How to get financial support as a carer
Whether you’re an experienced carer or going to begin caring for someone, it can sometimes be tricky to find the best advice for financial help.
From government support to personal fundraising campaigns, there are lots of options available to you.
Here, we run through some of the support for carers available in Canada, so you can find the best route for you.
The financial challenges of caregiving
From transport to higher bills and general costs – the price of being a carer can be high. It’s been reported that more than eight million Canadians are currently serving as unpaid family caregivers, many of whom are struggling with the associated financial challenges.
Amid a challenging economic environment, almost half of unpaid family caregivers under the age of 55 are spending more money on monthly care-related costs than basic household items. In fact, 60% of survey respondents said they spend up to $500 on care-related costs each month.
This is why, for many, financial carers’ support provides a lifeline, helping them to look after the people they cherish the most.
Financial support offered by the government
In Canada, there are plenty of avenues available to get financial assistance and support from the government.
As well as this, there’s also a range of other options available to support people through the ongoing cost of living crisis.
EI caregiving
EI caregiving benefits provide financial assistance while you’re away from work to care for or support someone in need of help. This includes:
- A critically ill or injured person
- Someone needing end-of-life care
In total, you could receive 55% of your earnings, up to a maximum of $668 a week.
You don’t have to be related to or live with the person you care for or support, but they must consider you to be like a family member.
Benefits are received during the 52 weeks following the date the person is certified to be critically ill or injured and can be taken all at once or in separate periods.
Canada caregiver credit
The Canada caregiver credit (CCC) is a non-refundable tax credit given to support carers with a spouse or common-law partner, or a dependant with a physical or mental impairment. You may also be able to claim the CCC for:
- Your (or your spouse’s or common-law partner’s) child or grandchild
- Your (or your spouse’s or common-law partner’s) parent, grandparent, brother, sister, uncle, aunt, niece or nephew
The amount you can claim depends on your relationship with the person you are claiming the CCC for, your circumstances, the person’s net income and whether other credits are being claimed for that person. For example, for a spouse or common-law partner, you could claim up to $7,999, or $2,499 for children under 18 years of age.
Caregiver Recognition Benefit
The Caregiver Recognition Benefit helps people who deliver care on a day-to-day basis by providing them with a tax-free, monthly benefit. To apply for this caregiving benefit, you’ll need to meet the following criteria:
- You have a VAC Disability Award or Pain and Suffering Compensation
- You need ongoing care as a result of the physical, mental or cognitive health condition(s) for which your Disability Award or Pain and Suffering Compensation was approved
- A level of care and supervision consistent with admission to an institution, daily physical assistance or ongoing supervision for at least four of your activities of daily living, or daily supervision
- Your caregiver is over the age of 18, plays an essential role in providing or coordinating your ongoing care, and is unpaid
- You are not a permanent resident of a nursing home or long-term care facility, and, you are a former Canadian Armed Forces member
Provincial benefits
There are also provincial government caregiving benefits. What’s available to you will depend on the Canadian province or territory you live in and the personal situations of the caregiver and the individual needing care.
To get a customized list of benefits for which you may be eligible, you can use the Government of Canada’s benefits finder to search for caregiving benefits from federal, provincial or territorial governments.
Other ways to get financial support as a carer
As well as government support, there are also other ways you can get the help you need.
There are charities, grants and local services available to you if you don’t qualify for financial support from the government.
Carers Trust grants and discounts
Carers Trust also offer support through their grant scheme.
The charity works with local partners near you to help distribute funding. It’s easy to find out what services are available to you by visiting the charity’s website and entering your postcode.
Through its CarerSmart initiative, carers can receive discounts on various goods and services they may use.
Discounts can range from high street shops to insurance and other needs.
Support from charities
You can also receive financial support, advice and resources from charities.
Prosper Canada is a charity dedicated to expanding economic opportunity for Canadians living in poverty through program and policy innovation. Their aim is that all financially vulnerable Canadians have access to the financial policies, programs, products and advice they need to build their financial wellbeing.
So, if you need financial help as a carer, you should be able to qualify for support from Prosper Canada.
Crowdfunding
Finally, crowdfunding is an excellent way of gaining financial support.
Raising money online can be an effective source of financial support and you can start a fundraising campaign for almost any reason.
This can be personal, for yourself or for someone you know.
It needn’t be a daunting thing either, as there is lots of advice and information available to get you started.
How fundraising can help cover the cost of being a carer
Fundraising is a very popular way of accessing financial support.
These days, it’s not uncommon for carers who are in need of financial support to crowdfund, which is why Canadians use GoFundMe every day to help cover the high costs of being a carer.
Help Peter’s Wonderful Caregiver
Olive, a dedicated caregiver who tirelessly cared for Peter, now faces her own health issues. Therefore, a fundraiser was created to provide financial support for Olive during a challenging time and give back to someone who has given so much.
All donations go directly towards Olive and her family, who have recently joined Olive from the Philippines. Every dollar raised helps to alleviate the financial burden, but also serves as a heartfelt gesture to show Olive that her dedication has not gone unnoticed.
Respite Care for Kyra
Kyra is a single mum of four children, all with special needs. She has been working as a caregiver nonstop for the past two and a half years, as a primary caregiver for her children while also looking after both her parents as they died.
A fundraiser was started by Kyra’s friends to give her respite care, so she can protect her own mental health and prevent caregiver burnout. All donations go towards supporting Kyra’s health, helping her to attend necessary appointments and ensuring she has the space to mourn her parents.
Feeling inspired? You can fundraise for anyone or lead a campaign for yourself, explaining why you need support. GoFundMe is on hand to support carers financially, so they get the help they deserve.