Saskatchewan Assured Income for Disability (SAID) is one of the support programs provided by provincial governments to people living with a disability across Canada.
The social welfare program provides income support and several other supplementary health benefits to eligible individuals.
This post covers the SAID program and the other income support benefits available for Saskatchewan residents.
We’ll start off with the SAID payment dates for 2023, the available benefits, eligibility and how to apply for it.
SAID Payment Dates 2023
The 2023 payment dates for the Saskatchewan Assured Income for Disability (SAID) and when the cheques are mailed out are shown below:
| Benefit Month | Date Cheques are Mailed | Direct Deposit Payment Dates |
| January | December 22, 2023 | December 28, 2023 |
| February | January 25, 2023 | January 30, 2023 |
| March | February 22, 2023 | February 27, 2023 |
| April | March 27, 2023 | March 30, 2023 |
| May | April 24, 2023 | April 27, 2023 |
| June | May 25, 2023 | May 30, 2023 |
| July | June 26, 2023 | June 29, 2023 |
| August | July 25, 2023 | July 28, 2023 |
| September | August 25, 2023 | August 30, 2023 |
| October | September 25, 2023 | September 28, 2023 |
| November | October 26, 2023 | October 30, 2023 |
| December | November 27, 2023 | November 29, 2023 |
The other social assistance programs like Saskatchewan Assistance Program (SAP), Transitional Employment Allowance Program (TEA) and Saskatchewan Income Support (SIS) are also paid on the same dates.
Note that:
- the direct deposits are usually made one day before the last working date of each month.
- Some people have custom payment dates. So they may receive their benefits on some other dates that are different from the ones above.
SAID Cheque Dates
For beneficiaries that receive their monthly payments via cheque, the cheques are mailed a few days earlier to allow enough time for them to be received.
Unfortunately, there could be instances of the cheques received after the direct deposit dates. To ensure you receive the payments on time, it’s best to set up direct deposits.
Direct deposits are a quick, safe and easy way to ensure your support payments are always received on time.
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What is Saskatchewan Assured Income for Disability (SAID)?
Saskatchewan Assured Income for Disability (SAID) is an income support program for people with “significant and enduring disabilities” who do not have the means of supporting themselves financially.
The program was introduced by the provincial government of Saskatchewan in 2009 to support those living in residential care facilities.
However, it was expanded in 2012 to also include applicants that live independently.
Over the years, it has grown in popularity and now supports over 15,000 cases.
SAID is one of the social assistance programs in Canada available across the provinces and territories.
SAID Benefits
The benefits available under SAID can be broadly categorized as Income and Health benefits.
Income Benefits
SAID income support includes:
- Living Income: covers basic living expenses for needs such as food, shelter and transportation.
- Disability Income: assists beneficiaries in paying for the costs related to the impact of their disability
- Exceptional Need Income: covers all other items needed by beneficiaries with special circumstances. This could mean special food items, food for service animals etc.
SAID Rates: How much can you receive from SAID?
The amount you can get as income support will depend on your specific situation like the family unit (number of people in the family), where you live and so on.
There are 4 different Tiers (A -D) for the purpose of Living Income Benefit – each tier comprising a number of cities and towns. For example, Regina and Saskatoon are both in Tier A which has the highest income payments.
A single person in Tier A can receive up to $1,064 as benefit while a single in Tier D can only get up to $931. A couple with 1 or 2 children living in Tier A can also receive a maximum of $1,621 while the same couple in Tier C will only get $1,473.
You can check here to know which Tier your city belongs to and how much you can get.
Supplementary Health Benefits
Beneficiaries of SAID and other income support programs in Saskatchewan can also receive additional health services and products.
The available services covered by supplementary health benefits are:
- Drugs
- Medical supplies and appliances
- Dental Services
- Emergency Benefits
- Hearing Services
- Optical Services: Eye exams, glasses
- Medical Transportation in Saskatchewan
- Podiatry Services
A valid Saskatchewan Health card or temporary health coverage form is required to access any of the Supplementary Health Benefits.
