Disability benefits in New York

SSI (Supplemental Security Income)

• Federal SSI maximum, individual (monthly): $994 ^[1] Last verified 2026-11-12
• Federal SSI maximum, couple (monthly): $1,491 ^[2] Last verified 2026-11-12
• Who pays the state SSI supplement: The state pays it ^[3] Last verified 2026-11-12
• State-administered supplement amounts: Not verified ^[4] Last verified 2026-11-12
• SSI recipients: 552,911 ^[5] Last verified 2026-11-12
• Average monthly SSI payment: $695.56 ^[6] Last verified 2026-11-12
• Recipients of SSA-paid state supplement: Not verified ^[7] Last verified 2026-11-12
• SSI recipients who are blind or disabled: 439,222 ^[8] Last verified 2026-11-12
• SSI recipients under age 18: 69,331 ^[9] Last verified 2026-11-12
• SSI recipients also receiving Social Security: 187,289 ^[10] Last verified 2026-11-12

SSDI (Social Security Disability Insurance)

• SSDI disabled-worker beneficiaries: 411,652 ^[1] Last verified 2026-11-12
• Total monthly SSDI benefits to disabled workers: $702,232,000 ^[2] Last verified 2026-11-12
• Average monthly SSDI benefit (disabled workers): $1,705.89 Estimate ssdi.totalMonthlyBenefits / ssdi.disabledWorkerBeneficiaries^[3] Last verified 2026-11-12
• Spouses and children receiving SSDI family benefits: 61,049 Estimate Table 2 Disability Spouses + Disability Children^[4] Last verified 2026-11-12

Disability decisions, last 12 months

• Initial disability claims received (12 months): 145,406 Estimate Sum of monthly Receipts (All Initial), FY2026^[1] Last verified 2026-11-12
• Initial disability decisions (12 months): 130,237 Estimate Sum of monthly Determinations (All Initial), FY2026^[2] Last verified 2026-11-12
• Initial claims approved (12 months): 46,807 Estimate Sum of monthly Allowances (All Initial), FY2026^[3] Last verified 2026-11-12
• Initial approval rate (12 months): 35.9% Estimate dds.favorableDeterminations / dds.determinations x 100 (initial claims, FY2026)^[4] Last verified 2026-11-12
• Reconsideration approval rate (12 months): 14.3% Estimate Sum of Allowances (All Recon) / Sum of Determinations (All Recon) x 100, FY2026^[5] Last verified 2026-11-12
• Initial claims pending: 37,717 ^[6] Last verified 2026-11-12
• Backlog estimate (months of work): 3.5 months Estimate dds.pending / (dds.determinations / 12): months of backlog at the FY2026 pace. Not an official processing time.^[7] Last verified 2026-11-12

State short-term disability / paid medical leave

• State short-term disability or paid medical leave program: Yes ^[1] Last verified 2026-11-12
• Program name: Disability Benefits Law (DBL) coverage ^[2] Last verified 2026-11-12
• Maximum weekly benefit: $170 ^[3] Last verified 2026-11-12
• Maximum duration: Up to 26 weeks in any 52 consecutive weeks ^[4] Last verified 2026-11-12
• Waiting period: 7-day unpaid waiting period ^[5] Last verified 2026-11-12
• Payroll contribution: Not verified ^[6] Last verified 2026-11-12
• Program website: https://www.wcb.ny.gov/content/main/DisabilityBenefits/employee-eligibility-benefits.jsp ^[7] Last verified 2026-11-12

Medicaid buy-in

• Medicaid buy-in for working people with disabilities: Yes ^[1] Last verified 2026-11-12
• Buy-in income limit: $3,325 per month (individual) ^[2] Last verified 2026-11-12
• Buy-in asset limit: $33,038 (individual) ^[3] Last verified 2026-11-12
• Buy-in premiums: Not verified ^[4] Last verified 2026-11-12

Population

• Disability prevalence (Census ACS): Not verified ^[1] Last verified 2026-11-12

Disability decisions, fiscal year 2024

• FY2024 favorable determination rate, all claims: 38.86% ^[1] Last verified 2026-11-12
• FY2024 adult favorable determination rate: 35.58% ^[2] Last verified 2026-11-12
• FY2024 SSI child allowance rate: 57.11% ^[3] Last verified 2026-11-12
• Share of adults 18-64 receiving SSA disability benefits (FY2024): 5.18% ^[4] Last verified 2026-11-12

How much is SSI in New York in 2026?

The federal SSI maximum is $994 per month for one person and $1,491 for a couple. New York runs its own supplement program, which Social Security does not pay; check with the state agency. From January of next year the federal maximum rises to $1,029.

What is the average SSI payment in New York?

In December of last year, 552,911 people in New York received SSI, and the average federally administered payment was $695.56 per month.

What is the SSDI approval rate in New York?

In federal fiscal year ending this September, New York's disability determination agency approved 35.9% of the initial disability claims it decided and 14.3% of reconsiderations. These rates cover SSDI and SSI disability claims together.

How long does a disability decision take in New York?

Social Security does not publish an average initial decision time by state. New York had 37,717 initial claims pending, which at the recent pace is roughly 3.5 months months of work. Treat this as an estimate.

What is the average SSDI payment in New York?

411,652 disabled workers in New York received Social Security disability benefits, averaging about $1,705.89 per month in December of last year.

Does New York have state short-term disability?

Yes. New York has Disability Benefits Law (DBL) coverage, which pays up to $170 per week to eligible workers who cannot work because of their own serious health condition. Duration: Up to 26 weeks in any 52 consecutive weeks.

Can I keep Medicaid while working with a disability in New York?

Yes. New York has a Medicaid buy-in for working people with disabilities. Income limit: $3,325 per month (individual).