The September 2019 SSD benefits statistics report from the Social Security Administration (SSA) is here, along with our analysis. We’ll explain how beneficiary numbers and monthly benefit payments changed over the last 30 days. We review these reports so people on disability can compare their monthly checks against the national average. This analysis includes data for both the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) programs.
September 2019 SSD Benefits Statistics Update
Total Number of Social Security Disability Beneficiaries: 9,980,000
Disabled Workers: 8,433,000
Spouses of Disabled Workers: 115,000
Children of Disabled Workers: 1,433,000
Average Monthly Social Security Disability Benefit Amount: $1,103.77
Disabled Workers: $1,236.50
Spouses of Disabled Workers: $355.01
Children of Disabled Workers: $382.38
How the September 2019 SSD Benefits Statistics Report Affects Beneficiaries
According to the September 2019 SSD benefits statistics report, beneficiary numbers fell in every category except one since last month. There were 10,000 fewer disabled workers claiming benefits compared to August. In addition, spousal beneficiaries lost 1,000 claimants month-over-month. Children of disabled workers was the only category that grew this month, adding another 2,000 beneficiaries. Overall, there were 9,000 fewer total beneficiaries listed in the September 2019 SSD benefits report compared to August.
SSDI beneficiaries continue to fall across the board, with disabled workers at the lowest levels we’ve seen since June 2011. Interestingly, this is the fewest spousal beneficiaries in current payment status going back to January 1967.
September 2019 SSD Benefits Statistics: Looking Deeper at the Monetary Stats
Payments shown in the September 2019 SSD benefits statistics report grew across the board again this month. Spouses got a relatively huge bump compared to the other categories, adding another $1.57 to this month’s payments. Disabled workers received just $.17 more in September than they did the previous month. Children got a modest raise of $.57 compared to August 2019’s report. Overall, these pay increases raised the average payment nationwide by just $.09.
Just this week, the federal government announced a 1.6% COLA increase for 2020. January’s direct deposits will reflect this new increase for all beneficiaries currently in active payment status.
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Data in the September 2019 Report
Now, let’s go over SSI program updates in the September 2019 report. There are 29,000 more SSI beneficiaries total than we saw in last month’s report. In fact, every SSI beneficiary category grew from August to September. Here’s how those numbers break down:
Total SSI beneficiaries: 8,101,000 (+29,000)
Children under 18 receiving SSI: 1,138,000 (+11,000)
SSI recipients aged 18-64: 4,676,000 (+11,000)
SSI recipients aged 65+: 2,287,000 (+7,000)
According to the September 2019 SSD benefits statistics report, every SSI beneficiary category received less money this month. SSI payments to seniors fell $.21 compared to August. Working-age beneficiaries got $.43 less in September, but children suffered the biggest month-over-month pay cut. They lost $5.26 this month, on average, according to the September 2019 SSD benefits statistics report. This brought the national average SSI payment down $.93 compared to August. However, next year’s COLA increase should raise the average SSI payment 1.6% starting January 2020.
You May Qualify for Legal Assistance
Legal assistance from a Social Security attorney makes you 3x more likely to get approved on your first try. That means you may get your first disability check in as little as six months! Right now, the SSA denies more than 4 in every 5 first-time applicants (81%). And people who apply without legal assistance typically wait much longer for their first payment. Right now, it takes about 500 days to process disability claims nationwide, on average. That’s almost 18 months! Those who qualify for legal assistance through our website typically get $12,000 in lump-sum backpay as well as monthly benefits.
Think you can’t afford legal assistance? All disability lawyers work on contingency. That means under federal law, they cannot charge you anything for help until after you’re approved for monthly benefits. You owe $0 for legal assistance if the SSA doesn’t approve your claim. And if your case wins, 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!
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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.