Social Security Administration Unveils New Simplified SSI Application Process

The Social Security Administration (SSA) has announced an advancement in its ongoing efforts to streamline the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) application process. Starting in December 2024, the SSA will introduce an online, simplified application for select applicants as part of its broader initiative to make the SSI application more accessible and less burdensome.

This new online tool, known as the iClaim expansion, is designed to create a fully digital and user-friendly experience for applicants. It features user-tested, plain-language questions, prepopulated answers where applicable, and a step-by-step interface aimed at reducing both the time required to complete an application and the processing time for initial decisions. Initially, the iClaim expansion will be available to first-time applicants between 18 and 65 years old who are unmarried and applying for both Social Security benefits and SSI.

The SSA plans to expand the iClaim application to all applicants by late 2025. Future phases will also include a simplified child SSI application and improvements to in-person, phone, mobile, and paper-based processes.