I lost income and need money coming in. Cash assistance, unemployment pay, and disability income pathways.
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The main pathways for cash and work, soonest help first.
Weekly payments while you look for work after losing a job through no fault of your own. Each state runs its own programme; file as soon as you can, because payments usually start from when you file.
May be requested: Social Security number, Employment history for the last 18 months, Reason the job ended, Bank details for payment.
Monthly cash for families with children on very low incomes, plus help getting back into work. Amounts, time limits and rules differ sharply between states.
May be requested: ID for everyone in the household, Proof of income and savings, Proof of where you live, Children's birth certificates.
Healthcare, disability compensation, pensions, housing help and education benefits for veterans and some family members. Worth checking even if you were told no in the past — rules have widened in recent years.
May be requested: DD214 or other discharge paperwork, Social Security number, Medical records.
Monthly payments for people who are 65 or older, blind, or disabled and who have very little income and savings. Separate from disability payments based on your work history.
Decisions commonly take months, and a first refusal is not the end — many people succeed on appeal.
May be requested: Social Security number, Birth certificate, Medical records and doctors’ contact details, Bank statements and proof of income.
Monthly payments if a disability stops you working and you have paid enough into Social Security through past jobs.
May be requested: Social Security number, Work history, Medical records, test results and doctors’ contact details.
Most of these are federal programs run by your state, so the application, the timeline and the office you deal with are all your state's. Pick your state to see its own pages and what it calls each program.
Full state guide with official application links.
Full state guide with official application links.
Full state guide with official application links.
Requirements differ by state and program, and this is a superset rather than a checklist you must complete. Not having something is a reason to ask what the alternatives are, not a reason to give up on the application.