Program
SSI (monthly check for very low income)
A monthly Social Security payment for people 65 and up, or disabled, with very little income and few assets.
What it can pay for
- living expenses
- Official name
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI) for seniors
- Where
- Nationwide
- Status
- Program running
- Most it pays
- $994 monthly
- About the amount
- 2026 federal benefit rate: $994/mo individual, $1,491/mo couple, $498/mo essential person. Some states add a supplement. Actual payment = federal rate minus countable income.
- Housing rules
- Living arrangement affects the payment: paying your own shelter costs = full amount; others paying part of your shelter can cut the check by up to $351.33/mo (2026); paying a pro-rata share of household costs when moving in with family avoids the cut.
- How long it takes
- No published processing time; the first payment is for the month after the month you file and are eligible; the date of your first call can become the filing date.
- How to apply
- Call 1-800-772-1213 to set up an appointment (there is no online SSI application for 65+ with no disability claim); the call date can become the filing date.
- Does not pay for
- No home-repair payment directly, but SSI matters for home mods: it opens the Medicaid door, and grant-funded home mods generally don't reduce the check.
- Official source
- ssa.gov
- Last checked
- January 1, 2026