release also reminds you to make sure that you are the registered recipient of the Canada child benefit for this child.

How much you can get. Up to $6,000 a year for each eligible child; the yearly amount divided by 12 is the monthly amount. The first benefit year runs from July 2027 to June 2028 and is based on 2026 "adjusted family net income":

• if income is $50,000 or less, you get the full amount;
• for the part over $50,000, the family's total supplement for the year goes down by $40 for every $1,000 of extra income (that is, 4% of the amount over), down to $0;
• the reduction is applied once to the family's total, not once for each child. So with one child, it reaches $0 at a family income of $200,000; with two children, at $350,000; with three children, at $500,000; for each additional child, the income line at which it reaches $0 goes up by another $150,000 (the $50,000 starting point stays the same).
• The $50,000 line where the reduction starts will be adjusted for inflation each year.

What "adjusted family net income" is. The CRA also uses it to calculate the Canada child benefit. Put simply: the net income on line 23600 of your tax return, plus line 23600 of your spouse's or common-law partner's return if you have one; minus any RDSP income (and the old UCCB) received, plus any amounts repaid.

Comparison table (2026 adjusted family net income, eligible for the whole year, full-time care):

Amounts are in dollars, and monthly amounts are rounded to the cent. The $50,000, $100,000 and $180,000 rows are examples on the province's page; the other rows were worked out with the formula published by the B.C. Ministry of Finance.

A calculation. Both children are eligible, and 2026 adjusted family net income is $100,000: that is $50,000 more than $50,000, and $50,000 × 4% = $2,000. The family maximum of $12,000 minus $2,000 is $10,000 a year, or $833.33 a month.

Families whose income is too high for the B.C. family benefit may still get this supplement. The B.C. Ministry of Finance states this clearly. For example, with one child and an income of $150,000, the B.C. family benefit has already been reduced to nothing, but the supplement is still $2,000 a year.

How shared custody works. If your child lives with you only part of the time, first check whether it counts as "shared custody" under the CRA's rules. With shared custody, each parent first works out "how much they would get with full-time care" based on their own family's income, and then each gets half, so the amounts paid to the two homes may be different. For example, with one child: the father's family had a 2026 income of $60,000 and would get $5,600 with full-time care, so half is $2,800; the mother's family had an income of $40,000 and would get $6,000 with full-time care, so half is $3,000. If some children in the family are in full-time care and some are in shared custody, the province's estimator page has a four-step way to work it out. If custody arrangements change, tell the CRA.

You decide how to spend it. You do not need to submit any receipts. Examples the province gives: tutoring or extracurricular activities, disability-related costs not covered elsewhere, therapy, counselling for brothers and sisters, child care, and respite care.

Tell the CRA if you move. If you move to B.C. after filing your 2026 taxes, the CRA will only work out your eligibility once it has updated your information; if you move out of B.C., tell the CRA as soon as possible, or you will have to pay back any overpayment.

Watch out for scam text messages. The B.C. Ministry of Finance states: it will not contact you by text message about this supplement. A text message about "the supplement" may be a scam; if you are not sure, email ITBTaxQuestions@gov.bc.ca to ask.

Legal basis. This supplement is set out in the Budget Measures Implementation Act, 2026 (Bill 2), which passed third reading in the B.C. legislature on April 1, 2026. The B.C. Ministry of Finance page still calls it a "proposed" supplement that is "expected" to start in July 2027.

Estimate it first. The province has an estimator: enter your 2026 adjusted family net income and the number of children to estimate how much you could get each month from July 2027 to June 2028.

9. The supplement depends on the DTC: how to apply for your child

The monthly Disability Supplement, the federal child disability benefit and the government contributions to an RDSP all require your child to have the DTC first. For details about the DTC, see Guide No. 39, Disability tax credit (DTC); this section only covers what you need to know when applying for a child with support needs.

A diagnosis alone does not mean approval. The CRA looks at how severely the impairment affects daily functioning and how long it lasts, not at the name of the diagnosis. A child diagnosed with autism is not automatically eligible; what matters is how restricted the child is in areas such as "mental functions necessary for everyday life," compared with children of the same age who do not have the impairment.

