June 2021 SSD Benefits Statistics Report

The June 2021 SSD benefits statistics report from the Social Security Administration (SSA) is here, so let’s dive in. Their monthly report shows how disability pay and beneficiary numbers changed during the last 30 days. Looking at this statistical snapshot lets people on disability compare their own payments against the national average. Our analysis always features data from both federal disability programs: Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI).

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June 2021 SSD Benefits Statistics Report Numbers

Total Number of Social Security Disability Beneficiaries: 9,486,000

Disabled Workers: 8,076,000

Spouses of Disabled Workers: 102,000

Children of Disabled Workers: 1,309,000

Average Monthly Social Security Disability Benefit Amount: $1,149.29

Disabled Workers: $1,280.42

Spouses of Disabled Workers: $359.08

Children of Disabled Workers: $401.51

How the June 2021 SSD Benefits Statistics Report Affects Beneficiaries

Unsurprisingly, the June 2021 SSD benefits statistics report shows 61,000 fewer total beneficiaries compared to last month. But here’s a more interesting number: There are now 358,000 fewer SSD recipients this month than a year ago in June of 2020. That number’s just a little less than the total population of Cleveland, Ohio! Interestingly, the SSA struck far more children of disabled workers off this month’s payment rolls than their parents. That category lost 34,000 total beneficiaries, while 26,000 fewer disabled workers got payments this month compared to May. Finally, we noted 1,000 fewer husbands and wives of disabled workers getting SSD payments during the last 30 days:

Despite these massive monthly drops in SSD beneficiaries, the SSA does approve new applicants during these periods, too. Here’s how many new claimants qualified for benefits in June 2021:

• 46,402 disabled workers (24,539 men and 21,863 women)
• 2,095 spousal beneficiaries (259 husbands and 1,836 wives)
• 16,778 children of disabled workers (including 1,145 disabled kids)

Once you add these numbers up with this month’s losses, it shows 126,275 people stopped getting benefits since May. These 65,275 newly approved SSD claimants simply helped narrow that gap.

June 2021 SSD Benefits Statistics: Looking Deeper at the Monetary Stats

Pay amounts in the June 2021 SSD benefits statistics report rose for all groups except children of disabled workers. Average payments for that beneficiary category fell $.87 since May’s report came out. SSD benefits for disabled workers rose $.25 since May, while average payments to spouses increased $.16 this month. Overall, the average SSD payment nationwide increased $2.50 in June compared to last month:

So, why did average SSD payments increase so much while each category’s benefit payment went up less than one dollar? All those newly approved claimants for June almost certainly earned much higher monthly average wages prior to becoming disabled. As a result, the average SSD payment for people approved in the last 30 days is also statistically higher. In other words, if the SSA approved your disability claim months or years ago, your benefits are likely lower. Here’s how much in SSD benefits each new claimant group got approved for in June 2021, on average:

• $390.78/month for children of disabled workers
• $364.47/month for spousal beneficiaries ($325.33/month for husbands, $369.99/month for wives)
• $1,461.75/month for disabled workers ($1,607.19 for men, $1,298.50 for women)

Disabled workers approved during the last 30 days received 15% more in SSD benefits compared to the current national average.

Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Data in the June 2021 Report

The June 2021 SSD benefits statistics report also includes SSI beneficiaries and average payments broken down by age groups. Only seniors at least 65 years old gained new SSI beneficiaries between May and June:

Total SSI beneficiaries: 7,818,000 (-16,000)

Children under 18 receiving SSI: 1,075,000 (-6,000)

SSI recipients aged 18-64: 4,467,000 (-11,000)

SSI recipients aged 65+: 2,276,000 (+1,000)

While total SSI beneficiaries fell, the SSA also approved new claimants from May to June. Here’s how those numbers break down:

• 45,576 total SSI beneficiaries
• 6,498 seniors at least 65 years old, based on age and financial status
• 28,912 blind or disabled working-age adults (i.e., 18-64 years old)
• 9,988 blind or disabled children younger than 18
• 168 blind or disabled seniors aged 65+

You May Qualify for Legal Assistance

A Social Security attorney filing your claim makes you 3x more likely to get disability benefits on your first try. People who qualify for legal assistance through this website typically get a first lump-sum payment of $12,000 plus monthly benefits. Think you’re better off applying on your own without a lawyer? In fact, the only first-time applicants that usually get approved without a lawyer have terminal illnesses like pancreatic cancer.

Attorneys charge you nothing up front to file your paperwork. And they’re happy to answer all your claim questions for free over the phone! We can connect you with a local, contingency-based disability advocate who’ll call you at home right away. That means if the SSA doesn’t award you benefits, then you pay $0 for legal assistance. And if you do win, then you’ll only pay a small, one-time fee.

Ready to see if you may qualify? Click the button below to start your free online benefits evaluation now!

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