SAID Eligibility
To be eligible for SAID, an applicant must meet the following the eligibility criteria
Age and Residency Criteria
The minimum age to apply for the disability benefit is 18 – the age of majority in Saskatchewan.
Older SAID beneficiaries will be expected to apply for other benefits they qualify for – Canada Pension Plan (CPP) at age 60; Old Age Security (OAS) and the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) at age 65.
However, benefits will not stop automatically. They may still receive a top-up if their income is below their financial needs.
And of course, all applicants for SAID must be Saskatchewan residents.
Financial Need Criteria
Like other social assistance programs, applicants must prove they have a financial need to receive the benefits of SAID.
Financial need is assessed by checking an applicant’s income and assets.
The income is capped by the annual earned income exemption. An applicant can earn up to the income exemption amount without their benefit being clawed back.
Effective 2019, the annual earned income exemptions for SAID are:
- Singles: $6,000
- Couples: $7,200
- Families: $8,500
The annual earned income exemption is prorated based on when an applicant becomes eligible for SAID.
For example, a single applicant that becomes eligible for SAID in July will have an exempt amount of $3,000 for the rest of the year.
In general, only income from employment are considered in assessing the income exemption. Other income sources are excluded.
Once beneficiaries income reaches the earned income exemption level, their payment will be reduced dollar for dollar.
Exempt Income for the purpose of determining SAID qualification includes income tax refund, GST credit, inheritance up to $100,000, Canada Child benefit, scholarships and so on.
You’ll be provided with an Income Tracking Sheet to track your earnings.
Disability Criteria
Finally, an applicant must have a significant and enduring disability that is permanent in nature.
Significant and enduring means the applicant’s daily living activities are severely affected by the disability. And they require some form of assistance, such as service animal, assistive device or assistance of another person, to live.
A Disability Impact Assessment will be carried out during the application process. This is meant to confirm that the disability qualifies for SAID support.
How to Apply for SAID
New applicants for SAID can start the process by calling 1-888-567-SAID (7243) or visiting one of the Ministry of Social Services Offices.
You can check the directory here for the closest office to you.
Existing SIS or SAP beneficiaries with a disability that qualifies for SAID may also apply through their assistance worker.
SAID specialists can help new applicants with filling the applications, referring them to other organizations that can help and to other Ministry of Social Services programs that are relevant.
In the event that your application is denied, you’ll be informed via a letter with instructions on how appeal the decision. An appeal must be made within 15 days of the notification.
Other Saskatchewan Social Assistance Programs
In addition to SAID, Saskatchewan also has other social assistance programs for those in need. These programs and the benefits they provide are covered below:
- Saskatchewan Income Support (SIS): is for people with financial need with no other way to support themselves. It provides a basic benefit that covers food, clothing, and other basic needs. Shelter, Health and Safety benefits are also included. SIS payment dates are the same as those of SAID.
- Saskatchewan Assistance Program (SAP): helps unemployed or lower-income families with the basic costs of living. Benefits include adult allowance, board and room allowance, utility allowance, shelter allowance, special needs and so on. The Saskatchewan Assistance Program (SAP) payment dates are the same as the SAID payment dates in the table above.
- Transitional Employment Allowance (TEA): TEA provides income support to those participating in a pre-employment program or services. Beneficiaries are also eligible for coverage from the Supplementary Health Program.
You can learn more about the various financial support programs from Saskatchewan here.
Effective July 15, 2019, SAP and TEA stopped accepting new applications. New applicants had to apply to Saskatchewan Income Support (SIS) or SAID.
However, the SAP and TEA programs were wound down in the summer of 2021.
SAID Program Increase 2023
There have been calls from several advocates and SAID recipients for an increase in the SAID benefit payments.
For example, the Saskatchewan Disability Income Support Coalition (DISC) called for a $100 per month increase over the next 5 years and for the payments to be indexed to inflation.
However, though the 2021/2022 budget presented by the Ministry of Social Services included a $54.5 million increase for the SAID program, the government has not announced any plans to increase the monthly payment amounts in 2023.
