Social Security Administration issues new rule preventing food assistance from affecting payouts 

The Social Security Administration (SSA) will implement a new rule aimed at removing barriers and increasing monthly payouts for those who receive certain government benefits, the agency announced Wednesday.

Beginning at the end of next September, the agency will no longer include food assistance when calculating one’s eligibility for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) monthly payments. 

Those who qualify for SSI benefits include adults and children with a disability or blindness, and adults 65 years and older who have limited income and resources. These benefits help cover the costs of basic resources including housing, food, medicine, and clothing. 

About 7.4 million Americans are currently recipients of SSI or Social Security payments, according to the SSA’s February data.

To receive SSI benefits, individuals must meet certain eligibility requirements, which are calculated under a rule titled “In-Kind Support and Maintenance (ISM).” Under the current rules, food, shelter or both are counted as unearned income, which can impact an individual’s eligibility or lessen their payments.

Starting Sept. 30, the agency will no longer include food in its ISM calculations, meaning an applicant’s history of informal food assistance from friends, family or other support networks will no longer hinder their benefits.

“A vital part of our mission is helping people access crucial benefits, including SSI,” said Martin O’Malley, commissioner of Social Security. “Simplifying our policies is a common-sense solution that reduces the burden on the public and agency staff and helps promote equity by removing barriers to accessing payments.”

The SSA said the change will ease the process for applicants, as they will have less information to report about food assistance and will see more similar payments from month to month. It will also increase the efficiency of the agency, with less time spent on tracking beneficiary’s food assistance.

The maximum monthly SSI payments in 2024 are currently $943 for individuals, $1,415 for couples and $472 for essential persons. Those who qualify for SSI generally include those who do not earn 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 include assets such as vehicles or money in bank accounts, per the SSA.