SSI Disabled Recipients Who Work, 2006

Blind and Disabled Recipients

Chart 1. Number who work, December 1987–2006

The number of blind and disabled recipients who work more than doubled between 1987 and 2006, from 173,000 to 349,000. Initially, the number of participants under sections 1619(a) and 1619(b) were approximately equal. However, participation under section 1619(b) gradually increased to almost six times the initial total, and it now exceeds participation under section 1619(a) by more than five to one. The number of working recipients not participating under either of these provisions has increased by more than 70 percent.

Line chart with tabular version below.
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Table equivalent for Chart 1. Number who work, December 1987–2006 (thousands)
Year 1619(a) 1619(b) Other
1987 14.56 15.63 142.66
1988 19.92 15.63 153.60
1989 25.66 18.25 161.93
1990 13.99 23.52 182.42
1991 15.53 27.26 186.82
1992 17.60 31.65 199.67
1993 20.03 35.30 210.32
1994 24.32 40.68 217.48
1995 28.06 47.00 223.57
1996 31.09 51.91 225.31
1997 34.67 57.09 228.09
1998 37.27 59.54 229.66
1999 25.53 69.27 245.83
2000 27.54 83.57 249.31
2001 22.10 76.46 247.56
2002 17.27 82.18 241.46
2003 17.13 71.10 235.45
2004 17.12 73.68 237.41
2005 17.62 78.21 240.74
2006 17.39 89.35 242.68
 
SOURCE: Tables 1 and 8.
Chart 2. Percentage who work, by state, December 2006

In 13 of the 50 states, mostly in the South and Southeast, less than 5 percent of blind and disabled recipients were working in December 2006. The highest employment rates, 15 percent or more, were in the upper Midwest: Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming.

