The July 2019 SSD benefits statistics report from the Social Security Administration (SSA) is now out, along with our analysis. First, we’ll explain how beneficiary numbers and average monthly payments changed during the last 30 days. We do this so current disability recipients can compare their monthly payments against the national average. You’ll find data for both the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) programs below.
July 2019 SSD Benefits Statistics Update
Total Number of Social Security Disability Beneficiaries: 10,007,000
Disabled Workers: 8,458,000
Spouses of Disabled Workers: 116,000
Children of Disabled Workers: 1,434,000
Average Monthly Social Security Disability Benefit Amount: $1,103.43
Disabled Workers: $1,236.12
Spouses of Disabled Workers: $353.87
Children of Disabled Workers: $381.38
How the July 2019 SSD Benefits Statistics Report Affects Beneficiaries
The July 2019 SSD benefits statistics report shows 56,000 fewer total beneficiaries this month compared to June. Children of disabled workers saw the biggest month-over-month drop, with 36,000 fewer claimants in that category. Disabled workers lost 17,000 beneficiaries in the last month. In addition, there were 1,000 fewer spouses listed in this month’s rolls compared to June. The SSA also removed any deceased or fraudulent claimants and people who went back to work between June and July. Taking all these factors into account, this is the largest single-month drop in SSD beneficiaries since June 2016!
July 2019 SSD Benefits Statistics: Looking Deeper at the Monetary Stats
Most people listed in the July 2019 SSD benefits statistics report got a raise this month. Nationwide, average payments for all SSD beneficiaries rose $2.45 between June and July. Spouses got paid $1.45 more in this month’s checks, while children received another $1.44 in benefits. Disabled workers got the smallest increase in average payments, adding another $.22 to this month’s checks.
The average payment in the July 2019 SSD benefits statistics report is $6.29 higher than it was in January. In fact, it’s $37.70 more than it was this time a year ago in July 2018!
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Numbers in the July 2019 Report
Next, let’s look at how SSI beneficiaries fared in the July 2019 SSD benefits statistics report. It shows 8,091,000 total SSI beneficiaries — that’s 9,000 more than we saw in June’s report. Unfortunately, average payments for all SSI beneficiaries nationwide fell $1.76 month-over-month. Our interactive chart below lists every SSI beneficiary category grouped by age and average payment amount for July 2019:
Children getting SSI lost 2,000 beneficiaries from that category since June’s report came out. Another 4,000 people aged 18-64 became SSI beneficiaries between June and July 2019. Finally, the 65-and-up category gained another 6,000 SSI beneficiaries within the last 30 days.
You May Qualify for Legal Assistance
Legal assistance from a Social Security attorney makes you 3x more likely to get benefits right away. These lawyers work on contingency, which means you won’t pay anything for professional help now with your claim. If you choose to apply on your own without a lawyer, you’re 4x more likely to get denied benefits. Most eligible applicants without lawyers wait at least two years for their first disability payment.
If you can’t afford to wait months or years for your first check, talk to a lawyer first. No disability lawyer will take your case unless they think you’re owed benefits. What’s more, federal law says they can’t charge you anything unless you win benefits. And if you win, then you’ll only pay a small, one-time fee.
Ready to see if you may qualify? Click the button below to start your free disability benefits evaluation now!
Get Your Free Benefits Evaluation
Lori Polemenakos is Director of Consumer Content and SEO strategist for LeadingResponse, a legal marketing company. An award-winning journalist, writer and editor based in Dallas, Texas, she's produced articles for major brands such as Match.com, Yahoo!, MSN, AOL, Xfinity, Mail.com, and edited several published books. Since 2016, she's published hundreds of articles about Social Security disability, workers' compensation, veterans' benefits, personal injury, mass tort, auto accident claims, bankruptcy, employment law and other related legal issues.