Canadians with ADHD, diabetes or a mental health condition may qualify for a $10,138 tax credit

For 2025, the federal disability amount is $10,138, plus a supplement of up to $5,914 for a dependent under 18. Get approved, and the same certification can also open the door to a newer, separate payment: the Canada Disability Benefit (CDB).

Who actually qualifies (broader than most people think)

CRA eligibility comes down to one test: is the person markedly restricted in a basic activity of daily living — close to 90% of the time — for at least 12 months? That test includes a mental functions category encompassing memory, problem-solving, emotional regulation, judgment and adaptive functioning. This is why severe ADHD, depression, anxiety or autism can qualify when they meaningfully limit day-to-day life, even with medication or therapy.

There is also a life-sustaining therapy category. Someone managing Type 1 diabetes with insulin can qualify if the therapy is medically required at a set frequency and time commitment each week. In every case, CRA looks at function, not label — two people with the same diagnosis can get very different outcomes, depending on how much it actually restricts them.

Make your cash work harder. You can't control inflation, rates or market swings — but you can control where your cash sits. Compare high-interest savings accounts to keep your money working for you. Find the right HISA account

What the credit is actually worth

The $10,138 federal amount isn’t a cheque. It’s a non-refundable credit that reduces income tax payable, so its value depends on the lowest federal tax rate for the year and on having enough tax payable to use it. As a hypothetical example, claiming the full amount could reduce federal tax payable by roughly $1,400 to $1,500 — a figure that shifts with the applicable rate and should be confirmed with current tax software rather than assumed. If a person can’t use the full amount, the unused portion can be transferred to a spouse, common-law partner or another supporting family member. Provinces add their own disability amount on top, and that figure varies by province.

How approval can also unlock the Canada Disability Benefit

DTC approval is also the gateway to a second, separate program: the Canada Disability Benefit. Administered by Service Canada, the CDB pays up to $204.20 a month — $2,450.40 a year — to eligible Canadians aged 18 to 64. It’s income-tested, so the actual amount depends on family income, and applicants need an approved DTC first.

The CDB has its own timeline. Payments began in July 2025, with June 2025 as the earliest month of eligibility, and backpay is capped at 24 months from when Service Canada receives an application. That is a narrower lookback than the DTC’s own retroactive reach, so the two shouldn’t be treated as interchangeable.

How to claim it — including past years

Start with Form T2201, Disability Tax Credit Certificate. A doctor or nurse practitioner can certify any section, while a psychologist can certify the mental functions section specifically. Once CRA approves the form, a taxpayer can ask the agency to adjust up to 10 previous tax years through “Change my return” in CRA My Account, subject to the normal reassessment limits. Canadians aged 18 to 64 who are approved for the DTC can then apply separately to Service Canada for the CDB.

The most common reason people miss out isn’t a denied application — it’s never applying at all, because a condition that’s managed with medication or insulin doesn’t feel severe enough to count. CRA’s own test says otherwise: what matters is the day-to-day restriction, not how the condition looks from the outside. For anyone who has lived with ADHD, diabetes or a mental health condition for years without ever filing Form T2201, that’s worth a conversation with a doctor before the next tax season.

What to do now

• Ask your doctor or nurse practitioner to complete CRA Form T2201
• If mental functions apply (ADHD, depression, anxiety, autism), a psychologist can certify that section
• Once approved, ask CRA to adjust up to 10 previous tax years through “Change my return” in CRA My Account
• If you’re 18 to 64, apply separately to Service Canada for the Canada Disability Benefit
• If you can’t use the full credit, ask about transferring the unused amount to a supporting family member