Having a brain injury almost always results in an interruption of work, whether it is a temporary disruption or a permanent one. This can cause financial challenges, particularly if the person was the primary source of income for their household. Financial hardship can make an already difficult time even more stressful. Accessing financial assistance after brain injury will depend on a variety of factors including:
- Where the person lives in Canada. Some benefits are national (federal) while others are available by province or territory. Not all programs will be the same or offered everywhere
- If the person was employed before their injury. They may have workplace benefits that can provide financial assistance
- If they are military personnel or a veteran
- How their injury occurred. For example, if the injury is the result of a motor vehicle collision, they are likely entitled to insurance benefits
- Where the injury occurred. For example, if the injury occurred in the workplace, they may be entitled to workers compensation
This section explores how to access financial assistance after brain injury.
Topics in this section include:
- Federal benefits
- Provincial / Territorial benefits
- Additional financial assistance
- Managing money
- Income taxes
Getting started
There is a lot of information on the following pages, and we have done our best to make the information as easy to follow as possible. Before you start exploring the financial assistance information on our site, we recommend the following:
- Set up your screen and viewing area to minimize visual stress by using the Accessibility Options at the top of your screen on our website. This is important if you are going through these options with the person with a brain injury
- Bookmark the pages you want to go back to at another time
It’s important for the person with a brain injury to fill out any forms properly and provide correct medical documentation. Incomplete or incorrect information can delay or even prevent the application(s) for financial assistance from being approved. Some important tips to remember when filling out applications are:
- Keep copies of everything submitted
- When you make calls, keep a record of who you spoke to and when (the date and time you spoke)
- Keep all the documents, notes and information relevant to the application(s) in one place, ideally in a labelled file folder
Ordering forms from the Government of Canada
A lot of benefits come directly from the Government of Canada. The Government of Canada offers alternate formats of its forms and publications, including digital audio (MP3), electronic text, Braille, and large print. To fulfill your order, you will need to know the form or publication number, title, and revision year.
