Why does it matter if OW or ODSP thinks I live with my spouse?

If the social assistance office thinks you live with someone who is your spouse, neither one of you will be able to get assistance as a single person or as a single parent.

Instead, they will look at the income and assets that both of you have to decide if you can get assistance as a couple.

The amount of assistance you get as a couple is less than what you would get as two single people.