AISH Increase 2026: The $1,940 Rate, the ADAP Split and Payment Dates

The 2026 AISH Rate: $1,940/Month, Up 2.05% From $1,901

Alberta first indexed AISH to inflation in 2019, paused indexation in 2020, then restored it in January 2023 for AISH, Income Support, and seniors' benefits. Under that restored indexation policy, the AISH standard living allowance increased for 2026 to $1,940 per month for a single client with no other income — up $39, or 2.05%, from the 2025 maximum of $1,901. That is the plain answer to "did AISH go up in 2026": yes, by the ordinary annual cost-of-living adjustment, not by a special one-time increase.

What most searches for "AISH update 2026" are actually circling, though, isn't the $39. It's a much bigger structural change that takes effect on July 2, 2026: the launch of a second program, the Alberta Disability Assistance Program (ADAP), which most current AISH recipients are being automatically moved into.

Why "AISH Increase 2026" Isn't the Real Story This Year

Here's where the math stops being about indexation and starts being about eligibility. Starting July 2, 2026, the Government of Alberta launches ADAP for AISH clients whose severe disability significantly restricts — but does not permanently prevent — employment. Under the Financial Statutes Amendment Act, 2025 (No. 2), every existing AISH client is deemed by operation of law to become an ADAP client on that date, unless they fall into one of four groups that automatically remain on AISH. There is no application to file for this transition, and — unusually for a benefits change — there is no right of appeal against the transition itself, though you can still appeal a subsequent decision about your eligibility or benefit amount under whichever program you land in.

AISH vs ADAP: The Numbers Side by Side

The two programs pay differently, exempt earnings differently, and claw back employment income at different rates. If you're comparing your current AISH deposit to what you might get on ADAP, this is the table that matters:

The trade-off is stark once you look at the earnings exemption line. AISH's exemption for a single client is actually falling in 2026 — from $1,072/month currently down to $350/month — and every dollar earned above that is deducted from AISH dollar-for-dollar. ADAP's exemption is higher ($700/month) and the clawback above it is gradual rather than 100%, which means an ADAP client working part-time keeps more of their combined income than an AISH client working the same hours. The reverse is true for someone with no employment income at all: they're simply better off on the higher, unconditional AISH rate.

The Transition Protection: Why Your Deposit Won't Change Right Away

If you're moved from AISH to ADAP in July 2026, your payment does not drop to $1,740 immediately. A $200/month transition benefit is added on top of the $1,740 ADAP core rate, keeping your total at the $1,940 AISH-equivalent level, but with ADAP's earnings exemption structure applied from day one. That protection runs from July 2026 through December 31, 2027. Starting the January 2028 benefit period, transitioned clients move onto the standard ADAP rate of $1,740/month — an effective $200/month reduction at that point, unless indexation has moved the numbers by then.

During the protection window, transitioning clients are, on balance, in the most favourable position of any group: they keep the higher $1,940 payment while also getting ADAP's more generous $700/month earnings exemption and gentler clawback. That combination is temporary, so anyone in this group who is currently working — or planning to start — should model their household budget out to January 2028, not just next month's deposit.

What Doesn't Change: Health Benefits and the Application Process

Health benefits — prescription drugs, dental, optical care, diabetes supplies, and emergency ambulance coverage — continue under both AISH and ADAP, and for ADAP clients they are not reduced as employment income rises. Going forward, new applicants file a single combined Disability Income Assistance application; an adjudicator reviews the financial and medical information and places the applicant into whichever program fits. If the disability is assessed as permanently preventing employment, the applicant is placed on AISH; if it significantly restricts but doesn't prevent employment, they're placed on ADAP. An ADAP client whose condition later worsens can apply for an AISH medical assessment at any time, and Alberta covers the cost of that first assessment for anyone who transitioned from AISH to ADAP in July 2026.

Two Other August 2026 Changes Worth Knowing

Couples where both partners receive AISH or ADAP

Starting the August 2026 benefit period, in a household where two adults both receive disability income assistance (AISH or ADAP), each partner receives 88% of the maximum individual benefit rather than two full individual amounts. Alberta frames this as reflecting shared household costs and aligning with how other provinces structure couple benefits. For a household previously receiving two full $1,940 payments, this is a real reduction worth budgeting for well before August.

Child benefit recalibration

Child benefit rates under both AISH and ADAP were recalibrated for the August 2026 benefit period to account for other child supports, including the federal Canada Child Benefit. The new monthly rates are $300 for the first child, $117 for the second, $88 for the third, $59 for the fourth, and $30 for each additional child. Alberta states this recalibration increases child benefits for roughly 7,000 families currently receiving AISH or ADAP — this is one of the few pieces of the 2026 changes that is a net gain for the households affected. If you also receive the Alberta Child and Family Benefit, note that it is paid separately from AISH/ADAP and does not reduce either benefit — see our breakdown of Alberta Child and Family Benefit payment dates for 2026.

AISH and ADAP Payment Dates for 2026

A detail that catches people off guard every year: AISH and ADAP are not paid on the 1st of the month. Benefits by direct deposit land 4 business days before the first of the month; benefits by cheque are mailed 6 business days before. That means the deposit date moves around depending on weekends and holidays, and the gap between payments ranges from roughly 27 to 36 calendar days rather than a flat 30.

These are the direct-deposit dates from Alberta's published payment calendar; cheque recipients should expect their payment mailed roughly two business days earlier than the deposit date shown, plus standard mail delivery time. Set up direct deposit through your caseworker if you're still on cheques — it is meaningfully faster and removes mail-delivery risk.

What This Means If You're on AISH Right Now

If you already receive AISH, three questions matter more than the $39 indexation bump:

• Do you meet one of the four automatic-stay criteria? If yes, your program doesn't change on July 2 — you keep the $1,940 rate and AISH's rules.
• If you're moving to ADAP, are you currently earning employment income above $350/month? If so, ADAP's higher exemption and gentler clawback may leave you better off even during the protected period, and meaningfully better off after January 2028 compared to what AISH's tightened $350 exemption would have paid.
• If you're moving to ADAP and not working, have you modelled your household budget for January 2028? The $200/month transition benefit disappears at that point, dropping your payment from $1,940 to $1,740 unless you've since increased employment income or moved back onto AISH via a medical reassessment.

The letter Alberta sent AISH recipients in May 2026 states which program you're in — if you haven't located that letter or aren't sure which group you fall into, contact your caseworker or the Alberta Supports Contact Centre before assuming your July payment will look the same as June's.