Map linked to data in table format, provided in the Percentage of all blind and disabled recipients column of Table 2.
SOURCE: Table 2.
Table 1. Number and percentage who work, selected months, 1976–2006
Month All blind and disabled recipients a Recipients who work
Total Receiving SSI b Section 1619(b) participants Total as a percentage of all blind and disabled recipients
December
1976 2,088,242 70,719 70,719 . . . 3.4
1977 2,186,771 83,697 83,697 . . . 3.8
1978 2,249,025 87,697 87,697 . . . 3.9
1979 2,277,859 92,270 92,270 . . . 4.1
1980 2,334,241 99,276 99,276 . . . 4.3
1981 2,340,785 102,632 102,632 . . . 4.4
1982 2,314,364 107,803 102,288 5,515 4.7
1983 2,391,262 113,899 108,734 5,165 4.8
1984 2,499,046 -- -- -- --
1985 2,633,552 -- -- -- --
1986 2,795,756 -- -- -- --
1987 2,945,244 172,855 157,223 15,632 5.9
1988 3,046,074 189,144 173,519 15,625 6.2
1989 3,172,270 205,837 187,583 18,254 6.5
1990 3,386,603 219,932 196,415 23,517 6.5
1991 3,681,050 229,619 202,355 27,264 6.2
1992 4,126,816 248,917 217,268 31,649 6.0
1993 4,544,777 265,649 230,350 35,299 5.8
1994 4,870,564 282,476 241,793 40,683 5.8
1995 5,115,014 298,635 251,633 47,002 5.8
1996 5,252,991 308,300 256,395 51,905 5.9
1997 5,189,724 319,855 262,766 57,089 6.2
1998 5,293,829 326,475 266,933 59,542 6.2
1999 5,317,861 340,618 271,353 69,265 6.4
2000 5,395,935 360,427 276,855 83,572 6.7
2001 5,500,481 346,110 269,655 76,455 6.3
2002 5,618,506 340,910 258,733 82,177 6.1
2003 5,740,683 323,682 252,585 71,097 5.6
2004 5,850,359 328,204 254,523 73,681 5.6
2005 5,977,788 336,570 258,365 78,205 5.6
2006 6,113,277 349,420 260,070 89,350 5.7
2004
March 5,796,837 321,030 251,498 69,532 5.5
June 5,834,265 323,624 250,726 72,898 5.5
September 5,869,004 328,831 253,174 75,657 5.6
December 5,850,359 328,204 254,523 73,681 5.6
2005
March 5,919,765 325,357 251,110 74,247 5.5
June 5,946,966 333,089 253,721 79,368 5.6
September 5,966,290 337,325 257,191 80,134 5.7
December 5,977,788 336,570 258,365 78,205 5.6
2006
March 6,014,109 336,446 257,536 78,910 5.6
June 6,045,960 341,450 258,360 83,090 5.6
September 6,098,112 346,309 259,093 87,216 5.7
December 6,113,277 349,420 260,070 89,350 5.7
SOURCE: Social Security Administration, Supplemental Security Record (Characteristic Extract Record format), 100 percent data.
NOTE: . . . = not applicable; -- = not available.
a. Includes section 1619(b) participants.
b. Includes section 1619(a) participants and SSI recipients earning less than the substantial gainful activity level ($900 effective January 2007).
CONTACT: Clark Pickett (410) 965-9016 or ssi.workers@ssa.gov.
Table 2. Number and percentage who work, by state or other area, December 2006
State or area All blind and disabled recipients Recipients who work
Number Percentage of all blind and disabled recipients
All areas 6,113,277 349,420 5.7
Alabama 149,300 4,268 2.9
Alaska 9,439 621 6.6
Arizona 87,205 4,263 4.9
Arkansas 84,700 3,858 4.6
California 876,326 46,849 5.3
Colorado 49,120 4,102 8.4
Connecticut 47,747 3,941 8.3
Delaware 13,041 969 7.4
District of Columbia 20,021 795 4.0
Florida 331,835 13,435 4.0
Georgia 180,879 7,213 4.0
Hawaii 16,810 926 5.5
Idaho 21,841 2,007 9.2
Illinois 234,207 14,242 6.1
Indiana 96,891 5,911 6.1
Iowa 41,920 6,985 16.7
Kansas 37,313 4,282 11.5
Kentucky 169,732 4,843 2.9
Louisiana 142,044 5,428 3.8
Maine 30,857 2,193 7.1
Maryland 82,612 6,277 7.6
Massachusetts 132,997 9,812 7.4
Michigan 211,639 13,664 6.5
Minnesota 68,020 10,430 15.3
Mississippi 110,460 3,164 2.9
Missouri 112,676 7,635 6.8
Montana 14,577 1,904 13.1
Nebraska 21,214 3,133 14.8
Nevada 26,206 1,814 6.9
New Hampshire 14,003 1,313 9.4
New Jersey 122,884 7,869 6.4
New Mexico 47,370 2,316 4.9
New York 513,648 31,382 6.1
North Carolina 180,285 8,353 4.6
North Dakota 7,438 1,396 18.8
Ohio 242,316 17,170 7.1
Oklahoma 75,688 4,242 5.6
Oregon 55,410 4,227 7.6
Pennsylvania 301,386 16,180 5.4
Rhode Island 27,265 1,641 6.0
South Carolina 94,643 4,859 5.1
South Dakota 11,626 2,114 18.2
Tennessee 147,892 5,352 3.6
Texas 419,516 15,027 3.6
Utah 21,902 2,517 11.5
Vermont 12,753 1,255 9.8
Virginia 120,819 7,198 6.0
Washington 106,134 6,415 6.0
West Virginia 74,621 2,254 3.0
Wisconsin 87,723 10,488 12.0
Wyoming 5,658 875 15.5
Outlying area
Northern Mariana Islands 666 13 2.0
SOURCE: Social Security Administration, Supplemental Security Record (Characteristic Extract Record format), 100 percent data.
NOTE: Includes section 1619(b) participants.
CONTACT: Clark Pickett (410) 965-9016 or ssi.workers@ssa.gov.
Table 3. Percentage distribution of recipients and those who work aged 18–64, by diagnostic group, December 2006
Diagnostic group All blind and disabled recipients Recipients who work a
Total
Number 4,152,130 333,701
Percent 100.0 100.0
Congenital anomalies 0.7 1.5
Endocrine, nutritional, and metabolic diseases 3.4 1.2
Infectious and parasitic diseases 1.6 0.9
Injuries 2.6 1.4
Mental disorders
Retardation 21.6 40.5
Schizophrenia 9.7 7.0
Other 26.8 18.9
Neoplasms 1.2 0.7
Diseases of the—
Blood and blood-forming organs 0.4 0.4
Circulatory system 4.4 1.3
Digestive system 0.9 0.4
Genitourinary system 1.0 0.6
Musculoskeletal system and connective tissue 10.3 3.6
Nervous system and sense organs b 7.8 9.0
Respiratory system 2.0 0.7
Skin and subcutaneous tissue 0.2 0.1
Other 0.2 0.3
Unknown 5.2 11.3
SOURCE: Social Security Administration, Supplemental Security Record (Characteristic Extract Record format), 100 percent data.
a. Includes section 1619(b) participants.
b. Most disabled recipients classified as blind are included in this category. A few blind recipients with a primary impairment other than diseases of the eye are coded in other categories. Also, a few recipients are classified with diseases of the eye, but their impairment does not meet the definition of blindness.
CONTACT: Clark Pickett (410) 965-9016 or ssi.workers@ssa.gov.
Table 4. Number and percentage of recipients, those who work, and section 1619(b) participants aged 18–64, by age, December 2006
Age All blind and disabled recipients a Recipients who work Section 1619(b) participants
Number Percent Number Percentage of all blind and disabled recipients Number Percentage of all blind and disabled recipients
Total 4,238,519 100.0 333,701 7.9 86,389 2.0
18–21 304,948 7.2 33,863 11.1 3,784 1.2
22–29 539,439 12.7 85,238 15.8 22,558 4.2
30–39 671,409 15.8 76,904 11.5 23,155 3.4
40–49 1,056,432 24.9 73,613 7.0 21,331 2.0
50–59 1,167,963 27.6 49,920 4.3 12,265 1.1
60–64 498,328 11.8 14,163 2.8 3,296 0.7
SOURCE: Social Security Administration, Supplemental Security Record (Characteristic Extract Record format), 100 percent data.
a. Includes section 1619(b) participants.
CONTACT: Clark Pickett (410) 965-9016 or ssi.workers@ssa.gov.
Table 5. Number in December 2005, by program status and earnings in December 2006
Program status in December 2005 Total Receiving payments in December 2006 Not receiving payments in December 2006
Section 1619(a) Have earnings No earnings Ineligible because of earned income Other excess income Other nonpay
Section 1619(b) Reasons no longer eligible
Do not need or use Medicaid Can pay for equivalent coverage Both
All blind and disabled recipients 5,931,220 16,537 228,838 5,169,888 84,226 355 92 159 120,918 310,207
Receiving payments
Section 1619(a) 17,694 6,658 2,460 3,921 2,773 33 2 12 734 1,101
Have earnings 241,863 2,835 179,421 32,759 9,077 50 7 11 6,622 11,081
No earnings 5,593,327 5,454 43,099 5,122,983 20,937 113 20 34 107,178 293,509
Not receiving payments
Section 1619(b) 78,336 1,590 3,858 10,225 51,439 159 63 102 6,384 4,516
SOURCE: Social Security Administration, Supplemental Security Record (Characteristic Extract Record format), 100 percent data.
CONTACT: Clark Pickett (410) 965-9016 or ssi.workers@ssa.gov.