Who can certify the medical part (Part B). Medical doctors and nurse practitioners can certify any impairment; psychologists can certify mental functions; speech-language pathologists can certify speaking; occupational therapists can certify walking, feeding and dressing. When applying for a child, Part A is filled out by a legal representative such as a parent. If the medical practitioner charges a fee to fill out the form, you pay it; if your child currently receives Autism Funding, you can use the equipment, training and travel part of the funding to pay the medical practitioner's fee for filling out Form T2201, up to $300 with receipts, without a Justification for Equipment form; this only covers fees for a qualified medical practitioner to fill out the form, and money paid to companies or consultants that handle DTC applications cannot be claimed.

How to submit. Choose one of two ways; Parts A and B must be submitted the same way:

• Online: sign in to your CRA account and click, in this order, "Individual account," "Benefits and credits" and "Apply for DTC"; fill out Part A, get a reference number and give it to the medical practitioner, who fills out Part B online. You can also call the CRA at 1-800-959-8281 and ask an agent to fill out Part A for you;
• On paper: use Form T2201, fill out Parts A and B and mail them together.

How long until you get a result. At the end of October 2026, the CRA's processing times page said that because more applications than usual are coming in, recently submitted applications may take up to 8 weeks. The province's page says 10 to 15 weeks. The two do not match; go by the CRA, and apply as early as you can. The CRA suggests submitting the DTC application before you file your taxes, so that the assessment of your tax return is not slowed down.

Once approved. The CRA will automatically check whether you can get the Disability Supplement (from July 2027), and if you already receive the Canada child benefit, the federal child disability benefit is added automatically.

If it is refused. You can send new medical information and ask the CRA to review it again; you can also file an income tax objection within 90 days of the date on the notice of determination.

Do these things now, for the supplement:

• check your child's DTC notice of determination to see whether the approved years include 2027 and 2028;
• make sure your child is registered for the Canada child benefit;
• in the 2027 tax season, file your 2026 taxes on time; if you have a spouse or common-law partner, you both need to file, even if one of you has no income.

CRA phone hours. For the DTC and general individual tax questions, call 1-800-959-8281, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern Time (B.C. did not move its clocks back on November 1, 2026, and now keeps one time all year: from the first Sunday in November to the second Sunday in March each year, this is 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. B.C. time, and the rest of the year it is 5 a.m. to 5 p.m.). For general questions about the federal child disability benefit, call 1-800-387-1193.

Related: Guide No. 39, Disability tax credit (DTC)

10. Other benefits and services for low- and middle-income families

Besides the three kinds of money above, the following are also worth a look. Some depend on income, and some do not.

1. Federal child disability benefit (CDB): already being paid.

• Conditions: you can get the Canada child benefit; your child is under 18 and the child's DTC has been approved. If you already receive the Canada child benefit, you do not need to apply, and the CRA pays it automatically; if you are getting it for the first time, the CRA automatically works it out for the current benefit year and the two before it.
• Amount: from July 2026 to June 2027, up to $3,480 a year for each child ($290 a month), based on 2025 adjusted family net income; for the part above $82,847, it is reduced by 3.2% for one child, or by 5.7% for two or more children.
• Example: one child, 2025 adjusted family net income of $100,000, which is $17,153 above that line; the reduction is $548.90, so the family can get $2,931.10 a year.
• To keep getting it, you and your spouse must file your taxes on time every year, even with no income.

2. The Canada child benefit (CCB) itself. Your child's disability benefits and supplement all follow the Canada child benefit, so first make sure your child is registered for it. Newcomer families should pay attention to the status conditions: you or your spouse must be a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident, a protected person (with a positive decision from the Immigration and Refugee Board), or a temporary resident who has lived in Canada for the past 18 months and has a valid permit in the 19th month; people who have only a Refugee Protection Claimant Document cannot get it.

3. B.C. family benefit. For families with children under 18; it is paid together with the Canada child benefit, and registering for the Canada child benefit registers you for it automatically. From July 2026 to June 2027: up to $1,750 a year for the first child, $1,100 for the second and $900 for each child after that; families with 2025 adjusted family net income below $30,176 get the full amount, and it goes down gradually above that. Low-income single-parent families also get a single-parent supplement of up to $500 a year.

