Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is a means-tested program that provides cash payments to disabled children, disabled adults, and individuals aged 65 or older who are citizens or nationals of the United States.Understanding Supplemental Security Income SSI Eligibility Requirements -- 2025 Edition SSI was created by the Social Security Amendments of 1972 and is incorporated in Title 16 of the Social Security Act. The program is administered by the Social Security Administration (SSA) and began operations in 1974.
Individuals or their helpers may start the application for SSI benefits by scheduling an appointment with SSA. Appointments may be scheduled by calling SSA's toll-free number, 1-800-772-1213.
SSI was created to replace federal-state adult assistance programs that served the same purpose, but were administered by the state agencies and received criticism for lacking consistent eligibility criteria. The restructuring of these programs was intended to standardize the eligibility requirements and level of benefits.(SSA "Teleservice Representative Basic Training Curriculum: Supplemental Security Income" p. 7) Although administered by SSA,(SSA "Teleservice Representative Basic Training Curriculum: Supplemental Security Income" p. 5) SSI is funded from U.S. Treasury general funds,(SSA "Supplemental Security Income (SSI)" p. 2) not the Social Security Trust Fund. As of May 2025, the program provides benefits to over seven million Americans.
History
The legislation creating the program was a result of President Richard Nixon's effort to reform the nation's welfare programs. At that time, each state had somewhat different programs under the Aid to the Blind, Aid to the Permanently and Totally Disabled, and Aid to the Elderly. These programs, which received federal funding, were created as part of the original Social Security Act of 1935. The Nixon administration thought these programs should be federalized and run by the Social Security Administration. Thus, SSI was created to eliminate the differences between the states including different disability standards and income and resources requirements, which many perceived as irrational or unfair. President Nixon signed the Social Security Amendments of 1972 on October 30, 1972, which created the SSI Program.
The SSI program officially began operations in January 1974 by federalizing states' programs, designating the Social Security Administration (SSA) to administer the SSI program. SSA was selected because it had been administering a nationwide adult disability program under the Social Security Disability Insurance Benefits (DIB) program since 1956 for workers who are insured through their payroll deduction under the Old Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI) programs associated with Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) payroll taxes.
The initial benefit levels for SSI in 1972 were approximately the same as the average monthly benefit as a retired worker under the Social Security retirement benefits program. In August 1974, Congress established legislation to automatically increase SSI benefits by the same percentage and at the same time as Social Security retirement, survivors, and disability benefits.Schieber, Sylvester J. & others. Social Security Advisory Board. 2008.Statement on the Supplemental Security Income Program. Washington, D.C.: ssab.gov In 2026, the maximum SSI benefit for an individual ($994) was about 48 percent of the average monthly benefit of retired workers ($2,071) in the Social Security retirement benefits program. Although both Social Security and SSI benefits are adjusted for price inflation, initial Social Security benefits are computed by using wage indexing. Because wages tend to grow faster than prices, the maximum SSI benefit will continue to decline relative to benefit levels in the Social Security program.
The maximum SSI benefit in 2026 for an individual ($994) is below the federal poverty standard for an individual in the United States (about $1,304 per month). Because both the SSI amount and the poverty standard are indexed to price inflation, this will continue to be true in the future, in the absence of legislative changes. With SSI income and other sources of family income, about 42 percent of persons on SSI are poor.
Historians Edward D. Berkowitz and Larry DeWitt argue that, while "critics often accused the U.S. social welfare system of skewing benefits toward the middle class, rather than the truly needy", SSI successfully targeted benefits to economically vulnerable groups such as minorities. In 2024, African Americans made up about 25 percent of the adult SSI population (about 13.7 percent of the overall U.S. population is African American). Among SSI recipients 75 or older, 20 percent are Asian American, 16 percent are African American, and 21 percent are Hispanic.
Disabled children have been categorically eligible for SSI since the program's beginning. Sullivan v. Zebley was a landmark Supreme Court decision in 1990 that led to additional children qualifying for SSI based on disability. Brian Zebley had brain damage at birth, resulting in mental and physical problems including visual problems and partial paralysis. The Supreme Court found that SSA improperly denied him benefits and concluded that SSA must consider how health impairments affect functioning in children when making disability decisions. A study in 2020 found that, relative to other children, SSI child beneficiaries have "high rates of poverty, near poverty, material hardship, hospitalization, mortality, and adverse schooling outcomes". A study in 2019 found that infant mortality rates for SSI child applicants are about five times that of all children.
