July 1: Two AISH cheques, one roof, A 12% cut in income
The Alberta government says it supports families. But starting July 1, couples where both partners rely on AISH as their only income will lose $466 every month. After December 2027, that loss grows to $818 per month. You do not need to be legally married. Living together as a couple is enough to trigger the penalty. No penalty for roommates. No penalty for blood relatives. Just a penalty for being a couple.
MEDICINE HAT
Starting July 1, 2026, couples on AISH with no other income will lose hundreds of dollars every month.
The new rules for the Alberta Disability Assistance Program, or ADAP, replace AISH. Buried inside those rules is a 12 per cent cut for any two people on disability benefits who live together as a couple.
Starting the August 2026 benefit period, in households where two adults receive disability income assistance (AISH or ADAP), each partner will receive 88% of the maximum individual benefit to reflect a couple’s shared household expenses and mutual financial responsibility. Source ADAP Fact Sheet
Only 16 per cent of people on AISH work. That means 84 per cent do not. For the vast majority of recipients, the employment rules do not matter. What matters is the monthly benefit cut for couples. And that cut hits everyone who lives with a partner, whether they work or not.
The couple penalty: What gets taken and when
On July 1, 2026, couples on AISH will see their benefits cut by 12 per cent. For two people receiving the full benefit, that is a loss of $466/ math, $5,592/yr.
But it gets worse.
From July 1, 2026 until December 31, 2027, a transition benefit keeps payments at the current AISH rate. After December 31, 2027, if a couple has not been reapproved to stay on AISH, their benefit drops to the ADAP base rate of $1,740 per person The 12% cut applies to that lower rate. Two people end up with $3,062 per month instead of the current $3,880.
That is a loss of $818/mth, nearly $10,000 /yr.
BC scrapped its couple penalty. Alberta is creating one.
In November 2025, the British Columbia government announced it was eliminating the clawback for couples on disability assistance. Starting December 1, 2025, couples where both members receive disability benefits get the same support as two single people.
The BC Minister of Social Development and Poverty Reduction said the change removes a barrier that discouraged people from forming relationships. Disability advocates in BC had long argued that the couple penalty increased financial hardship and punished people for being together.
BC looked at the same question Alberta is facing. They decided the answer was to scrap the penalty entirely.
Alberta is going the other way.
Here is what that means for couples in this province.
A couple on AISH can avoid the penalty if they pretend to split up. Separate bank accounts. Separate leases. Stop telling people you are a couple. The government will not ask questions.
But here is the rub.
When things go sideways, and they always do, that couple may have a very hard time proving they are next of kin. A hospital will not take your word for it. They need paperwork.
If the couple signs a medical proxy or Personal Directive, the document that says "this person gets to make decisions for me," that same document is proof they function as a couple. The government can use it to hit them with the penalty.
You either risk the hospital or you risk the clawback. You cannot win.
BC decided that was not fair. Alberta is doing it anyway.
What about roommates?
Here is where the rules get strange.
Roommates who live together and split the rent keep their full benefits. The government has no way to prove they are a couple.
Two cousins who live together and share everything keep their full benefits because blood relatives cannot be declared a couple unless they sign a legal agreement saying they want to be one.
But a couple who share a bank account, take care of each other, and are faithful? They lose hundreds of dollars every month.
What happens if you get caught lying?
The government does not mess around with this. If you get caught pretending to be single when you are actually a couple:
You will be charged with fraud. That is a criminal offense.
You will have to pay back every penny the government overpaid you.
Fraud over $5,000 carries a maximum penalty of 14 years in prison.
So the choice is:
Be honest. Stay together. Lose $466/ mth starting July 1 and $818/mth after Dec 2027
Pretend to split up. Risk the hospital having no legal proof you are family. And if you get caught, face fraud charges and possible prison time.
That is not a choice. That is a trap designed to fail either way.
The bottom line
The bottom line
Under the new rules taking effect July 1, a couple on disability benefits in Alberta will lose $466/mth simply for staying together. After December2027, that loss grows to $818/mth
British Columbia looked at the same question. They decided to scrap their couple penalty entirely. Their government said it was about dignity and removing barriers to relationships.
Alberta is moving in the opposite direction. The government says it supports families. But its rules punish couples for being together.
The rules take effect in six weeks, some are not yet published. The legislature is on summer break.
The next column addresses those households of AISH recipients that have employment income.
FACT SHEET: What you need to know about the AISH to ADAP transition
How many people are on AISH?
About 80,000 people. That is less than 2% of Alberta's population.
What does a single person get?
$1,940 per month pus benefits.
What does that leave after rent in Medicine Hat?
A one-bedroom apartment averages $1,161/mth, leaving $779 for food, utilities, transportation, toiletries, and everything else.
How many people on AISH work?
Only 16 per cent. That is about 12,800 people. The other 84 per cent do not work. The government has not released data on how much the working recipients earn on average. But for the vast majority of recipients, the employment rules do not matter. What matters is the benefit cut for couples.
What is the couple penalty?
Starting July 1, 2026: 12 per cent cut for couples living together. That is a loss of $466 per month.
After December 31, 2027: If not reapproved for AISH, the loss grows to $818 per month.
Who moves to ADAP?
Everyone gets automatically moved to ADAP on July 1, 2026. From there, about 30,000 people qualify automatically to stay on AISH (age 60 or older, palliative, PDD eligible, or in continuing care). The other 50,000 must reapply to get back on AISH.
Who can sign the medical form?
Only a physician licensed by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta. Nurse practitioners cannot sign, even if they are the patient's primary care provider.
How much does the medical assessment cost?
The government says it will cover one assessment. But doctors may charge additional fees. For someone living on $779 a month after rent, any fee is a barrier.
What is the Citizen's Appeal Panel?
A panel of ordinary citizens, not government employees, who can hear appeals and reverse AISH decisions. They are independent from the government.
What happens to appeals after July 1?
ADAP decisions can still be appealed to the Citizen's Appeal Panel.
But if you reapply to stay on AISH and the new medical review panel denies you, there is NO appeal. The decision is final.
What is the medical review panel?
A government-appointed panel of medical experts. The government has not said who appoints them, whether they are independent, or what guidelines they will follow. Their decisions cannot be appealed.
What are the penalties for lying?
Fraud charges, repayment of all overpaid benefits, and possible prison time (up to 14 years for amounts over $5,000).
How does the earnings exemption change?
Under current AISH: First $1,072 of monthly earnings is fully exempt.
Under ADAP: First $700 is fully exempt. The government has not released the exact clawback rate above that.
Will people work less or work under the table?
Economists say yes. When the penalty for honest work is a benefit reduction, some people will work less because the extra hours are not worth it. Some will work under the table to keep both their benefits and their cash earnings. Neither outcome gets more people with disabilities into legitimate jobs.
Owl News is an independent, nonprofit digital news outlet based in Medicine Hat. We have no corporate overlords. Just facts.
