AISH Payment Dates for March 2024: How Much Can You Get?

The Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped, or AISH, is a provincial benefit program of the provincial government of Alberta, Canada.

Knowing the AISH payment dates and understanding the program’s details, eligibility, and limitations can be very helpful for Albertans who qualify for this benefit.

AISH Payment Dates for 2024

Here are the most recent AISH payment dates for 2024:  

Month of Assistance AISH Payment Dates
Jan 2024Dec 22, 2023
Feb 2024Feb 1, 2024
March 2024March 1, 2024
April 2024March 31, 2024
May 2024May 1, 2024
June 2024June 1, 2024
July 2024June 30, 2024
August 2024August 1, 2024
September 2024September 1, 2024
October 2024September 29, 2024
November 2024November 1, 2024
December 2024December 1, 2024
(Source: Alberta.ca)

The AISH payment date structure has changed recently. Today, the dates have been moved to the beginning of the month (or the last day of the former month if the first day of the month is a weekend).

The official aim was to help the government equalize as much as it can the number of days between payments.

The change in dates was not welcomed by recipients who have been depending upon these payments to meet their primary financial needs, many of which would have benefitted from payments made near the end of the month. 

Methods to Receive Payments

Your setup in receiving these payments can also substantially impact how soon they are available for you.

Direct deposits tend to be the best way. Payments are processed around midnight, and you can use cash immediately. 

But if your payment arrives by cheque, it can take up to three days to arrive at its destination. Then you must submit it and wait for it to get cleared before accessing the funds. This process can be daunting for people with mobility problems, especially those who rely on public transit to visit a bank.

What Is AISH?

The provincial government of Alberta started the AISH in 1979. As the name implies, the program aims to provide reliable income to severely handicapped individuals, i.e., people who, as a consequence of their physical, mental, or cognitive disability, cannot sustain themselves or their families through paid work. 

As of February 2021, the number of people supported through AISH has grown to 69,834. It makes up 1.6% of the province’s population.

The program is designed to be relatively wholesome, covering a significant portion of the expenses someone with a disability needs to meet. 

It’s important to note that even though AISH aims to provide a livable income to people with disabilities, it still encourages them to work as much as they can. Therefore, the program has detailed guidelines for how the benefit works with other income sources.

AISH Program: Benefit Details and Amounts

The AISH program has recently taken a lot of heat due to some changes. However, the ideology behind the program is still sound, and it’s to provide a disabled individual who isn’t capable of fully providing for themselves or their families, enough financial support to get by. 

So, instead of a one-time lump-sum payment, the AISH program is divided into four benefits:

  • Living Allowance
  • Child Benefit
  • Health Benefits
  • Personal Benefits

AISH Living Allowance 

AISH living allowance is a basic monthly sum that’s supposed to help you cover your basic necessities (e.g., housing, food, and utilities). The living allowance is further divided into two categories based on your impairment and living conditions:

Standard Allowance

It’s for people living on their own or with their family (i.e., their disability doesn’t force them to live in a care home, or they have family that looks after them). It’s aimed at people living in their own premises or renting alone or with their family, living in a private group home, or who are homeless. 

The amount for standard allowance is determined by any other income you might be receiving (e.g., disability benefits, insurance payment) or any other income coming into your household (e.g., your spouse’s regular income, rental income, and investment income). 

The maximum standard AISH living allowance you can get is $1,787 as of January 1, 2023.

Modified Living Allowance

If a recipient’s disability or absence of any related caregivers forces them to live in a care facility, they are entitled to a modified living allowance.

These facilities include approved nursing homes, auxiliary hospitals, designated supportive living (DSL) facilities, and other approved residential facilities. These facilities come with various levels of care needs and associated costs. 

The living allowance you get under this modified benefit is split two ways, and it’s collectively determined by your other income, whether individual or household.

You get a living allowance ($342 maximum as of January 1, 2023) and the cost of your accommodation that’s paid directly to the facility. The amount paid in place of the accommodation cost is determined by facility type: private room ($2,201 maximum) and standard room ($1,810 maximum).

You can check the approved medical facilities here.

AISH Child Benefit

If the AISH recipient has a dependent child, they can also receive $212 per month for the first child and $106 each for each additional child. So, if you have three children, you will receive $424 in child benefits from the AISH program. 

For divorced or separated recipients, the AISH recipient is liable to receive the full child benefit amount if the dependent child resides with them for at least the same amount of time in a shared custody agreement.

AISH Health Benefits

Even though it’s a program designed for people with disabilities and special needs, the AISH health benefits cover a broader spectrum of medical needs.

When you are qualified for AISH, you will receive an AISH Health Benefits Card that you can use for various medical needs.

The AISH health benefit covers you as well as your spouse or partner and your dependent children.

