The December 2023 SSD benefits statistics report numbers from the Social Security Administration (SSA) are here, so let’s review. We’ll explain current benefit pay amounts and how the number of people getting disability changed during the last 30 days. If you’re disabled and cannot work, you can apply for one of two federal disability assistance programs.
Now, let’s look at the newest updates from both Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) programs.
December 2023 SSD Benefits Statistics Report
Total Number of Social Security Disability Beneficiaries: 8,514,000
Disabled Workers: 7,366,000
Spouses of Disabled Workers: 88,000
Children of Disabled Workers: 1,060,000
Average Monthly Social Security Disability Benefit Amount: $1,395.49
Disabled Workers: $1,537.13
Spouses of Disabled Workers: $420.07
Children of Disabled Workers: $491.99
How the December 2023 SSD Benefits Statistics Report Affects Beneficiaries
Social Security disability recipients are still in decline, according to the December 2023 SSD benefits statistics report. Today, there are 25,000 fewer people getting these payments compared to what we saw for November. Disabled workers made up 24,000 of these losses, while children and spouses each lost a few hundred from their groups:
So, how do these numbers look compared to this time last year? Since December 2022, the total number of people on Social Security disability fell by 327,000.
But remember, the Social Security Administration is constantly awarding new people benefits each month, too. Here’s a quick look at who got SSD benefits in the last month of 2023:
- 52,214 disabled workers (27,893 men and 24,321 women)
- 2,364 spouses (242 husbands and 2,122 wives)
- 20,510 children
December 2023 SSD Benefits Statistics: Looking Deeper at the Monetary Stats
The December 2023 SSD benefits statistics report shows the new 2024 COLA increase going into effect. This 2024 Social Security disability raise bumped payments to disabled workers up $47.87 compared to November. Average SSD payments to husbands and wives rose $12.47 in December. Children also saw a modest pay increase of $15.88 this month. Overall, that brings the average national SSD payment up $43.24 during this 30-day period:
If the Social Security Administration approved your claim this month, here are December 2023’s average benefit amounts for each group:
- $1,717.98 to disabled workers ($1,876.58 to men, $1,536.09 to women)
- $441.24 to spouses ($348.06 to husbands and $451.87 to wives)
- $496.07 to children of disabled workers
- $2,720 to disabled worker families with one or more children at home
What a difference a year makes: Disabled workers get $234.88 more in SSD now than they did in December 2022.
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Numbers in the December 2023 Report
The December 2023 SSD benefits statistics report also tracks who gets Supplemental Security Income payments and how much each month. This month’s report shows a decline across all groups other than those aged 65 and older:
Total people on SSI: 7,425,000 (-6,000)
Children younger than 18: 983,000 (-2,000)
People aged 18-64: 4,039,000 (-10,000)
SSI recipients aged 65+: 2,403,000 (+7,000)
The following are December 2023’s monthly average SSI amounts by age:
- $674.50 (average across all groups)
- $793.21 for children
- $718.41 for those 18-64 years old
- $552.29 for individuals at least 65 years old (i.e., awards based on age, not disability or being blind)
How to Get Free Expert Help Qualifying for Social Security Disability Benefits
The SSA is nearly 3x more likely to award you benefits within 6 months when a lawyer files your claim. Even better: If the Social Security Administration doesn’t award you any money, then you pay your lawyer $0!
Want to hear whether you’ll qualify for benefits before you spend time and effort filing your claim? We can have a nearby expert call you for a free claim review to answer your questions. Our free service has helped over half a million people qualify for disability in the past two years. It all starts with one free phone call!
Click the button below for a fast, easy online benefits quiz and see if you may qualify for free expert help:
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Lori Polemenakos is Director of Consumer Content and SEO strategist for LeadingResponse, a legal marketing company. An award-winning journalist, writer and editor based in Dallas, Texas, she's produced articles for major brands such as Match.com, Yahoo!, MSN, AOL, Xfinity, Mail.com, and edited several published books. Since 2016, she's published hundreds of articles about Social Security disability, workers' compensation, veterans' benefits, personal injury, mass tort, auto accident claims, bankruptcy, employment law and other related legal issues.