If you’ve ever wondered what sort of people collect Social Security disability benefits, that precise question is answered every year in Social Security’s Annual Statistical Report on the Disability Insurance Program. To be eligible for the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) program you must:
- Be insured for benefits (must have enough work credits based on taxes).
- Be younger than full retirement age (retirement age is between the ages of 65 and 67 if you were born from 1937 to 1959 and age 67 for everyone born 1960 and later).
- Apply for SSDI benefits and have a defined disability, as classified by the Social Security Administration.
The 2011 SSDI Annual Report shows that there are 9.8 million people who are receiving SSDI benefits. Some quick facts about recipients:
- The average age of a recipient is 53.
- More than 52 percent of the recipients are men.
- The average monthly benefit paid was $1,111.
- Payments to beneficiaries in 2011 totaled more than $10 billion.
- At least 7 percent of the population in the following states are collecting Social Security disability benefits:
- Alabama
- Arkansas
- Kentucky
- Maine
- Mississippi
- West Virginia
A Breakdown for Impairments for Which Benefits are Paid
Mental Impairments (32 percent)
The majority of these recipients receive benefits for conditions such as psychotic disorders and affective disorders like depression, anxiety and personality disorders, while a smaller portion receive benefits for an intellectual disability such as autism.
Musculoskeletal Conditions (29 percent)
Such conditions would include back or spinal injuries, disc disease, injuries to the vertebrae and arthritis.
Circulatory Conditions (9 Percent)
Heart and cardiovascular conditions makeup this category. Some of the most common conditions include heart disease, heart failure, arrhythmias and aneurysms.
Nervous System Conditions (9 Percent)
Neurological impairments such as multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, cerebral palsy, brain tumors and Parkinson’s disease fall into this category.
Other Conditions
The remainders of the 21 percent of people who are on SSDI benefits suffer from other types of injuries or diseases. These can include cancer, infectious disease, seizures and respiratory illnesses.
For a more extensive breakdown of the 2011 Social Security Disability Insurance Program’s Annual Report visit the following link: http://www.socialsecurity.gov/disability/professionals/procontacts.htm
