On February 10th, the Province of BC announced the phasing in of a new B.C. Children and Youth Disability Benefit program and B.C. Children and Youth Disability Supplement, replacing the current autism funding program. With these changes, which were developed in consultation with families, service providers and experts, the Province aims to reach thousands more children and youth with a range of disabilities. 

Details of the new Benefit and Supplement, as reported in the Province’s news release: 

• Over the course of 2026 and 2027, the new B.C. Children and Youth Disability Benefit will launch to provide families of children with significant disabilities with $6,500 or $17,000 per year based on their individual needs. 

• Starting July 2027, a new income-tested B.C. Children and Youth Disability Supplement will also become available to families with any child under age 18 who is eligible for the federal Disability Tax Credit. The supplement will provide up to $6,000 per year (based on the level of family net income), which families can use to pay for therapies, supports and services they believe are most helpful. The new supplement is designed to support families with middle and low incomes. 

DABC is very heartened by the opportunity for a wider diversity of children with disabilities and their families to receive key supports, and applaud the Province for taking these steps toward equitable access to financial support.  

We also recognize that some families receiving current autism supports may feel uneasy about these changes. We hope that these families will continue to receive the supports they need.  

The Province of BC recently announced that couples in which both people are receiving Persons with Disabilities (PWD) Benefits will soon receive the same PWD support allowance (this unfortunately does not also apply to the shelter allowance) as they would if they were two individuals—a welcome change, but inadequate. Disability Alliance BC, the BC Poverty Reduction Coalition and the Centre for Family Equity have issued a joint letter to the Province, calling for the full removal of the spousal cap for all persons with disabilities and their households.

Read the full letter in PDF format or view the text below.

We will continue to monitor this issue and will inform the community of any further changes through our blog, social media and e-newsletter.

November 20th, 2025

Re: Spousal Cap Changes announced November 13th, 2025

Dear Minister Malcolmson, Minister Wickens, and The Honourable Premier Eby,

We are writing on behalf of the Centre for Family Equity, Disability Alliance BC and the BC Poverty Reduction Coalition. We are writing to you regarding the recent announcement by the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction of changes to the spousal cap rules for persons with disabilities in BC.

We welcome the announcement that, starting December 1, 2025, couples where both partners receive disability assistance will receive the same support as if they were single, and that starting January 1, 2026, couples where one partner has the Persons with Disabilities designation will see increased earnings exemptions. This change is a meaningful and welcome step toward dismantling the outdated ‘spousal cap’ that for too long kept people with disabilities trapped in poverty.

We want to begin by congratulating and commending you for the changes, which will doubtlessly improve the quality of life, economic security, safety, and health of many people with disabilities in BC.

However, this admiral change and update to a discriminatory policy still leaves many people with disabilities and their children, youth and families who are still experiencing clawbacks on their income based on their partner’s income, or whose benefits are impacted by their spouse, behind.

Children and youth being raised in households impacted by parental disability status have a right to the full income of their parents and caregivers. The spousal cap assumes a non-disabled partner is responsible for the disabled partner’s livelihood and well-being. This circles back to outdated, patriarchal laws of many decades prior. The spousal cap is in direct opposition with a person’s right to independence and equal opportunity, and therefore discriminates against people with disabilities and their families.

Our organizations will continue to advocate for the full removal of the spousal cap for all persons with disabilities and their households, and for the elimination of all income clawbacks that keep people and families in deep levels of poverty. Until people are supported adequately regardless of relationship status, many will continue to live with insecurity and exclusion.

We advocate for policies that support access to income and greater pathways to labour market inclusion and attachment for those marginalized by poverty and disability.

We implore you to go the full distance and remove the spousal cap entirely for all people on disability assistance in BC.

We look forward to the Province moving quickly to fulfill the commitment to ending the spousal cap to ensure that no one with a disability and their family unit is left behind.

We would be happy to meet with you to discuss this matter further.

Best regards,

Viveca Ellis
Executive Director, Centre for Family Equity

Rowan Burdge
Provincial Director, BC Poverty Reduction Coalition

Helaine Boyd
Executive Director, Disability Alliance BC

The Province of BC announced today that starting Dec. 1st, 2025, couples who are both receiving Persons with Disabilities (PWD) Benefits, will receive the same support allowance as they would if they were two single people. Additionally, beginning Jan. 1, 2026, couples where one partner has the Persons with Disabilities designation will see an increase to their annual earnings exemptions, meaning they can keep more of the money they earn.

DABC commends the Province for these changes, which will benefit thousands of families in BC. At the same time, we will continue to advocate for the full removal of the PWD spousal cap. It can still have negative impacts, particularly in circumstances where one person in a couple has a disability and the other does not and has employment income.

As we noted in a post from July 2024, which also details some of our advocacy work on this issue, there are many negative impacts to restricting a person’s disability income because of a partner/spouse’s income:

• Creates unequal power dynamic between partners.
• In scenarios where a person on PWD is in a live-in relationship with a non-disabled person, it expects that the non-disabled partner is responsible for the disabled partner’s livelihood and well-being. This circles back to outdated, patriarchal laws of many decades prior.
• Particularly for people who identify as women/femmes, this can create a level of dependence on the non-disabled partner that may lead to spousal abuse.
• Creates a level of financial dependence on the disabled partner whereby they may feel they have no choice to end a relationship.
• In the context of dating/seeking relationships, being on PWD prevents people from entering into relationships on an equal footing, or even deters prospective partners because of the expectation that they become financially responsible.

Read the Province’s full news release here.