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What are Disability Benefits?

Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon

Disability benefits are benefits paid out to people who are disabled. Many governments offer cash benefits to people with disabilities, sometimes supplementing with the provision of health care in regions where health care is not provided to all citizens by the government. Individual jobs, labor unions, and other organizations can also pay out benefits to people with disabilities, as can specialized insurance policies. These benefits are designed to ensure that disabled individuals have the money they need to live comfortably and receive the care that they require.

When someone is born disabled, disability benefits may be paid to his or her family as an incentive for providing care at home, although institutionalization of people with severe disabilities may be offered as an option. Once people come of age, the payments may pass into their control if they have the mental capacity to handle their own finances, as in the case of someone who cannot work because of a severe physical disability, while people with developmental disabilities may not be eligible for direct payments. People can use their disability payments for specific things, such as paying in home care workers or covering the cost of medications, or more general costs, like rent and food.

Disability benefits can help pay for living expenses for people who suddenly can't word due to an injury.
Disability benefits can help pay for living expenses for people who suddenly can't word due to an injury.

In the case of someone who becomes disabled, there are several types of disability benefits. People who are injured on the job may receive benefits from their employers which are supplemented by government benefits. People who become disabled due to illness, accidents, and other events are eligible for benefits from the government, and sometimes through private insurance policies, if they have taken out such policies. If people can work or choose to work with a disability, their benefits may be decreased.

Disability benefits are intended to prevent people from living in extreme poverty.
Disability benefits are intended to prevent people from living in extreme poverty.

Some payments are provided to people of all incomes, with the basis of the payment being the amount of time that someone spent in the work force before becoming disabled, and the nature of his or her disability. Social Security Disability (SSD) in the United States is an example of this type of disability benefit. In other cases, benefits are provided on a need-based system to people who demonstrate financial need, as in the case of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) in the United States.

It's estimated that about 6.5 million Americans have some type of intellectual disability.
It's estimated that about 6.5 million Americans have some type of intellectual disability.

The amount of disability benefits can vary. Some people get payments large enough to support them very comfortably, and to pay for needed services, ranging from new wheelchairs to maids. Other people with disabilities may struggle to make do with their disability benefits, with many people experiencing poverty and deprivation as a result of physical or mental disability.

Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon

Ever since she began contributing to the site several years ago, Mary has embraced the exciting challenge of being a WiseGEEK researcher and writer. Mary has a liberal arts degree from Goddard College and spends her free time reading, cooking, and exploring the great outdoors.

Learn more...
Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon

Ever since she began contributing to the site several years ago, Mary has embraced the exciting challenge of being a WiseGEEK researcher and writer. Mary has a liberal arts degree from Goddard College and spends her free time reading, cooking, and exploring the great outdoors.

Learn more...

Discussion Comments

anon160692

Does someone who gets ssi and ssdi and living in a home care provider get different spending out of pocket money, say 400.00, and pay 300.00 in rent, different from someone who gets only gets ssi and being told that he only gets 98.00 pocket money and the rest of his 685.00 dollars a month goes toward rent?

To me this does not sound right. Both are in the same program the only difference is one gets ssi and ssdi and the other one doesn't. Can someone tell me if this is truly correct, or are some in the program just not wanting to rock the boat for the person getting both programs. It doesn't sound fair.

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    • Disability benefits can help pay for living expenses for people who suddenly can't word due to an injury.
      By: Conny Hagen
      Disability benefits can help pay for living expenses for people who suddenly can't word due to an injury.
    • Disability benefits are intended to prevent people from living in extreme poverty.
      By: Andrea Izzotti
      Disability benefits are intended to prevent people from living in extreme poverty.
    • It's estimated that about 6.5 million Americans have some type of intellectual disability.
      By: Monkey Business
      It's estimated that about 6.5 million Americans have some type of intellectual disability.
    • The amount of disability benefits can vary.
      By: gwimages
      The amount of disability benefits can vary.
    • Disability benefits may help cover the cost of housekeeping assistance.
      By: pio3
      Disability benefits may help cover the cost of housekeeping assistance.
    • Many people who are physically disabled are capable of having a rewarding career.
      Many people who are physically disabled are capable of having a rewarding career.
    • Disability benefits may help pay for physical rehabilitation.
      By: WavebreakMediaMicro
      Disability benefits may help pay for physical rehabilitation.