2026 guide
Alberta AISH to ADAP transition
AISH (Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped) and ADAP (Alberta Disability Assistance Program) are Alberta disability income-assistance programs with different medical criteria and employment-income rules. This page explains what each program is, how Alberta assigns them, and includes a calculator to compare how employment income may affect monthly payments.
Important change · October 2026
Alberta adjusted parts of the AISH/ADAP transition after community feedback. This page explains what may affect your household.
Full couple benefits
When both partners receive AISH or ADAP (any mix), Alberta is restoring the full individual living allowance instead of the August–September 88% reduction.
Money back
Alberta announced retroactive reimbursement for affected couples back to the August 2026 benefit period. No separate application process has been announced in the official material we reviewed. Check your statement or notice, and contact your worker if the correction does not appear.
Returning to AISH
Former AISH clients on ADAP can use a shorter process to ask for a new AISH assessment. Approval is not guaranteed.
What are you dealing with?
Pick the closest fit. You do not need to read the whole guide first.
AISH and ADAP at a glance
- What is changing? Alberta is replacing many AISH files with ADAP under July 2026 transition rules, while keeping AISH for some exempt groups. New applicants use one combined Disability Income Assistance application.
- Am I affected? You are affected if you receive or apply for Alberta disability income assistance. Check your Alberta notice or benefit statement to see whether your file is AISH or ADAP.
- When? Most automatic moves to ADAP took effect in July 2026. The temporary ADAP transition top-up ends December 31, 2027 unless Alberta changes published dates.
- Who may stay on AISH? Examples in Alberta transition materials include adults age 60+, people in continuing care, palliative conditions, and some medical-review outcomes. Alberta decides based on your file.
- What now? Confirm your program status, read Alberta transition guidance if you moved to ADAP, and plan for the end of the transition top-up if you expect to stay on ADAP without employment income.
- Where can I compare how work affects your payment? Use the employment income comparison calculator on this page. Go to calculator
You do not simply choose whichever program pays more
New applicants use Alberta's combined Disability Income Assistance application. Alberta reviews your information and decides which program's eligibility criteria apply. This calculator compares published earnings exemptions and estimated employment-related reductions from the living allowance for your own pay. It does not estimate your final cheque, does not determine AISH vs ADAP eligibility, and does not let you pick a program based on payment alone.
What are AISH and ADAP?
AISH (Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped)
AISH is Alberta disability income assistance for adults who meet financial, general, and medical criteria. The medical test is broadly about a severe disability that permanently prevents employment. Receiving AISH does not mean you can never earn employment income; AISH has its own earned-income exemption rules. Working does not automatically make someone ineligible.
ADAP (Alberta Disability Assistance Program)
ADAP is Alberta disability income assistance for adults whose severe disability significantly restricts, but does not permanently prevent, employment. ADAP uses different employment-income rules and puts more emphasis on employment support. This calculator compares how each program treats employment income side-by-side.
What to do now
Who may stay on AISH instead of moving to ADAP?
AISH continues for some Albertans after July 2026. Alberta's published transition materials and notices describe exemptions and medical-review outcomes. Common examples cited in transition guidance include:
- Adults age 60 or older
- People living in continuing care homes
- People with palliative or terminal medical conditions
- Adults assessed as permanently unable to work through Alberta's medical review (including some severe developmental disability pathways and PDD service recipients). Confirm your category with Alberta Supports.
Already receiving disability assistance?
Most existing AISH clients were automatically moved to ADAP in July 2026 unless Alberta placed them in an exempt group. Alberta notices and your benefit statements should show which program you are on. If you transitioned to ADAP and believe you meet AISH medical criteria, Alberta's transition guidance describes how to request an AISH assessment (the province may cover one reassessment; confirm current rules on alberta.ca).
What you can do right now
- Confirm which program your file is on and whether you meet an exemption (age 60+, continuing care, palliative, or medical-review AISH criteria). Contact Alberta Supports if your notice is unclear.
- If you moved to ADAP but believe you belong on AISH, read Alberta's transition guidance about medical reassessment. The province may cover one assessment; additional assessments may be at your cost.
- Budget for December 31, 2027 when the $200/month transition top-up ends if you expect to remain on ADAP without employment income.
- Connect with a disability advocate or community legal clinic if you need help understanding medical review or reassessment options. MyEligible cannot access your case file.
