Thousands of Social Security Recipients Will Soon Qualify for Bigger Payments

A change in government policy will help more Americans qualify for Social Security benefits — and increase payments for some existing recipients.

The Social Security Administration announced Thursday that it has published a final rule affecting its Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program, which sends monthly checks to about 7.4 million Americans with limited resources who are disabled, blind or older than 65. The rule expands the agency's definition of a "public assistance household," opening it up to households that receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, informally known as food stamps.

SSI payments are based on income and resources; the more a person has, generally, the less they get paid. This adjustment is crucial because the government will now assume that an SSI candidate in a SNAP household isn't getting income from other people they live with — which may make them eligible for benefits or a bigger check.

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"The expanded definition will allow more people to qualify for SSI, increase some SSI recipients' payment amounts, and reduce reporting burdens for individuals living in public assistance households," according to a news release.

In addition, public assistance households will now be defined as those in which at least one person is getting (or has applied for) SSI and at least one person is receiving funds from another government income initiative. Before this change, everyone in a household had to be receiving public assistance in order to meet the requirements.

In summary, the agency is loosening a handful of restrictions for SSI, making it somewhat easier for a person in need to satisfy the conditions. An estimated 277,000 current SSI recipients will see higher payments, and 109,000 more people will qualify for SSI once the full impact of the rule has settled in 2033.

"By simplifying our policies and including an additional program geared towards low-income families, such as the SNAP, we are removing significant barriers to accessing SSI," Social Security Commissioner Martin O'Malley said in a statement. "These changes promote greater equity in our programs."

SSI has a smaller scope than the retiree benefit program Social Security is known for, but it's still a lifeline for millions. The average monthly SSI payment is about $698.

The public assistance household rule is set to take effect Sept. 30, as is a separate change expanding the SSI rental subsidy policy: another move intended "to help people access crucial benefits," O'Malley said.

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