4. The support needs part of the Affordable Child Care Benefit. First, status: the parent or guardian applying must live in B.C. and be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, Convention refugee or protected person (families on work permits or study permits do not meet this condition). Then, income: the Affordable Child Care Benefit is based on income, and families with incomes of up to $111,000 a year may generally be eligible; for each child with support needs, the income used in the calculation is reduced by another $3,000, so you can try applying even if your income is a bit higher. You also need a qualifying reason for child care: working or self-employed, attending school, taking part in an employment program, looking for work (only one parent or guardian), living with a medical condition that interferes with your ability to care for your child, your child attending a licensed preschool program, or child care arranged or recommended by a Ministry of Children and Family Development or Indigenous Child and Family Services Agency social worker (or by a staff member authorized by an Indigenous authority to provide child and family services under Indigenous law); maternity or parental leave is not a qualifying reason. If your child has support needs and needs extra support services, up to $150 a month can be added as a child care supplement. The benefit plus the supplement cannot be more than what the child care provider actually charges. Apply before the end of the month in which you need child care, through My Family Services or with the application form (CF2900); you must renew every year, and also renew if your reason for needing child care changes.

5. Respite care and family support services. For families of children under 19 who have a developmental disability diagnosis, or are eligible for Autism Funding, the At Home Program or the Disability Services pilot. Respite care can be arranged by an agency, or the family can be given money to hire someone themselves; for direct funding, the standard amount is $4,135.56 a year, which can be used flexibly for homemaking help, caregiving help or programs for the child. Spaces may not be available right away, and the ministry sets priorities. Other family supports include child and youth care workers, behaviour support, parent training and support groups, counselling, home management and life skills programs. The province says these family support services will continue under the reform; apply through your local CYSN office.

6. Free community services. Community organizations funded by the province offer behaviour therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy and speech therapy; most are free, and some services do not need a diagnosis first. The province says it will invest another $80 million over the next three years to expand community services (an expansion of more than 40%); according to the February news release, behaviour and mental health supports will expand in spring 2027, navigation and family supports in winter 2027, and therapies and programs for ages 6 to 18 in spring 2028. When spaces open up in each area and how many hours you can get depend on what the local organization tells you.

• In Greater Victoria, the province's list includes: Island Health's Queen Alexandra Centre for Children's Health, 2400 Arbutus Rd, Victoria, phone 250-519-5390; and the Victoria Native Friendship Centre, 231 Regina Ave, Victoria, phone 250-384-3211.

7. School-Aged Therapy. Occupational therapy and physical therapy at school for children who have (or are at risk of) developmental delays or disabilities. Ask your local school district.

8. Home owner grant for people with disabilities. If you are the registered owner of the home you live in, and you, your spouse or a relative living with you has a disability and meets the conditions listed on the page (for example, paying at least $150 a month for help with daily living this year, or having made accessibility changes to the home costing at least $2,000), you can apply for a higher home owner grant. The owner must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, and the home's assessed value must be under the threshold. You must apply for this grant every year, and only one grant can be claimed for a property each year; all prior-year grant applications must be submitted by December 31 of the current year. The conditions are fairly detailed, so check them one by one against the province's page.

9. Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP). Once your child's DTC is approved, you can open an RDSP, and the government will put grants and bonds into it according to the rules. For details, see section 13 of Guide No. 39, Disability tax credit (DTC).

10. BC Benefits Connector. The province's benefits summary page, where you can look up other programs that help you save on housing, health care, transportation, energy and more.

11. How this fits with school

School supports are not affected by this reform. The province states that school supports and funding are not being reduced, and inclusive education policies and processes are not changing; getting the Disability Benefit or the supplement at home will not affect the support your child gets at school. School districts continue to receive funding directly based on the needs of all the children in the district.

Know which side covers what. Autism Funding pays for services and resources outside school hours; once your child is in school, the school has its own supports. Each side covers its own part; it is not a matter of choosing one or the other.

What an Individual Education Plan (IEP) is. An IEP is a written plan the school makes for a student with disabilities or diverse abilities, setting out the child's individual goals, the adaptations to be made, the services to be provided, and how progress will be tracked. The province's education ministry policy states:

• once the school district has decided a child needs one, it must create an IEP for the child as soon as possible (except in a very few situations, such as when almost no adaptations are needed);
• the IEP must be reviewed at least once each school year and changed when needed;
• when parents ask, the school district must give them the opportunity to be consulted about their child's educational program; the principal must consult the parents about the child's placement;
• children generally learn in the same classroom as classmates without disabilities, unless the educational needs of the child or other students require a different arrangement;
• if a decision by school staff significantly affects the child's education, health or safety, parents can appeal to the board of education (the school district) within a reasonable time (section 11 of the School Act).

