The Social Security Administration is preparing to introduce an updated Social Security Benefits Application. (Disability Scoop)
New efforts are currently being made to simplify the process of applying for supplementary social security benefits.
The Social Security Administration announced late last month that it will launch a fully online SSI application with plain-language questions that have been tested by users. The updated version will pre-populate answers where possible and include seamless transitions, among other improvements.
The changes, known as the iClaim enhancement, are intended to reduce the time it takes to file applications and speed up decisions on initial claims, officials said.
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“Over the past year, we’ve asked many applicants and advocates — as well as our staff — how we can make the SSI application process simpler and more straightforward. Now we’re taking an important first step to do just that,” said Social Security Commissioner Martin O’Malley. “The people in our communities who need this critical safety net deserve the dignity of an application process that is less burdensome and more accessible than what we have now, and we’re committed to making that vision a reality in the years to come.”
The updated application will be available starting in December for first-time filers ages 18 to 65 who have never been married and are seeking Social Security and SSI benefits, and is expected to expand to all filers by the end of 2025.
Going forward, Social Security officials plan to make improvements based on feedback customers provide to customer service. The agency expects to use the learnings from the iClaim expansion to improve the in-person, phone, mobile and paper-based processes for applying for SSI.
“The SSI program legally requires SSA to request extensive information from SSI applicants to make accurate eligibility and payment decisions,” officials said in a statement about the updates. “The framework of the SSI program will not change regardless of the type of application applicants must complete. However, we recognize that the current process is burdensome and challenging for the public, and we are doing what we can to reduce that burden and improve access to SSI.”
About 7.5 million Americans, including many disabled people, receive SSI each month.
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