So how much is ODSP in 2026? Following the 1.9% inflation increase of July 1, 2026, the Ontario Disability Support Program pays a single person up to $1,436 a month – made up of $825 for basic needs plus up to $611 for shelter. Couples receive more, the totals rise every July with inflation, and what you actually get depends on your housing costs, your household size, and any other income you have. This guide breaks the whole calculation down in plain language.
Quick answer: how much is ODSP in 2026 comes down to three July maximums: $1,436 a month for a single person ($825 basic needs + up to $611 shelter), $2,148 for a couple where one spouse has a disability, and $2,416 for a couple where both do. Amounts are adjusted for inflation every July, and your individual total can be lower depending on rent, household size, and other income.
How much is ODSP in 2026? The current maximums
ODSP income support pays up to $1,436 a month for a single person as of July 1, 2026. That headline number is a ceiling, not a flat rate – it is the sum of two separate pieces, and you receive the full amount only when you qualify for the maximum of both.
| Household (July 2026 maximums) | Basic needs | Max shelter | Maximum total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single person | $825 | $611 | $1,436 |
| Couple, one spouse with a disability | $1,189 | $959 | $2,148 |
| Couple, both with disabilities | Capped combined rate | $2,416 | |
Households with children receive additional shelter room and child-related supports on top of these bases, and the exact figures come from the province’s rate tables – the current official versions live on ontario.ca’s ODSP income support page. Payments land on the last business day of each month; the full calendar, including the early December deposit, is in our ODSP payment dates guide.
Basic needs + shelter: how the two parts work
Every ODSP income-support cheque is built from two components, which is why how much is ODSP never has one flat answer – understanding the two parts explains almost every “why is my amount different” question.
Basic needs is the flat living portion – $825 a month for a single person in 2026. It covers food, clothing, and personal expenses, and you receive it at the full rate for your household size regardless of what your housing costs.
The shelter allowance reimburses actual housing costs – rent or mortgage, heat, hydro, water, and certain other shelter expenses – up to a cap of $611 a month for a single person. This part is not flat: if your rent and utilities total $500, your shelter allowance is $500, not $611. Only when your housing costs meet or exceed the cap do you receive the full shelter maximum, which is why two single recipients can see different deposits despite identical eligibility.
The practical takeaway: report your real housing costs, and report them again when they change. A rent increase can raise your shelter allowance (up to the cap), and unreported costs are the most common reason people receive less than they could.
How much is ODSP for couples and families?
When you live with a spouse or partner, ODSP treats the household – not the individual – as the benefit unit. A couple where one person has a disability receives up to $1,189 for basic needs plus up to $959 for shelter, a maximum of $2,148 a month. When both spouses qualify as persons with disabilities, the combined maximum rises to $2,416.
Children in the household do not receive their own ODSP basic-needs amount – child costs are primarily covered through the Canada Child Benefit and the Ontario Child Benefit, which do not reduce your ODSP – but a larger household does qualify for a higher shelter cap. The spouse’s income matters too: a working partner’s earnings are subject to the same exemption rules covered below, applied at the household level.
Working while on ODSP: the $1,000 rule
You can earn up to $1,000 a month from work without your ODSP income support being reduced at all. Above that line, support is reduced by 75 cents for every additional dollar of net earnings – a partial clawback, so working past the threshold always leaves you ahead overall, just at a flatter slope.
A worked example makes it concrete. Suppose you earn $1,400 net in a month:
- The first $1,000 is fully exempt – no reduction.
- The remaining $400 reduces your support by 75%, which is $300.
- A single person otherwise receiving the $1,436 maximum would get $1,136 that month – and keep the whole $1,400 paycheque, ending up $1,100 ahead of not working.
Earnings must be reported monthly – by the 7th of the following month – and the deduction is recalculated each month from what you report. The easiest place to see how your earnings affected a given deposit is the MyBenefits portal, which itemizes the calculation line by line; our MyBenefits ODSP guide walks through where to find it.
Other income and deductions
Earnings get the generous treatment. Most other income does not: payments like CPP disability benefits generally count as unearned income and reduce ODSP dollar for dollar. Some receipts are fully exempt – including the Canada Child Benefit, the GST/HST credit and related federal top-ups, and gifts up to program limits – which is why two households with the same “income” on paper can see very different ODSP deposits.