What you can do before and after your child starts school:

• before your child starts school, contact the school district's inclusive education staff early to talk about your child's disability and learning needs, ask what supports are available, and connect your child's therapists with the school;
• once your child is in school, take an active part in IEP meetings. The principal will name a case manager to coordinate, and that is the person to go to first;
• keep a copy of your child's IEP and of any psychoeducational assessment done by the school. In the information you submit to the province for the transition, the IEP can be submitted as an extra document (section 5);
• transition planning for adulthood starts by age 14 at the latest and continues to age 25; it is usually led by a teacher or social worker, with the child, parents, service providers, the school and ministry staff all taking part.

For your child's schooling as a whole (school districts, registration, choosing a school), see Guide No. 4, School years.

Related: Guide No. 4, School years

12. Who to contact if something goes wrong

First, find the right number for the matter:

If you disagree with an Autism Funding decision. The Autism Funding pages state: if you have concerns about the Autism Funding Unit's service or a funding decision, call 1-877-777-3530; if that does not resolve it, ask to speak with the Unit's supervisor.

If you disagree with a service or decision of the Ministry of Children and Family Development. The ministry has a complaints process:

• first talk to your worker or their team leader;
• you can also call 1-877-387-7027 and ask to speak with a complaint specialist, Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.; or use the online complaint form, and the ministry says it will reply within two business days;
• you can choose "complaint mediation" (the fastest), or, if you meet the requirements, apply for an "administrative review";
• the complaints process cannot give compensation, and it cannot deal with services provided by organizations the ministry contracts with;
• if you feel the result of the complaint is unfair, you can ask the B.C. Office of the Ombudsperson for an outside review: phone 1-800-567-3247, Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (on Wednesdays, the phone line is open only until 12:30 p.m.), except statutory holidays.

Representative for Children and Youth (RCY). This is an independent provincial office that helps children and families deal with government services. Among the examples on its website is a parent of a 7-year-old child with autism who felt no one was listening; an RCY advocate helped them get in touch with the child's ministry worker. Phone 1-800-476-3933.

If the DTC is refused. Send more information and ask the CRA to review it, or file an objection within 90 days of the date on the notice of determination (section 9).

13. What to say when you call or email

If your English is not very fluent, first ask for Chinese or an interpreter. You can use the sentences below as they are:

To ask for help in Chinese (call PAIRS or the CYSN Resource Line):

If you got a letter from the province and do not know what to submit:

To ask about the balance and the funding period:

To ask how long it will take after you submit:

To ask the assessment provider for a copy of a report:

To ask your family doctor for a referral for an autism assessment:

To ask your doctor to fill out the DTC form:

To set up an IEP meeting with the school:

14. Three family examples

The examples below are only to help you compare; actual results depend on the decisions of the province and the CRA.

Example 1: 8 years old, one child, family income of $100,000. The child receives Autism Funding, up to $6,000 a year, which under the province's current plan can be used until March 31, 2027. The child's DTC has already been approved, and 2026 adjusted family net income is $100,000:

• Monthly supplement: from July 2027, $4,000 a year, or $333.33 a month;
• Federal child disability benefit: from July 2026 to June 2027 it is based on 2025 income; if 2025 income was also $100,000, it is $2,931.10 a year;
• Disability Benefit: depends on the review result; it may be $6,500, $17,000, or nothing. If it is not approved, the supplement is still paid, but the therapy that the funding used to pay for will need another solution, such as free community services, or paying for it yourself with the supplement.

Example 2: 5 years old, needs a lot of help. The child can currently use up to $22,000 a year. The child also has an intellectual disability, which falls under direct eligibility, and moves to the Disability Benefit from April 2027. Direct eligibility settles "whether the child can get it"; which level still depends on support needs: if approved at the higher level of $17,000, the dedicated funding is $5,000 a year less than before; if approved at the base level of $6,500, it is $15,500 less. If the family's 2026 income was $50,000 or less and the DTC has also been approved, from July 2027 there is also a supplement of $500 a month, or $6,000 a year. So the higher level plus the supplement comes to $23,000 a year, slightly more than the previous maximum of $22,000; the base level plus the supplement comes to $12,500 a year, which is less than before.

Example 3: two children, shared custody. Both children have the DTC, and the parents live apart with shared custody. The mother's family has a 2026 adjusted family net income of $40,000: with full-time care of both children, they would get $12,000; with shared custody they get half, $6,000 a year. The father's family had a 2026 income of $100,000: with full-time care they would get $10,000; they get half, $5,000 a year. Each home receives its own payment.

