The 3.5-month funding gap

What the gap is

The timeline

1. Now to December 2026Families on Autism Funding are asked to submit information through the Ministry's online form. The Ministry says forms sent after December 2026 may not be decided in time for April 1, 2027.
2. Late 2026 and early 2027Families are expected to start hearing eligibility decisions.
3. March 31, 2027Autism Funding ends. School-Aged Extended Therapies (SAET) also ends on this date, or earlier if the child has already moved to the Disability Benefit.
4. April 1, 2027Children found eligible start receiving the Disability Benefit: $6,500 a year at the base level, or $17,000 a year at the higher level.
5. April 1 to mid-July 2027No Disability Supplement payments. Children not found eligible for the Benefit, and children still waiting for a decision, have no direct funding.
6. Mid-July 2027The first Disability Supplement payment arrives: up to $6,000 a year, paid monthly with the Canada Child Benefit around the 20th of the month (the July 2026 payment date was July 20), to families whose child has the federal Disability Tax Credit (DTC) and whose income qualifies.
7. Spring 2028Expanded community programming for children and teens, the main service alternative the Ministry points to, is scheduled to arrive.

Who has a gap, and how big

Who is most affected

Every family on Autism Funding or SAET is affected by this timeline. Some face a much higher risk.

Families paying private providers directly

If your child's applied behaviour analysis (ABA) therapist, speech-language pathologist (SLP), occupational therapist (OT) or behaviour consultant is paid through Autism Funding, services after March 31, 2027 can't be paid from it. Families will need to pay out of pocket, use their first Benefit payments, or pause services. For many families none of these is realistic.

Families of children under 6

Autism Funding provides up to $22,000 a year under age 6. The Benefit starts every eligible child at $6,500. Unless a child is placed at the $17,000 level, the drop starts on April 1, 2027, about three and a half months before any Supplement arrives.

Youth near 18 or 19

The Supplement is paid up to age 18. The Benefit runs to age 19. A youth who turns 18 before July 2027 will never receive a Supplement payment. A youth close to 19 has only a short time on the Benefit, if any.

Families in rural and remote BC

The Ministry points to community services as the alternative to direct funding. In many regions those services have long waitlists or aren't available nearby, so they can't act as a practical bridge.

School-aged children and teens

The Ministry's own timeline puts expanded behaviour and mental health supports in summer 2027 and expanded programming for children and teens in spring 2028, a full year after Autism Funding and SAET end. Families told to rely on community services should know those services aren't built yet.

Small therapy practices and independent providers

If a provider closes, the gap stops being only financial. The trusted relationship a child depends on may be gone by the time new funding arrives. These same providers serve children across the full range of childhood disability, so provider closures affect every disability family in the province.

What the Ministry has said

In the Legislature

Written questions on notice asked the Minister of Children and Family Development why Autism Funding ends March 31, 2027 when the Supplement doesn't start until July 2027 (question 6). The Minister's reply, printed in the Legislature's Votes and Proceedings on May 26, 2026, said:

"There is no intended gap in funding or supports."

The reply said Autism Funding stays in place to March 31, 2027 and the Benefit will be in place by April 2027 for eligible families on Autism Funding. It described the Supplement's timing as "administrative sequencing, including alignment with federal delivery systems."

In the Ministry's own FAQ

The Ministry's Commonly Asked Questions page (September 22, 2026) says that if a family submits information after December 2026, "we cannot guarantee that this process will be completed in time for funding to begin on April 1, 2027 for children who are eligible. This could result in a gap before Disability Benefit funding begins."

It also says families who don't submit the form will still be reviewed, but that review "will occur after the end of the Autism Funding Program (March 31, 2027)."

Follow these questions and the Ministry's replies on our Ministry Q&A page.

What you can do now

These steps put your family in a stronger position before March 31, 2027.

1. Submit the Disability Benefit form before the end of December 2026

If your child is on Autism Funding, complete the Ministry's online form (a paper version is also available). The form can only be completed once per child, so gather everything you want considered first. You don't need new assessments: submit the reports and documents you already have. The form stays open until March 31, 2027, but the Ministry says it can't guarantee a decision in time for April 1, 2027 for forms sent after December 2026.

2. Apply for the federal Disability Tax Credit now

The DTC is required for the Disability Supplement, whatever your child's diagnosis. The Ministry's guide says that if a family becomes eligible for the DTC after July 2027, Supplement payments "will not be retroactive." The Province lists DTC processing at 10 to 15 weeks. File your 2026 tax return on time too: Supplement payments from July 2027 to June 2028 are based on your 2026 adjusted family net income. Our Disability Supplement Calculator estimates what your family may receive.

3. Document your child's current therapy in detail

Write down what your child receives now: hours a week, which providers, the cost, and the progress you've seen. This record helps with your Benefit review and support planning, with any request to review a decision, and with conversations with Ministry staff about what your child needs.

4. Plan your remaining Autism Funding

Renewed Autism Funding plans run to March 31, 2027, with amounts adjusted to the months left. All approved services must be delivered by that date. For this final period, the share you can use for travel, training and equipment has gone up from 20% to 50% (20% for youth turning 19 before March 31, 2027). Check your balance on MyFamily Services or by calling Autism Funding at 1-877-777-3530.

5. Talk to your providers now

Ask whether they plan to stay open through 2027 and whether they will accept Disability Benefit funding. The earlier you ask, the more time you have to make other arrangements.

6. Ask the Ministry specific questions, and ask for answers in writing

• Has my child's form been received, and when will I get a decision?
• Will my child's Benefit start on April 1, 2027, and at which level?
• How will my family manage from April 1 until the first Supplement payment in July 2027?
• What happens if my provider closes before my child's transition is complete?

7. Make the gap visible

Autism, At Home Program, SAET and every disability family are stronger together. The more families who make this gap visible through letters to their MLA and public advocacy, the more pressure there is to fix it before March 2027. Your story matters.

Common questions

Will there be any funding during the gap?

For children found eligible for the Disability Benefit in time, yes: the Benefit starts April 1, 2027, the day after Autism Funding ends. The first Supplement payment doesn't arrive until mid-July 2027, with the Canada Child Benefit, and no exceptions have been announced. Families whose child qualifies only for the Supplement, or whose decision isn't made in time, have no direct funding until then. No bridge funding has been announced.

Can I save my Autism Funding to cover the gap?

No. Autism Funding pays for eligible services and purchases up to March 31, 2027, and services after that date can't be paid from it. The Ministry's page says invoices and reimbursement requests must be sent within six months of each service or purchase, with September 30, 2027 as the final deadline. Don't hold invoices back. If you have questions about your balance, contact the Autism Funding Unit at 1-877-777-3530 or MCF.AutismFundingUnit@gov.bc.ca.

What if my child's provider closes before July 2027?

This is one of the most serious risks in the timeline, and one we are raising with the Ministry. If your provider says they may close, write it down and contact the Ministry. Ask what options exist to keep your child's care continuous, and whether any emergency or interim funding is available.

My child turns 18 in 2027. How does the gap affect us?

The Supplement is paid up to age 18, so a youth who turns 18 before July 2027 won't receive it. The Benefit runs to age 19. Raise your child's age directly with Ministry staff and ask what support will be in place.

How do I find out my child's Benefit amount?

The amounts are now set: $6,500 a year at the base level or $17,000 a year at the higher level. Every eligible child starts at $6,500. The Ministry's Guide says the higher level is set through support planning, but since October 9 the Disability Benefit page no longer says how it is decided, and no criteria for $17,000 have been published. The Ministry expects to share decisions in late 2026 and early 2027. Ask for your child's decision and level in writing.