Significant Drop in SSI Recipients
Nationwide, over 100,000 individuals have been removed from Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits in the past year, according to the Social Security Administration (SSA). From May 2023 to May 2024, SSI claimants decreased by 119,395, dropping from 7,380,737 to 7,261,342.
Who is affected?
SSI benefits are designed for adults and children with disabilities or blindness who have little to no income. These individuals constitute approximately 6.1 million of the 7.2 million SSI recipients. The remaining 1.1 million recipients are aged 65 and over. Notably, the number of disabled or blind recipients saw a significant decline of 140,034, falling from 6,281,068 in May 2023 to 6,141,034 in May 2024. Conversely, the 65+ category saw an increase of 20,639, from 1,099,669 to 1,120,308.
State-by-state analysis
Certain states experienced pronounced declines in SSI recipients. California, with the highest number of claimants, saw a reduction of 16,573 claims, predominantly among those who are blind or disabled. Texas experienced a drop of 14,587 claims, from 591,710 to 577,123. New York’s claimant numbers decreased from 568,777 to 559,222.
In contrast, some states had minimal changes. North Dakota’s recipients decreased by only 17, from 7,923 to 7,906, while Rhode Island saw a fluctuation of about 300 claimants, from 30,317 to 30,015.
Unclear causes and SSA changes
The reasons behind the decline in disabled or blind SSI recipients remain unclear. Last month, the SSA announced significant changes in decision-making for SSI and Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits. The agency will no longer consider obsolete jobs, such as reptile farmer and railroad telegrapher when determining disability benefits eligibility. These changes took effect on June 22, 2024, as confirmed by an SSA spokesperson.
