Eligibility

Age requirement

To apply for SAID benefits, you must be at least 18 years of age.

Financial requirements

You must lack financial resources to provide for your basic needs to be eligible to receive SAID benefits. Basic needs include things like shelter, food, and utilities. The exact amount you will receive in SAID benefits will depend on any additional income you receive and any assets you own.

Assets

When you apply for SAID benefits, the intake worker will review all of your assets. You can have up to $1,500 in liquid assets if you are a single person. Some assets are exempt, some are partially exempt, and some are not exempt. Liquid assets can include things such as:

• Money in bank accounts
• Registered retirement savings plans (RRSP)
• Bonds
• Investment certificates

Your real assets and personal assets will be exempt from being considered when calculating your total liquid assets.

Fully Deductible Income

Some types of income will be subtracted from your monthly SAID benefit. These types of income are called fully deductible income. Fully deductible income includes:

• Child support payments
• Pensions (excluding the Saskatchewan Pension Plan)
• Training and employment allowances
• Employment insurance

Partially Deductible Income

Some types of income will be partially subtracted from your monthly SAID benefit. These types of income are called partially deductible income. Partially deductible income includes:

• Wages
• Income from room rentals, boarders, or renters
• Gambling gains, lottery winnings, bingo winnings
• Gifts or cash

Non-Deductible or Exempt Income

Some types of income will not be subtracted from your monthly SAID benefits. These types of income are called non-deductible income or exempt income. Non-deductible income includes:

• Child Tax Benefit
• Saskatchewan Employment Supplement
• Rental Housing Supplement
• Income tax refunds
• GST rebates
• Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP)

Earned Income Exemption

There is a limit to the amount of income you can receive and still be eligible to receive SAID benefits. This is called the Earned Income Exemption. If you are single, you receive up to $6,000 from other sources. If you earn more than your Earned Income Exemption amount, the extra amount you earned will be deducted from your SAID benefits. For example, if you earned $6,050 in one year, $50 would be deducted from your SAID benefits.

Disability requirement

To be eligible for SAID benefits, you must have a significant and enduring disability. This disability must substantially impact your activities of daily living, which will require you to be assisted by an assistive device, another person, a service animal, or another form of accommodation.

As part of your application, you will complete a Disability Impact Assessment, which will help identify whether you meet the criteria for having a significant and enduring disability.