Although there are some exceptions, generally individuals must reside in one of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, or the Northern Mariana Islands to receive SSI benefits. The Northern Mariana Islands became a U.S. territory in 1976 (after the SSI program began) and the covenant establishing its territorial status included eligibility for SSI. The territories of Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands are eligible for federal grants to support the "aged, blind, and disabled" but residents are not eligible for SSI. In April 2022, the Supreme Court ruled (in United States v. Vaello Madero) that it is constitutional to exclude residents of Puerto Rico from the SSI program, as the territory does not pay most federal taxes.Court document supremecourt.gov
Currently, about 96 percent of SSI recipients are citizens of the United States. Prior to the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA), which placed several restrictions on noncitizen eligibility for SSI, about 88 percent of SSI recipients were US citizens.
For adults who are married, SSA will sometimes pay a benefit based on a couple amount. This would occur if both members of a couple meet the categorical requirements of eligibility (for example, both members of the couple are disabled according to the program's definition of disability). In these cases, the benefit payable to a couple is smaller than the combined benefits payable to two individuals in order to take account of the fact that two people living together can live more economically than if each lived alone. However, the reduced SSI couple benefit applies only to those who are legally married, which gives beneficiaries an incentive not to marry.
During the second Trump Administration, the Social Security Administration underwent significant internal changes, including the loss of roughly 13% of its staff and an effort to move many services online Researchers found that these changes made the process of claiming SSI benefits significantly more difficult.
Eligibility In order to receive SSI benefits, individuals must apply for benefits and meet the following requirements:
They are 65+ years of age or blind or disabled; and They legally reside in one of the fifty states or the District of Columbia or Northern Mariana Islands, are the child of military parents assigned to permanent duty outside of the US, or are a student (certain restrictions apply) temporarily abroad; and They have income and resources within certain limits (see subsections).
For eligibility based on age, applicants must establish they are 65 or older. For eligibility based on disability, applicants must provide evidence they meet the Social Security Administration's definition of disability. With regard to adult disability cases, the Social Security Administration (SSA) determines whether an individual has a disability that prevents working, at a substantial level, in the national economy. For child disability cases, SSA determines whether the child has "marked" or severe functional limitations. The initial decision as to whether an individual is disabled is made by the various state Disability Determination Services (DDS), which contract with the federal government and must follow federal rules regarding the definition of disability. Individuals denied disability benefits at the initial level have appeal rights. Appealed cases may be heard by administrative law judges, SSA's Appeals Council, and the federal courts.
In some cases, individuals may be eligible for Social Security benefits and SSI benefits. For example, a disabled individual who worked in Social Security covered employment and who has limited income and resources may receive a Social Security disability benefit (due to employment prior to disability) and a partial SSI benefit (due to limited income and resources). The Social Security Administration treats an application for SSI to also be an application for any Social Security benefit for which the individual is eligible. In general, however, SSI differs from Social Security because SSI pays benefits to individuals who have limited income and resources. There is no requirement that the individual worked in Social Security covered employment.
Application for benefits An application must be filed with the Social Security Administration (SSA) before an individual can receive SSI. Individuals or their helpers may start the application for SSI benefits by: Calling SSA's national toll-free number (1-800-772-1213) Calling a local Social Security office
Aged, disabled, or blind In order to be eligible for SSI, a person must meet the definition of being aged, disabled, or blind.
Aged – Being deemed aged consists of attaining the age of 65 or older.(SSA POMS SI 00501.001) In some cases benefits can be claimed at the age of 62. The Social Security Administration, like the United States Government in general, follows English common law and considers a person to attain an age the day before their birthday.(SSA POMS RS 00615.015)
Disabled – Being deemed disabled consists of meeting the general disability definition used by the Social Security Administration to be eligible for SSDI:
"Disability means inability to engage in any SGA [substantial gainful activity] by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to result in death, or has lasted or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months."
"The 1967 amendments specified that workers shall be determined to be under a disability only if the physical or mental impairment or impairments are of such severity that the individual is not only unable to do his previous work but cannot, considering his age, education, and work experience, engage in any other kind of substantial gainful work which exists in the national economy. This is regardless of whether any of these are true:
Such work exists in the immediate area in which the claimant lives. A specific job vacancy exists. The claimant would be hired if they applied for work.