Supplemental Security Income (SSI)

• Supplemental Security Income, also known as SSI, provides cash benefits to low-income elderly, blind and disabled people. To apply, you have to demonstrate that you have little income and few assets and supply proof of age or disability. The Social Security Administration (SSA) is the federal agency that administers the SSI program, and the SSA's standards for determining whether someone qualifies as disabled are strict. Applicants, even people with severe disabilities and illnesses, may have to file several appeals before the SSA approves their claim. In certain cases, the SSA never approves an SSI claim, which means that the claimant must find other ways to support herself.
  
  

Appealing a Denial

• The SSA often declines applications from those applying for SSI on the basis of a disability. If this happens to you, don't give up. You have the right to appeal the SSA's decision and can do so up to the federal court level. Try to retain a lawyer or disability advocate experienced in SSI cases to assist you in presenting your appeal. Legal aid societies and community advocacy groups can provide referrals to disability advocates and lawyers in your area.
  
  

Types of Welfare Assistance

• While you're waiting for a decision regarding SSI or if you've exhausted your final appeal, you may qualify for other welfare assistance. If you have children, your family may qualify for cash benefits from the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. If you don't have children, you may still receive cash benefits from your state's general assistance, or general relief, program. Other welfare programs include the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which provides food stamps; housing assistance, both Section 8/Housing Choice vouchers, as well as public housing; energy assistance, including help with electricity and heating bills; and job retraining services.
  
  

Applying for Welfare Assistance

• Apply for welfare benefits at the local office of your state's department of human services. In certain states, you can begin the application process online, though you usually have to undergo an in-person interview. Your caseworker can determine your eligibility for assistance for the various programs offered in your area.
  
  

Misconceptions

• Eligibility for welfare benefits varies from program to program, with different income-level cutoffs for assistance. While it's true that qualifying for certain types of benefits, such as SSI, can automatically qualify you for other types of aid, denial of your SSI application doesn't automatically disqualify you from other programs.