I am a disabled individual in Canada. The disability fund I receive monthly is $1076 CAD (~$828 USD).
Rent is $900 (split with another disabled roommate)
Utilities $600-700~ (Hydro/Gas/Electric)
Groceries: Think Northern-Rural Canada. Prices flux with seasons significantly. Winter is hell.
I *can* work while on disability, but I am capped at how much I can make before it's deducted from what I receive from disability dollar for dollar. $6000 is the cap for the year, and when divided by the days in a year (365)…
I can only make $16 a day, and any more past that is deducted. Unless I make over $1576 a month, it's essentially like working for free before-hand.
Issue is, I'm disabled, and on disability for a reason– I cannot work the average expected hours of a typical citizen (to survive).
At my absolute limit, I'm capped at 20hrs a week. 20 x minimum wage $11.81 = $236.20, x 4 weeks = an income of $944.80
Once again, I'm disabled. Which means there are often times I am unable to work -at all- for long periods of time.
I'm not allowed, on the disability fund, to keep savings beyond $2000. That's enough to cover one month of living expenses (I have $60 in my 'savings').
It makes no sense that I am forced to be in poverty if I want to actually have help for my disabilities. If I'm not on disability, medical expenses go through the roof. I don't qualify for any job that would deliver medical benefits alongside being an unreliable employee.
I'm so incredibly frustrated by the system and how the fund doesn't take into account inflation/location. I don't know when Canada will decide to have a universal basic income, but it couldn't come any sooner. I am consistently $60 away from being unable to pay for basic needs. God forbid a sudden expense comes up…