February 2024 SSD benefits statistics are now out from the Social Security Administration (SSA). This monthly update tracks how disability pay amounts and how many people got benefits changed during the last 30 days. If you can’t work for health reasons, one of two federal disability assistance programs can potentially help provide some income. Below, we’ll analyze the latest Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program numbers for you.
February 2024 SSD Benefits Statistics Report
Total Number of Social Security Disability Beneficiaries: 8,445,000
Disabled Workers: 7,303,000
Spouses of Disabled Workers: 86,000
Children of Disabled Workers: 1,056,000
Average Monthly Social Security Disability Benefit Amount: $1,395.09
Disabled Workers: $1,536.95
Spouses of Disabled Workers: $418.90
Children of Disabled Workers: $493.38
How the February 2024 SSD Benefits Statistics Report Affects Beneficiaries
First, we notice a loss of 29,000 total Social Security beneficiaries in the February 2024 SSD benefits statistics report. Of the nearly 30,000 fewer people getting payments versus January, most are disabled workers (down 27,000). Husbands and wives getting SSD through a spouse also lost another 1,000 people from active payment rolls. The final loss of 1,000 people on benefits since January comes from children of disabled workers:
The Social Security Administration also awarded the following people SSD benefits for the first time in February 2024:
- 46,813 disabled workers (25,098 men and 21,715 women)
- 2,230 spouses (239 husbands and 1,991 wives)
- 17,605 children of disabled workers
February 2024 SSD Benefits Statistics: Looking Deeper at the Monetary Stats
The February 2024 SSD benefits statistics report also shows average payments to disabled workers and those workers’ eligible dependents. During the past 30 days, average Social Security disability payments to disabled workers fell $.08. However, both spouses ($.25) and children ($.60) saw benefit pay increases compared to January. Nationwide, the current SSD payment across all groups, on average, went down $.24 for the month of February:
Wondering why these pay amounts change every month? Each benefits check is based on how much money someone earned during their working years. When average amounts go up, that means people newly awarded benefits had higher job earnings before they stopped working. And when average pay amounts go down, it means people who earned less (or have more dependents) joined that group.
Newly approved Social Security disability claims can expect the following average pay amounts starting in March 2024:
- $1,719.18 to disabled workers ($1,875.61 for men, and $1,538.37 for women)
- $432.28 to eligible spouses ($342.82 for husbands, and $443.02 for wives)
- $496.07 to children of disabled workers
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Numbers in the February 2024 Report
The February 2024 SSD benefits statistics report also tracks this month’s Supplemental Security Income program updates. See how many people draw SSI benefits today versus last month and their average pay amounts in our list below. Since January, every age group on Supplemental Security Income shrank except for individuals aged 65 and older:
Total people now on SSI: 7,418,000 (-17,000)
Children younger than 18: 990,000 (-2,000)
People aged 18-64: 4,019,000 (-15,000)
SSI recipients aged 65+: 2,409,000 (no change since January)
The following are average Supplemental Security Income payments for each age group in February 2024:
- $696.80 (all program participants)
- $808.02 for children
- $742.67 for people 18-64 years old
- $574.62 for people who are at least 65 (i.e., awards based on age, not disability status)
How to Get Free Expert Help Qualifying for Disability
The SSA is nearly 3x more likely to award you benefits within 6 months when a lawyer helps you apply. And if the SSA rejects your claim, then you owe your disability attorney $0.
Every lawyer we connect you with offers free consultations to explain whether you’ll qualify for disability benefits before you apply. Our free service has helped millions of people get the help they need qualifying for federal benefits. People who apply on their own without expert help are usually denied or wait years for their first payments.
Click the button below for a fast, easy online quiz to 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.