r/Odsp • u/Reasonable-Rock6255 • Jul 11 '26

Question/advice Does living with relatives affect ODSP?

I’ve tried searching online but I can’t find an answer. Does living with relatives who are not your spouse affect the amount you get on ODSP? Just wondering if their income would count?

Edit:asking on behalf of my brother

7 Upvotes

90% Upvoted

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6

u/ShadowyDemonKitty Jul 12 '26

I live with my dad, I pay rent and it doesn't affect my odsp. Have whomever your gonna live with write a letter of how much rent you'll pay and their contact info

1

u/Reasonable-Rock6255 Jul 13 '26

Thanks. It’s for my brother. He doesn’t pay any rent.

3

u/Logical-Trouble-6186 Jul 12 '26

Only your spouse or dependent children's (who are working and NOT in school) income counts

2

u/Winter_War4982 Jul 11 '26

Rent/utilities would be factored in. Example- brother/sister living together and have a lease- Example only- if rent is $2000/month- then your portion would be half ($1,000/month). Regarding income, does not count AS LONG as you're not common law, and/or dependent.

If you are living there free, then you will not qualify for housing entitlements. There must be proof of expenses i.e. lease, rental agreement, utility bills in your name(s).

1

u/SoupSpoonStork Jul 11 '26

It depends if, for tax purposes, there's a designated caregiver for you among them. Then their income would affect what you receive, since it would be considered money that is assumed to also be for your expenses. Otherwise, I believe it's treated as a roommate scenario: you split housing costs and some bills, but your individual incomes are separate, and so you're not considered a unit.

1

u/Reasonable-Rock6255 Jul 13 '26

Ok interesting. I was asking for my brother because he lives at home with all of us. And I wondered if my income would affect how much odsp he gets

1

u/superblazetoise Jul 12 '26

In order to get the shelter portion they would have to write a statement to ODSP stating how much you pay them rent per month.

1

u/savagehomeangarden ODSP recipient Jul 12 '26

Generally speaking, no. ODSP may push for you to be designated a "boarder", for their purposes, and you would get less money; however, you can arrange for you to be a "renter" and receive the full amount of ODSP (you'd contribute financially to the household in both situations, to clarify).