BC Disability
October 1st, 2024
In BC, it's virtually impossible to receive provincial disability assistance if you have a spouse. This 'spousal cap' pressures persons with disabilities into isolation to keep their financial independence, or into becoming the financial responsibility of their partner if they pursue a relationship.
In this article, Maryam, a mother from Vancouver, details her struggle with BC's spousal cap.
The Battle Begins
After I left an extremely abusive marriage, I raised my child without any financial support and was able to work to make ends meet for several years.
I had always struggled with depression and was diagnosed with ADHD late in life, and both issues were well managed with medication and therapy.
Luckily, I found a loving relationship, but shortly after we met I became a victim of violent crime, financial abuse, and criminal harassment by my ex-husband, leading to a brutal custody battle that continues today over nine years later.
Three years ago I developed severe PTSD and panic disorder and could no longer work or function properly. I was forced to rely 100 percent on my loving partner to support myself and my child, who he has always loved and treated as his own.
This put a financial strain on our relationship and destroyed my ability to contribute financially and we soon got into debt. I felt demoralized and became fearful about the lack of autonomy and inability to be independent.
I felt demoralized and became fearful about the lack of autonomy and inability to be independent
Then my partner suffered a major financial blow when the industry he works in went on strike.
We broke up because the financial pressure became unbearable. I had to become self-supporting and apply for disability assistance.
As soon as I was approved the financial pressure was gone and my sense of autonomy restored, and my boyfriend and I got back together. But we were forced to live apart and I have only been able to afford an apartment with my son by taking on a roommate.
Instead of living with my partner, I’m now living with a roommate if I want to remain self-supporting.
My boyfriend is back to work and we would love to get married and live together as a family, but we can’t because I would go back to having no ability to spend my own money and contribute financially, and my partner would once again be forced to take on a huge financial burden for myself and my son.
Forced Poverty
I was forced to leave the safety and security of a loving relationship, and raise my son on my own with disability income and child tax benefit and barely scrape by.
All my credit cards are maxed out. I’m in my 40’s and will never be able to save for retirement or buy a home or get out of debt.
This spousal cap is manifestly unfair and discriminates against people with disabilities because it deprives us of freedom, autonomy, the ability to get married and have children and our dignity.
People with disabilities who have children and escape abusive relationships are forced to be single parents, live in poverty, and are not permitted to have meaningful relationships or any more children.
If they have a relationship, their new partner is forced to support them and their children financially and can’t afford to have their own children, buy a home or save for retirement.
How could it possibly serve the economy to make sure that people with disabilities and their children are forced into poverty, isolation, and are unable to be productive members of society?
How could it serve the economy to make sure that people with disabilities and their children are forced into poverty, isolation, and are unable to be productive members of society?
People without disabilities are able to get into relationships and pool their incomes and live well as a result of that.
Higher combined income equals higher taxes, less broken families, far less domestic and specifically financial abuse. Far better results in school, much higher chance of going to college and becoming productive members of society who pay their taxes.
If I was allowed to marry my partner, live together, contribute financially, we would pay higher taxes, and be able to live in a nice two bedroom apartment, be able to pay off our debts, save up to buy a home, go on vacations, save for retirement, and my son with have a positive male role model in his life.
I know my overall health and well-being would improve. My boyfriend would be much happier. And my son would live in a much better home environment, which would improve his chances in life and positively impact the rest of his life.
My chances of making a living and no longer personally qualifying for disability income assistance will also improve dramatically if I was allowed to get married.
Give Us Dignity
I’m not a social scientist or economist, but I have lived experience, common sense and the right not to be forced into isolation and poverty because of my disability.
I know that the Charter of Rights and Freedoms says I should have the same rights and freedoms as I would if I was not disabled.
This idea that people with disabilities are a burden to society is not the fault of those with disabilities. It’s the way the system is rigged.
Give us our autonomy, dignity and equal rights and freedoms and we will no longer be a burden because we will no longer have to live in poverty, and we can finally be productive members of society raising children who also become productive members of society.
コメント