Karate Kev

Hi guys,

As you know, our emmigration application is - or should be - full steam ahead. To this end, and even though it's still ages away, me and the boss (Linda, my wife) have been trying to research any allowances we can claim on Josh's behalf. (For those who don't know, our 12 year old has cerebral palsy and is confined to a wheelchair.)

In England we get disability-living-allowance incorporating a motability vehicle, and Linda recieves a carer's allowance - however, the official Canadian sites are so so so so so hard to navigate, and we just can't seem to track down any straight-forward answers and info. Can anyone help - pleeeeeeease?

Kev.

CDNReturner

I'm not sure that there are any straight-forward answers. My sister has a mentally disabled 11 year old born here in Canada (he is still undiagnosed BTW but he has all the signs of Angelman's syndrome). She gets very little help and has to fight every step of the way. Troy doesn't speak and only this year has she finally been able to get speech therapy for him. As he only started walking a couple of years ago, she does have a disabled sticker for the car but that's about all she gets. She certainly wouldn't be allowed a car as I let her keep the stepfather's car when he died last year. I think in some ways she really only gets tax credits. I know each year she gets some government money in order to hire 'workers' for a couple of hours a week, which really only gives her a few hours of respite. SHE HAS TO FIND AND HIRE HER OWN WORKERS. And of course she has to account for every penny spent. However, if she spends too little her budget is cut back the following year. Having become a single parent this year, she also found that because she has no 'official' income other than child maintenance, she is able to receive another sum of money based on expenses for Troy....ie diapers, horse therapy riding lessons, medication, things I can't remember (but my sister is very creative).

I don't think there is any such thing as a carer's allowance. I'm pretty sure she doesn't get one.

As in England the help available depends on where you live. She often says there would be more services available if she lived in Toronto.

Toontje

Last year when I was in Canada I met some dutch folks who have a disabled son, wheelchair et all. Maybe I'll meet them again in a couple of weeks. I'll ask them about allowances and come back to you with the answers.

Karate Kev

Thanks guys. I appreciate your taking time out to help - and as always, any and all help and advice is always gratefully recieved.
Take care y'all,

Kev.