I Want to Know if I Qualify for Social Security Disability Benefits

The Social Security Administration (SSA) pays monthly cash benefits through two programs:

  • Supplemental Security Income (SSI): SSI benefits are for people who are low income and are age 65 or over or blind or have a disability.

Benefits Eligibility Screening Tool

Disability.gov cannot tell you if you are eligible for benefits from the Social Security Administration.

Eligibility for Social Security disability benefits depends on many factors, including the nature and severity of your disability, income level, whether you are currently employed and the number of years you have worked. Use SSA’s Benefits Eligibility Screening Tool to find out if you may be eligible for Social Security benefits. 

Disability payments cannot begin until you have been disabled continuously for five full calendar months; payments are made starting with the sixth full month after the date your disability began. After you receive disability benefits for 24 months, you are automatically enrolled in Medicare. You will not receive Social Security benefits for any month in the waiting period.

Social Security Administration's Definition of Disabled

The Social Security Administration’s (SSA) definition of “disability” is very strict. SSA pays only for total disability; no benefits are paid for partial or short-term disability. 

To receive benefits from either SSDI or SSI programs, you must:

  • Not be able to do work that you did before;
  • Not be able to do other kinds of work because of your medical condition(s); and
  • Have a disability that has lasted or is expected to last for at least one year or to result in death.  

Even if your doctor says that you are disabled, you cannot get disability benefits unless your medical records show that you meet SSA's requirements. Read more about this definition of disability and how SSA makes a decision on disability claims.

Compassionate Allowances

The Compassionate Allowances program lets SSA quickly make decisions and provide benefits on claims filed by individuals with serious diseases and medical conditions, which automatically meet SSA’s disability standards.