It covers:

  • Dental Care: Check-ups, cleaning, X-rays, teeth removal, dentures, etc.
  • Optical Care: An eye exam and a pair of glasses every two years
  • Prescription Drugs:  Over 5,000 approved drugs and OTC items and supplements
  • Diabetic Care: Insulin supplies, test strips, lancets, etc.
  • Emergency ambulance service to the nearest emergency facility
  • The out-of-pocket expense of Alberta Aids to Daily Living (AADL)-approved items (hearing aids, walking aids, etc.) that you might need.

AISH Personal Benefits

You might qualify for AISH personal benefits if you need to meet expenses that are not covered under your other AISH benefits and cannot be taken care of with your living allowance. The personal benefits are provided for the recipient and dependent children, not for the spouse or partner.

They cover three different expense types:

Health-Related: Oxygen supplies, special diet, unconventional therapies (e.g., acupuncture) and massages, medical items not covered under AADL, etc.

Children-Related: Certain childcare-related and education-related expenses

Other Costs: Training, travelling, moving, funeral expenses, etc.

It’s important to note that AISH personal benefits are paid out only if you don’t have any other means to cover these expenses or if there is no other program or benefits payment you can reach out to or leverage. If you have just $5,000 or more in liquid assets, you might not be eligible for the AISH personal benefits.

AISH Program Qualification Requirement or Eligibility Criteria

The core premise of the AISH program’s eligibility criteria is quite simple: every person with a severe disability prevents them from earning enough money to survive and meet their family’s financial needs. 

But although the concept is to help those who need it the most, the program also has to take other things into account as well, such as whether your family can feasibly support you or whether you have enough assets or means to get by on your own.

For starters, you must:

  • Be 18 years or older and young enough not to qualify for Old Age Security (OAS) benefits;
  • Be a permanent resident/natural citizen of Canada and a resident of Alberta;
  • Be not in a correctional facility; and
  • Be not in a mental health facility.

Apart from that, the eligibility criteria can be split into two major categories: your medical and financial condition.

Medical Condition

If your permanent physical, mental, or cognitive disability primarily hinders your ability to earn a living, you are likely to qualify. Even then, the government’s priority would be to look into ways that might help you improve your ability to make a decent living (e.g., rehabilitation, special training).

So, if your education, temperament, or willingness is more of an influence on your ability to earn an income compared to your disability, then your qualification might get a bit complicated.

An example would be severe neurological disorders that require constant and vigilant care, and the individual cannot make a living in any way. A grey area might be people with Down syndrome, who, based on their condition, might be able to work in a limited capacity and make a partial living.

People with physical disabilities, on the other hand, especially those with movement disorders, can be assimilated into a working environment with proper care and deliberation. 

AISH Program Financial Eligibility

You first need to know that you can work and be eligible for AISH benefits simultaneously. In fact, the government of Alberta encourages AISH recipients to work as much as possible. Beyond that, the two major financial factors affecting your AISH eligibility are income and assets.

To qualify for AISH, you must apply for all the other benefits you might be eligible for, including the Canada Pension Plan Disability (CPP-D) benefit, Employment Insurance (EI), and Worker’s Compensation Board (WCB) benefits.

AISH Eligibility Requirements: Income

The factors taken into consideration when determining your AISH eligibility are:

  • Your income and your spouse’s income, as reported in your tax filings
  • Income type, recipient, and family status (e.g., if you are single, married, or have children)
  • Non-exempt income, which is counted at full value and reduces your AISH living allowance dollar for dollar. So, if you are eligible for a $1,500 AISH allowance and you earn a non-exempt income of $500 a month, your AISH allowance might be reduced to $1,000. This income includes spousal support benefits, both regular and disability benefits from CPP, EI, and employer pension programs. 
  • Partially exempt income, which reduces your living allowance by only a part of its value. It includes full or partial employment income, self-employment income, passive income from investment assets, dividends, rents, etc., and your spouse’s income.

There are certain single and family income exemptions as well. The rationale behind keeping regular income at partial exemption is to encourage recipients to work.

Other exempt income sources, too, don’t impact your AISH eligibility or reduce your living allowance. They include cash gifts, registered retirement savings plan (RRSP) or registered disability savings plan (RDSP) payments, death benefits, income tax refunds, and child benefits. 

AISH Eligibility Requirements: Assets

The AISH program looks at your ability to survive financially with your disability from an “asset” lens as well.

All assets to your name are divided into two types: exempt and non-exempt assets. Exempt assets don’t hinder your AISH eligibility, while non-exempt assets have their own thresholds.

Exempt Assets

Your home, your family vehicle, the second vehicle adapted for your disability, the items in your home, and your clothing are non-exempt. Financial assets like RDSP, trust accounts, Life Income Funds (LIF), and Locked-In Retirement Income Fund (LRIF) are non-exempt, too. 

It’s important to note that if you receive an inheritance or a cash gift that’s substantial enough and is non-exempt, it can prevent you from qualifying for AISH. Hence, you have to convert it into an exempt asset within 365 days.