Sask Social Assistance Payment Dates 2023
Saskatchewan has the same payment dates for all its social assistance programs including Saskatchewan Assistance Program (SAP), Transitional Employment Allowance Program (TEA) and Saskatchewan Income Support (SIS) and SAID.
The Saskatchewan social assistance payment dates for 2023 are:
| Benefit Month | Date Cheques are Mailed | Direct Deposit Payment Dates |
| January | December 22, 2023 | December 28, 2023 |
| February | January 25, 2023 | January 30, 2023 |
| March | February 22, 2023 | February 27, 2023 |
| April | March 27, 2023 | March 30, 2023 |
| May | April 24, 2023 | April 27, 2023 |
| June | May 25, 2023 | May 30, 2023 |
| July | June 26, 2023 | June 29, 2023 |
| August | July 25, 2023 | July 28, 2023 |
| September | August 25, 2023 | August 30, 2023 |
| October | September 25, 2023 | September 28, 2023 |
| November | October 26, 2023 | October 30, 2023 |
| December | November 27, 2023 | November 29, 2023 |
SIS began accepting new applications on July 15, 2019. The program replaced two other social support programs, SAP and TEA, that wound down in 2021.
Some FAQs
Your monthly assistance payments consider your specific situation and financial needs. It is made up of the basic benefit, shelter benefit, and health/safety benefits.
Here are the benefits available under the Saskatchewan Income Support (SIS) program:
Basic Benefit: is $315 for an adult outside the northern administrative district and $380 for an adult within the district. You can also get $65/ child as Children’s Basic Benefit.
Shelter benefit: Those living in Saskatoon and Regina get a slightly higher amount than the rest of the province. A single living in Saskatoon or Regina will receive $575/ month, but only $525 in other areas.
A Regina couple with no children can also receive $775 compared to $665 in the other parts of the province.
| Area | Singles | Couples (no dependent kids) | Families (1-2 kids) | Families (3+ kids) |
| Saskatoon & Regina | $600 | $775 | $1000 | $1,175 |
| Other parts | $540 | $665 | $765 | $865 |
Health and Safety Benefits: includes a Household Health and Safety Benefit of $500 to setup a new residence or replace items, Shelter Stabilization Benefit of $150, Alternate Heating Benefit of $130/month and so on.
What is the Disability Income Benefit?
SAID pays an extra $70 per month as Disability Income benefit for adult beneficiaries that have a disability.
The benefit is in addition to the Living Income benefit or the Modified Living benefit (for those living in a board/room arrangement).
Is SAID Benefit taxable?
Any benefit you got through the SAID program is not taxable. That means you won’t have to include the payments on your income tax returns.
Saskatchewan Social Services and CERB
The Saskatchewan Ministry of Social Services treated the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) as a wage replacement program.
That means those that received CERB had their payments stopped and their files placed on hold.
Many other provinces like Ontario, Manitoba and Alberta let their beneficiaries keep part of the money, while BC treated it as exempt. So Saskatchewan is somewhat of an exception.
Conclusion
This post covers the SAID program payment dates for 2023, how to apply for it and the available benefits.
If you need more information on the program, you can visit any of their offices or call their phone at 1-888-567-SAID (7243) or TTY numbers 1-866-995-0099.
Learn more about some of the other provincial disability and income assistance programs in the links below:
I was wondering how and what I need to do to move to a different ptovince while I’m on the SIS program?
Hi Arlene,
You should check with your SIS caseworker, but I believe the support payments will stop if you move to another province. According to the SIS policy manual, “individuals who are absent from the province for more than 30 calendar days” are not eligible for SIS benefits.
I lost my glasses while at the beach for the day will my worker help me buy another pair if I pay it back? I really need my glasses they are bifocals also!