The safe rule: report everything, and let the calculation sort exempt from non-exempt. Unreported income found later becomes an overpayment clawed back from future cheques, which hurts far more than a correct smaller deposit would have.
Asset limits: what you can own on ODSP
Eligibility also depends on assets: up to $40,000 for a single person and $50,000 for a couple. Above those limits, income support stops until you are back under.
The exemptions matter as much as the limits. Your home (if you live in it), one vehicle, and most tools of your trade do not count. Registered Disability Savings Plans are fully exempt – an RDSP can grow well past the asset limit without touching your eligibility, which makes it the single most important savings vehicle for anyone on ODSP. Segregated funds and certain trusts have their own treatment; if an inheritance or settlement is coming, get advice before it lands, because structure determines whether it costs you months of eligibility.
When do ODSP amounts go up?
ODSP core rates are indexed to inflation and adjust every July. The July 2026 adjustment was 1.9%, which moved the single maximum to $1,436. Indexation applies automatically – you do not need to apply for it, and the new amount simply appears in the July deposit.
Two cautions about the yearly bump. First, indexation covers the core basic-needs and shelter maximums; it is not a program redesign, and amounts for some supplementary benefits change on their own schedules. Second, if your shelter costs are below the cap, a July increase to the shelter maximum does not change your deposit – your actual rent does. The rates rise every year, so the generic answer to how much is ODSP changes each July, but your own number only moves when the components underneath it do.
How much is ODSP paying you, exactly?
The precise answer to how much is ODSP paying you – and every deduction behind it – is itemized in the MyBenefits portal, which shows the basic-needs line, the shelter line, and any reductions from earnings or other income. If a deposit changes and you do not know why, the statement is the first place to look, and your caseworker is the second. Setting up online access takes a few minutes; our step-by-step MyBenefits guide covers registration and the common login problems.
Not on ODSP yet? Eligibility runs on both medical and financial tests, and the application has real timelines – the full process, from the SADA online application to the disability determination package, is in our guide to applying for ODSP online. If you are currently on Ontario Works while waiting, the Ontario Works payment dates guide covers those amounts and dates.
Frequently asked questions
How much is ODSP per month for a single person?
Up to $1,436 a month as of July 1, 2026 – $825 for basic needs plus up to $611 for shelter. You receive the full amount only if your actual housing costs reach the shelter cap; lower housing costs mean a lower shelter allowance.
How much is ODSP for a couple?
Up to $2,148 a month when one spouse has a disability, and up to $2,416 when both spouses qualify as persons with disabilities, at the July 2026 rates. Children add shelter room and are supported mainly through federal and provincial child benefits, which do not reduce ODSP.
Is ODSP going up in 2026?
It already did: rates rose 1.9% on July 1, 2026, under the program’s annual inflation indexing, bringing the single maximum to $1,436. The next automatic adjustment comes in July 2027.
How much can I earn while on ODSP?
You can earn up to $1,000 net a month with no reduction at all. Above that, support is reduced by 75 cents per extra dollar earned, so additional work always leaves you ahead overall. Earnings must be reported by the 7th of the following month.
Does CPP disability reduce ODSP?
Generally yes – CPP-D counts as unearned income and reduces ODSP dollar for dollar. Fully exempt income, like the Canada Child Benefit and the GST/HST credit, does not reduce your support.
What is the ODSP asset limit?
$40,000 for a single person and $50,000 for a couple. Your home, one vehicle, and RDSP savings are exempt and do not count against the limit.
Why is my ODSP payment less than $1,436?
The usual reasons: your housing costs are below the $611 shelter cap, earnings above the $1,000 exemption reduced the month’s support, or other reported income was deducted. The MyBenefits statement itemizes exactly which line moved.
How much is ODSP compared to Ontario Works?
ODSP pays substantially more: the single maximum is $1,436 a month versus Ontario Works’ much lower single rate, reflecting that ODSP supports people whose disability limits work. If you are on OW while an ODSP application is in progress, the amounts and dates in our Ontario Works guide apply until the ODSP decision arrives.
When does the ODSP money arrive each month?
On the last business day of the month, with December issued early before the holidays. The full 2026 calendar is in our ODSP payment dates guide.
About the Author
Disclaimer: This article is general information, not financial or legal advice. ODSP amounts shown are the July 2026 maximums published by the Government of Ontario and individual entitlements vary; confirm your own numbers on ontario.ca or with your caseworker before making decisions.