Non-Exempt Assets

Your non-exempt assets cannot exceed $100,000 collectively. They include cash, the funds in your tax-free savings accounts (TFSA) and RRSP, recreational property or vehicle, registered retirement income fund (RRIF), and mutual funds. 

It’s important to note that while the dividend income from stocks might be a partially exempted income, its value is non-exempt as an asset.

Understanding AISH Health Benefits Card

If you are an AISH recipient, you may be eligible for the AISH Health Benefits Card. This card provides coverage for a variety of health-related expenses, including prescription drugs, dental services, and optical services.

To receive the AISH Health Benefits Card, you must be approved for AISH and meet certain eligibility criteria. Once you are approved, you will receive a card in the mail that you can use to access these benefits.

The AISH Health Benefits Card covers a range of services, including:

  • Prescription drugs
  • Dental services
  • Optical services
  • Medical supplies and equipment
  • Ambulance services
  • Chiropractic services
  • Physiotherapy services
  • Podiatry services

It is important to note that not all services are covered in full by the AISH Health Benefits Card. Some services may require you to pay a portion of the cost out of pocket. You can find more information about what is covered and what is not covered on the Alberta government website.

If you need to access optical services, such as eye exams or glasses, the AISH Health Benefits Card can help cover some of the costs. However, it is important to note that not all optical services are covered. You should check with your optometrist to see what services are covered and what you may need to pay for out of pocket.

AISH for Specific Populations

AISH benefits are available to a wide range of people, including those who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. If you are homeless, you may still be eligible for AISH benefits as long as you meet the other eligibility criteria. The program is designed to help those who are most in need, so if you are struggling to make ends meet due to your disability, you should consider applying for AISH benefits.

AISH benefits are available to Albertans with both physical and mental disabilities. If you have a physical disability that affects your ability to work, you may be eligible for AISH benefits. Similarly, if you have a mental disability that affects your ability to work, you may also be eligible for AISH benefits.

Other AISH Payment FAQs

1. What are the AISH eligibility maintenance requirements?

To maintain your AISH eligibility, you must permanently reside in Alberta. You should also adhere to any current or proposed requirements related to the analysis and tracking of your medical condition. Also, you have to keep your AISH caseworker informed about any changes in your circumstances (e.g., spousal income, children, separation).

Basically, if anything can change your AISH eligibility status or the benefits you are receiving, you need to convey it to the relevant authorities.

2. Which disabilities are Eligible for AISH?

Physical disabilities like sensory disorders (e.g., blindness, deafness), musculoskeletal disorders (e.g., missing or amputated limbs, arthritis), cancer, HIV, and kidney and heart diseases;

Mental health issues like anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and bipolar disorder; and

Cognitive disorders like Down syndrome and developmental disorders.

3. How to apply for AISH?

There are two forms you have to fill out to apply for AISH:

AISH Application Part A has to be filled by the intended recipient or someone else on the recipient’s behalf. It includes details regarding your finances, assets, and general eligibility.

AISH Application Part B has to be completed by the recipient’s physician. 

If your application is rejected, you have 30 days to contest the decision.

4. Are AISH benefits for life?

No. AISH is discontinued at 65, whether or not your other pensions kick in.

5. Are AISH benefits taxable?

No. AISH benefits are not considered part of your taxable income.

6. Does AISH help with moving?

Yes. If you are moving to set up a new home or leaving an abusive household, and you don’t have enough liquidity (i.e., $5,000 or less), you might be eligible for AISH personal benefits, which pay for moving.

7. Can you travel with AISH?

AISH medical coverage doesn’t extend beyond Alberta, but you will still be covered under the Alberta Healthcare Insurance Plan for basic healthcare if you travel outside the province.

However, they will not reimburse you for the medicines or supplies you buy outside Canada. If you plan your trip, you may choose to take the eligible medical supplies for the trip with you. 

8. Is AISH adjusted for inflation?

No. This is one of the most significant points against AISH. It’s not indexed to the consumer price index, and the current maximum ceiling will most likely fall behind the inflation-driven cost of living.

9. How do I check the status of my AISH payment?

To check the status of your AISH payment, you can log in to your MyAlberta Digital ID account. Once you log in, you can view your payment history, including the date and amount of your deposit.

10. What happens if my AISH payment is late?

If your AISH payment is late, it may be due to a variety of reasons, including holidays or weekends. If you have not received your payment by the expected date, you can contact AISH at 1-877-644-9992 to inquire about the status of your payment.

Conclusion

AISH Payment Dates

AISH is an excellent program for Albertans with disabilities that prevent them from working and making enough living to survive. Even with its limitations and continually increasing scrutiny, the AISH is indispensable for the 700,000 Albertans whose financial survival depends upon this program.

We hope that you now have enough information about the benefits program and AISH payment dates, but if you have any more questions or suggestions, feel free to comment.

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Author Bio - Christopher Liew is a CFA Charterholder with 11 years of finance experience and the creator of Wealthawesome.com. Read about how he quit his 6-figure salary career to travel the world here.

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