Social Security Administration has expanded access to Supplemental Security Income (SSI). The agency no longer includes food in ‘In-Kind Support and Maintenance’ (ISM) calculations. It has also expanded its rental subsidy policy exception, and has expanded the definition of a public assistance household.
“These changes will help more people access crucial SSI benefits,” said Martin O’Malley, Commissioner of Social Security. “By simplifying and expanding our policies, we are making SSI smarter, removing barriers to accessing payments, and reducing the burden on the public and agency staff.”
- By not including food in its calculations (such as informal food assistance from friends, family and community food banks), the agency estimates that the change could increase monthly SSI payments by about $131 per month for over 90,000 people and also allow more people to qualify for benefits.
- By expanding a rental subsidy exception nationwide (that previously applied in only seven states), ensures that more people qualify and could increase SSI payments by about $132 per month for about 41,000 people and allow more people to qualify for SSI.
- The newly expanded definition of public assistance also allows more people to qualify for SSI and will increase some SSI recipients to receive higher monthly payments and reduces reporting burdens for people in public assistance households.
For more information visit the following link: https://www.ssa.gov/ssi