15. Checklist before you start

• Remember the province's current plan: Autism Funding ends on March 31, 2027, the Disability Benefit opens on April 1, 2027, and the Disability Supplement starts being paid in July 2027. The new government may change this, so check the province's program pages every two or three weeks.
• If your child has not been diagnosed: ask your family doctor for a referral to BCAAN; while you wait, use free community services first; once you have a diagnosis, apply for Autism Funding before March 31, 2027, the earlier the better.
• If your child currently receives Autism Funding: register for a Basic BCeID; gather the reports you already have, separately for each child, and try to submit everything at once before the end of December 2026; if you do not have copies, use up to $300 from the funding to get them.
• Remember that approved services must be finished by March 31, 2027 at the latest (that day itself counts); invoices must be submitted within 6 months; for March 31 itself, by September 30 at the latest.
• If you are in the At Home Program: wait for the welcome package and follow the instructions in it.
• If your child does not have the DTC yet: apply now; at the end of October 2026 the CRA said it can take up to 8 weeks; if your child receives the funding, up to $300 of the doctor's fee for filling out the form can be paid from the funding.
• Make sure your child is registered for the Canada child benefit; in spring 2027, both spouses must file their 2026 taxes on time, even with no income.
• Use the province's estimator to see how much you could get each month from July 2027.
• Check whether you have missed anything: the support needs supplement of the Affordable Child Care Benefit, respite care, free community services or the B.C. family benefit.
• Arrange an IEP meeting with the school, and keep copies of the IEP and the assessments.
• If you get a text message about the supplement, do not click the link; the B.C. Ministry of Finance does not send text messages.
• If you don't know where to start, call PAIRS at 1-844-878-4700 and ask for Chinese (depending on staff availability; if no one who speaks Chinese is available, ask them to arrange an interpreter).

Related guides

• → No. 39 · Disability tax credit (DTC)
  Whether a child with ADHD or autism can apply for the DTC (section 4), how to apply online or on paper (section 8) and what to do if it is refused (section 10); once it is approved, the child disability benefit paid with the Canada child benefit (section 12) and the RDSP, which the government adds money to (section 13).
• → No. 4 · School years
  Registering your child for school in B.C.: finding your school district and catchment school from your address, the five steps to register (section 5), who can attend public school without paying tuition, how child care waitlists work and how to spend less, and high school credits and university applications.
• → No. 5 · Health care roadmap
  How to get MSP in B.C., how to register if you do not have a family doctor (section 3), how to choose between a regular clinic, an urgent care centre and the hospital emergency department, and how 811 can help.
• → No. 41 · Preparing for a doctor's visit
  How to prepare for a doctor's visit: what to say when you book, how to describe symptoms clearly, which old medical records and test reports to bring (section 5), how family or friends who come with you can help and what to keep in mind when you take a child to the doctor (section 7), and useful English phrases.
• → No. 64 · Three issues before B.C.'s new government takes office
  When the new government takes office after the B.C. election and when the results become official; the status, as of November 4, 2026, of three issues: the provincial basic personal amount, DRIPA and the Pacific Link pipeline; where to watch for new bills and the new budget, and how to find the MLA for your electoral district if you want to share your views.

Main official links in this guide

All the web addresses used in this guide are listed here, grouped by organization; the end of each section also lists the ones for that section. The web pages were checked on November 4, 2026 (Pacific Time). The three links in the last group are the websites of a political party and a community group; they are used only to describe campaign promises, are not government sources and are not government decisions. A few things to note: some PDF files (the Invoicing Pathway operational policy and the paper form to submit information) were not opened this time, and nothing in this guide comes only from a PDF; the website of the College of Health and Care Professionals of BC (CHCPBC) could not be opened this time, so its address is listed as given on the B.C. government's "Find a Health and Care Professional" page; the online form to submit information can only be seen after logging in, so this guide does not describe what is on the form; and the Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA) page with BCAAN wait times could not be opened, so it is not listed.

B.C. Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD): Children and Youth with Support Needs (CYSN)

B.C. Ministry of Finance and other provincial ministries

Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) and the federal government

Checking licences (professional registries)

Elections, oversight and complaint bodies

Non-government sources (used only to describe campaign promises; these are not government decisions)