When to use Alberta's official estimator
Use the official AISH and ADAP benefit estimator on alberta.ca when you need a single-stream payment estimate that Alberta publishes for caseworkers. An AISH or Alberta Supports worker can also run a comprehensive assessment including income this tool omits.
Compare how earnings are treated under AISH and ADAP
Compare how Alberta treats employment earnings under AISH and ADAP using published exemptions and the same employment-reduction formulas as Alberta's official benefit estimator. This is not Alberta's official estimator and it does not establish your final payment, program eligibility, or a choice between programs.
Alberta rules (2026)
Updated 2026-10-07Enter your monthly take-home employment income and household details. We compare published exemptions and estimated employment-related reductions side by side. This does not estimate your final payment or program eligibility.
Employment-related estimates only. We show published earnings exemptions and estimated employment-related reductions from the living allowance using Alberta's published rules. We do not estimate your final cheque, child benefits combined with other income, Canada Disability Benefit offsets, or AISH vs ADAP eligibility. Amounts apply only when you live in a regular home or apartment.
Which best describes where you live?
The amounts depend on where you live. We only estimate for a regular home or apartment. If you are filling this in for someone else, answer for them.
Take-home pay from work after tax and payroll deductions. Enter 0 if you are not working.
Alberta decides which income it counts and whether it is measured before or after deductions. Confirm the amount that applies to you with your caseworker.
Amount not estimated
Choose where you live above. We estimate an amount only for a regular home or apartment.
Contact Alberta Supports to confirm which living allowance applies to your residence
Your Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH) or Alberta Disability Assistance Program (ADAP) worker can also confirm this.
Alberta Supports says phone help is available in more than 100 languages (Monday to Friday, 7:30 am to 8 pm, closed statutory holidays). Call 1-877-644-9992 (780-644-9992 in Edmonton; TTY 711 or 1-800-855-0511) and tell them you want help in French. We can't confirm a French interpreter will be available or that forms are available in French. Contact page: alberta.ca/contact-alberta-supports.
The official AISH/ADAP application pages and forms we found are in English; we found no official statement requiring submission in English. Ask Alberta Supports about French options.
Published living allowance maximums (August 2026)
Reference amounts from Alberta Regulation 96/2026 before employment clawback. They apply to a regular home or apartment, not to a continuing care home or approved facility, or a government-owned and operated designated group home. Your actual payment depends on household composition, income, where you live, and caseworker review.
- AISH maximum living allowance (individual): about $1,940/month
- ADAP maximum living allowance (individual): about $1,740/month
- ADAP transition top-up for former AISH clients who moved to ADAP: $200/month through December 31, 2027 (temporary; not a permanent base-rate increase)
- Child benefit: added to the estimate when you enter children (the amount is not shown here)
Last verified for this tool: 2026-10-07. Amounts may change.
Why working changes the comparison
AISH and ADAP do not reduce benefits the same way when employment income rises. Enter your take-home employment income in the calculator above to see where it falls against each program's earnings exemption.
Applying for AISH or ADAP
Alberta uses one combined application for disability income assistance. You do not apply separately for AISH and ADAP.
Start Alberta's Disability Income Assistance application
Use Alberta's combined AISH/ADAP application on alberta.ca. There is one process for new applicants.
Provide financial and personal information
You will need information about income, assets, household members, and Alberta residence.
Complete the medical report
A health professional may need to complete the medical report (Part B) that supports your application.
Alberta reviews your application
Alberta may contact you if more information is needed. Medical adjudication is part of the process.
Alberta determines the applicable program
Based on medical and financial criteria, Alberta decides whether AISH or ADAP applies. You receive one program, not both.
Receive your decision and next steps
Alberta sends a decision with payment details and any follow-up steps. Official review options may exist if you disagree.
Before you apply
Frequently asked questions
Compare and related tools
Compare earnings scenarios across programs
See how a change in employment income may affect your overall monthly resources before tax.
Working While on Disability CalculatorOther provincial disability earnings tools
Each province uses different exemption rules. These standalone estimators are separate from the main benefits quiz and from each other.
Official sources (alberta.ca)
Last verified for this tool: 2026-10-07. Amounts may change.
Need the full Alberta disability picture?
This calculator focuses on employment income under AISH and ADAP. The Alberta disability support guide covers medical eligibility, appeals, health benefits, and how the programs fit together.
Read the full Alberta disability support guide
Last verified: October 7, 2026