The Social Security Administration (SSA) is planning to put into action a new rule with the goal of removing obstacles and increasing monthly payments for people who get certain government benefits, as announced by the agency on Wednesday.
From the end of September next year, the organization will stop taking food assistance into account when determining if someone qualifies for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) monthly payments.
People eligible for SSI benefits include adults and children with a disability or blindness, as well as adults 65 years and older with limited income and resources. These benefits help with basic needs like housing, food, medicine, and clothing.
Currently, around 7.4 million Americans are receiving SSI or Social Security payments, according to the SSA’s February data.
To get SSI benefits, individuals must meet specific requirements which are calculated under a rule named “In-Kind Support and Maintenance (ISM).” As per the current rules, food, shelter, or both are considered unearned income, which can influence a person’s eligibility or reduce their payments.
Starting on Sept. 30 this year, the agency will not factor in food when making its ISM calculations, which means that an applicant’s history of informal food help from friends, family, or other support networks will no longer hinder their benefits.
“A crucial part of our objective is assisting people in getting important benefits, including SSI,” expressed Martin O’Malley, Commissioner of Social Security. “Simplifying our policies is a sensible solution that decreases the burden on the public and agency staff, and promotes fairness by removing obstacles to receiving payments.”
The SSA stated that this change will make the application process easier for individuals because they will have to report less information about food assistance and will see more consistent payments from month to month. It will also enhance the efficiency of the agency, as less time will be spent tracking beneficiaries' food assistance.
The maximum SSI payments in 2024 are currently $943 for individuals, $1,415 for couples and $472 for essential persons. Those who qualify for SSI usually include those who earn no more than $1,971 from work each month and have no more than $2,000 in resources per person, or $3,000 per couple. These resources consist of things like vehicles or money in bank accounts, according to the SSA.
