Step 3: Apply for interim assistance, if you need it
"Interim assistance" is financial help you might be able to get while you wait for the Social Benefits Tribunal (SBT) to decide about your appeal.
You apply for this by filling out Part 4 of the SBT’s Appeal Form. Part 4 asks for information about things like:
- the number of people in your household
- whether you get money from work or any other source
- your living expenses, for example, what you pay for rent and food
- your assets, which are things that you own, for example, money in the bank
- whether you are late in paying money that you owe, for example, you are late paying your rent or your hydro bill
If the SBT decides that you can get interim assistance, they order your local OW or ODSP office to pay it to you.
Amount of interim assistance
How much interim assistance you can get depends on what decision you are appealing.
If you are appealing because ODSP cut off or reduced the amount you were getting, your interim assistance will be the same amount as what you were getting before ODSP did this.
In any other situation, the amount of interim assistance you get is the same as what you would get on OW.
Paying back interim assistance
If you lose your appeal at the SBT or you do not go to your hearing, you have to pay back the interim assistance.
Sometimes people make an agreement with OW or ODSP and do not go through the full appeal process.
If you do this, you may need to get an agreement in writing that you will not have to pay back the interim assistance.
It is important to get legal help from a community legal clinic before you make an agreement with OW or ODSP.
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