COLUMBIA, S.C. — Disability Rights SC said that, in 2020, one-fifth of South Carolinians lived with a disability. For some, Social Security’s Supplemental Security Income program helps to pay for additional needs.
Now, Social Security is looking to make a change to that program that could remove rules on what factors reduce the amount of monthly payments.
Some receive Supplemental Security Income making $914 a month.
“I started receiving benefits when I was about 19 when I was in college and it can be a scary thing and a lot of people have to fight to get those benefits sometimes," Melissa Snyder with Able SC said.
Some changes are coming to the program that might impact her, and others receiving SSI benefits, for the better.
“Right now, if you’re on SSI, let's say you live with your parents; in order to determine how much of your cash benefits you receive, Social Security says you have to report what is defined as in-kind income,” Anna Maria Conner, the senior attorney at Disability Rights SC, said.
In-kind income is anything other than cash like shelter and food from a pantry or family dinner. Each of those factors can reduce how much money a person gets each month.
“If I provide a free Sunday meal to my relative with a disability does that mean they have to report that? Yes. Because it’s free, and that’s somehow income,” Conner said.
Social Security is looking to exclude food from those reduction factors leaving more funds for things like rent and utilities.
“This could do a lot of things for folks, it’s gonna reduce the amount of program rules an applicant or recipient needs to understand," Snyder said. "And so, what they’re doing is taking the food out of the in-kind support and maintenance. That policy in particular has been cited as one the most complicated aspects of the SSI program."
This change would mainly apply to people who don’t get federally funded benefits like SNAP.
Right now, social security is accepting public comments about the change of rules. The deadline is April 17.