WASHINGTON—The Social Security Administration announced a significant step in a multi-year effort to simplify the process of applying for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) by offering an online, streamlined application for some applicants beginning in December.
SSI provides monthly payments to people with disabilities and older adults who have little or no income and resources.
The initial step—known as iClaim expansion—aims to establish a fully online, simplified iClaim application that leverages user-tested, plain-language questions, prepopulated answers where possible, seamless step-by-step transitions, and more. The online application aims to reduce the time spent applying and the processing time for initial claim decisions.
“Over the past year, we have asked many applicants and advocates – as well as our workforce – how we could make the SSI application process easier and simpler. We are taking an important first step to do just that,” said Martin O’Malley, Commissioner of Social Security.
The rollout of the iClaim expansion will generally be available to first-time applicants between 18 and 65 who have never married and are concurrently applying for Social Security benefits and SSI. A goal of the second phase – currently targeted for late 2025 – is to expand this to all applicants.
The Federal Register Notice that supports this effort was published Monday and reflects changes based on what Social Security previously received. Please visit Federal Register: Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Request to read it.
Subsequent SSI simplification steps will incorporate lessons learned from the iClaim expansion into in-person, phone, mobile, and paper-based SSI application processes. As part of that, the agency plans to develop a separate simplified child SSI application.