Yes the optometrist can ask permission to get a new pair as they are a NEED
I was on said before I was forced to sign off of it and start this new program, now I’m on sis and my family doctor moved back to Africa so I don’t have a doctor and can’t seem to get a new one at the moment. I was kicked out of my house because the city wants to demolish the house I was living in for the past 7 years with my two dogs and a cat. I was only givin a month to move out and lost pretty much everything because of my mental issues I pretty much just frozen in place and wasn’t able to get much out unto the sherifs came to make sure I was out with no where to go with my animals. The land lord brought me to court over the telephone for unpaid rent before I even was technically evicted on the date the paper stated, but he must have cut off the water and my phone line and internet at the same time. So I never received the phone call for the hearing to defend myself and lost by default. I was living without water for 3 months and had to haul water in collagen jugs on a sled to be able to flush my toilet and legally provide adequate water for my animals and myself. I was not aloud to re-enter my home to collect any more of my things and the house keeps getting ransacked and robbed from due to it being unmanned and there only being screws into 2 fence boards over the door. All the things I accumulated over the 7 years plus all the things I had from when I was self-employed have been lost and they were not cheep things to lose. I can’t find a home for anything close to the money I receive from the government anymore even if I was to put all my money to renting a place. As it stands I have to pay for all my utilities myself, they are easy 100 each a month and that’s rounding it down…plus food for myself and my emotional support animals that I’ve have for many years and will not part with. I never claimed covid money and yet all of a sudden I’m being disciplined for others wrong doing…I was able to live at least before. What am I supposed to do now live in a tent? Can’t even do that living in a back yard is illegal, unless I want to live in camp dope park I mean camp hope park aka tent city…no thanks I’ve have my fill of watching all my friends die from afar I don’t need to see it first person..I’m already a mess and it seems there is no hope anymore and I question why I continue to live and suffer…I’m also dieing of neurological syphilis like al-capone, I wish something would just go right for me. Obviously I’m just ment to die because no one cares about any of us that are considered property of the queen, and under her care. We don’t even have a worker anymore. I feel like writing out how it really is here In Canada and sending it to another county’s newspaper and sending it to our neighboring Provences papers. I don’t think the rest of the world knows what’s really going one here do they? We were getting 1200 for furniture and bed and couches if we needed them replaced what am I supposed to get for 150? A hammock?
The whole speech we all were told is that these programs would be better and that we would be getting 80 bucks more then what we got before and we all were relieved as we were already over budget, and to give us 70 bucks more and make us pay the bills now is so messed up….I know that it’s law that we are to have food and water….I know it’s illegal for me as a pet owner to not provide food and water to my dogs…it’s a federal offense actually…oh but I can go get food for myself they need me to provide it for them otherwise they would starve….actually it’s equal they could go find it as well…you won’t like how they do it though..so what do you expect humans are to do same situation? You have no one to help us anymore we don’t have a worker for us. So why are you getting the same funding then? Why do the cops get 100 million dollars to do nothing as well? They pretend to be homeless to fine people for having a heart…there is murders going on like crazy and they are pretending to be homeless…how about cut them off they are 30% of the annual budget for the province…30% 100million….when your citizens are being forced to be homeless and starve and they lock up the homeless and stop people from being able to be kind to homeless people…since when has it ever been a law to do such things it’s inhumane..
Hi, I was wondering how long does it take to come to a conclusion regarding a furniture grant? I moved into my apartment on the 18th I sent a request for a furniture grant on April 29th, 2022. I called my worker today May 17th and no Decision has been made I’m just wondering how long does it take to process that? Because I have no bed or anything. I have a few blankets and that’s all. My back hurts (as I’ve had spine surgery, and 2 herniated disks in my neck. And arthritis in my hip. I suffer from severe anxiety and clench and rock all night on a hard floor. I don’t understand why it is taking so long.
How do I transfer to sis in Saskatchewan if I’m already on Aish in Alberta? What is the process? Will they approve in sask?
Yes you have to apply here and go through the entire process but you should not have any problems also if you are on the AISH program you can apply for theSAID program here(saskatchewan assured income disability program) it is pretty much the same as AISH but pays a lot less . The cost of everything is the same or higher here than in alberta. I just made the move from ab to sk
Emily Wilson i was in the hostipal in july for 6months i had the workers there help me get my application approved i got out and im still looking for a place but now i believe i found a place for myself.