Can You Receive Disability for Rheumatoid Arthritis?

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a condition that causes your immune system to attack the membranes surrounding your joints, causing painful swelling and inflammation. It usually starts in the hand and feet joints and later progresses to other areas, including the wrists, knees, hips, and shoulders. Although your chances of getting RA increase with age, children can also be diagnosed with a form of the disorder. Other contributing factors include sex (women are at a higher risk of RA), smoking, obesity, and genetics.

Symptoms of RA include swollen or stiff joints, fatigue, fever, and appetite loss. Firm lumps, called rheumatoid nodules, can form around the affected joints, limiting motion. Over time, RA can cause bone loss, joint deformity, and inflammation in the lungs, heart, and blood vessels. Doctors don't yet have a cure for RA, but the disorder can be managed with treatments such as physical therapy, medications, and surgery to repair damaged joints.

Is Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) Considered a Disability?

If your rheumatoid arthritis causes severe functional limitations that keep you from working full-time for at least one year, you should be able to get Social Security disability. You can qualify for benefits either by meeting the requirements of a Blue Book listing or by being unable to perform any jobs on a consistent basis.

Qualifying for Benefits Under the Medical Listing for Arthritis

Social Security considers certain medical conditions (the "Listing of Impairments") to be especially severe—so much so that if you meet the requirements of a listed impairment, you'll qualify for disability automatically, without needing to show that no jobs exist that you can do.

The agency can evaluate applications ("claims") for disability based on RA under listing 14.09 for inflammatory arthritis. The listing is pretty complex, but does provide several methods for a claimant with RA to qualify for benefits automatically. Specifically, your records must contain evidence of one of the following "bundles" of medical signs and symptoms:

• You have rheumatoid arthritis in at least one joint in your legs (foot, ankle, knee, or hip) and you have a documented medical need for a walker, two canes or crutches, or a wheelchair requiring both hands.
• You have RA in at least one joint in your legs and you can't use one of your arms to complete work-related activities. You must have documentation that you need to use the other hand for a hand-held device (cane) or a wheelchair involving the use of one hand.
• Your RA affects joints in both of your arms or hands, preventing you from performing many types of tasks with your arms or hands (such as reaching in all directions or picking up small objects).
• You have inflammation or permanent damage in one or more major joints (could be in an arm or a leg), as well as "moderately severe" issues with two more organs or body systems. These issues must cause at least two "constitutional signs or symptoms," meaning severe fatigue, fever, malaise (general discomfort), and involuntary weight loss.
• You have ankylosing spondylitis (fused vertebrae) or a similar joint issue that causes your spine to be curved at a severely abnormal angle (45 degrees from vertical)
• You have ankylosing spondylitis that causes abnormal curvature of your spine by at least 30 degrees, along with "moderately severe" issues with two more organs or body systems.
• You experience repeated RA flare-ups with at least two constitutional symptoms that cause "marked" limitations in your daily activities, social functioning, or ability to complete tasks in a timely manner.

Because listing 14.09 is so technical, you should consider asking your physician or rheumatologist to go over the listing requirements with you to see whether you meet them. If your doctor thinks that you qualify for disability under listing 14.09, ask if they'd be willing to complete a medical source statement to that effect. Social Security values the opinions of doctors who've treated you for a long time and have special insight into the nature of your RA.

Qualifying for Disability With RA Using the Medical-Vocational Guidelines

If you have RA but don't meet any of the strict criteria above from the listing for inflammatory arthritis, you could still qualify for disability benefits if Social Security finds you're unable to do any consistent, full-time work. The process by which the agency evaluates your ability to work is called assessing your residual functional capacity (RFC). Your RFC is a set of restrictions that represent the maximum amount of activities you're physically and mentally able to do at a job.

What's in Your RFC?

Your RFC will likely contain exertional (strength-related) limitations on how much weight you can lift and carry as well as how long you can sit, stand, and walk. Social Security divides exertional limitations into five categories—sedentary, light, medium, heavy, or very heavy—ranging from most to least restrictive. Somebody who is physically capable of lifting 20 pounds and standing for most of the day will have an RFC for light work, while someone who can't lift more than 10 pounds and needs to remain seated for the majority of the workday will have an RFC for sedentary work.

Your RFC can also include non-exertional limitations that further restrict the types of jobs you can do. For example, if you have rheumatoid arthritis in your shoulders, you might not be able to reach overhead. Swelling and pain in your fingers can limit the amount of activities involving fine manipulation (like typing or pressing buttons) you can do. Needing to frequently change positions from sitting to standing or standing to reclining also reduces the number of jobs you can perform.

Here's an example of an RFC that Social Security might give a disability claimant who has extensive, painful rheumatoid arthritis:

The more severe your RA symptoms are, the more restrictions you'll have in your RFC. If you can't sit or stand for more than two hours in a workday because of inflamed and painful joints, Social Security will likely give you a sedentary RFC, limiting you to sit-down jobs. Any additional limitations in your RFC will "erode the occupational base" of sedentary work. If these limitations are significant enough that no jobs remain that you can safely perform, Social Security will award you disability benefits.

How Does Social Security Use Your RFC?

Social Security will first compare your RFC with the demands of your past relevant work to determine whether you could still do that job today. If you can return to your past jobs, the agency won't find that you're disabled, and will deny your claim. But if you can't do your past work, Social Security still needs to see whether there are any other jobs you can do despite the limitations in your current RFC.

Claimants who can perform a "full range" (meaning they don't have any non-exertional limitations) of sedentary work are unlikely to get approved for benefits because Social Security will say there are some jobs they can do, like small parts assembler. But claimants over the age of 50 might qualify for benefits even if they can do the full range of sedentary jobs because the agency doesn't always expect that they can switch to a new occupation. For more information, see our article on the medical-vocational rules.

Medical Evidence You Need to Get Disability for RA

The base upon which Social Security evaluates your claim is your medical evidence. Your medical evidence includes clinical notes from your doctors, hospital admission and discharge summaries from any surgical procedures, a list of your prescribed medications, and notes from your visits for physical therapy or vocational rehabilitation.

Social Security uses the information contained in the most recent edition of the Primer on Rheumatoid Arthritis, published by the Arthritis Foundation, when evaluating RA disability claims. In general, to get disability for RA, your records must reflect the following:

• a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis
• doctor's notes that reflect the frequency and severity of your symptoms
• blood test results indicating the likelihood of RA, such as a positive rheumatoid factor and antinuclear antibody (ANA) findings
• the history of any treatments you've tried and what the results were, and
• objective medical imaging (such as X-rays or MRIs) or those that measure the range of motion of your spine.

If Social Security needs more information about your RA, you may be asked to attend an independent consultative examination (on the agency's dime). But because consultative exams are snapshots of your physical health, they can't provide a comprehensive assessment of your symptoms and limitations. Having the above medical records in your case file provides supportive evidence of your disability even if the examining doctor catches you on a good day.

How Hard Is It to Get Disability for Rheumatoid Arthritis?

Social Security doesn't provide statistics on the number of claimants approved specifically for RA. But according to the agency's most recent Annual Statistical Reports, as of December 2023, around 30% of people receiving SSDI benefits and 12% of people on SSI were approved based on musculoskeletal and connective tissue diseases, a broad category that includes rheumatoid arthritis. This category represents the most awarded diagnostic group by far. (In comparison, claims for the second most commonly awarded diagnostic group—nervous system and sense organ disorders—were approved about 10% of the time).

Even if you have a strong case for disability based on your RA, Social Security will still probably deny your initial application—only about 37% of applications are initially approved, so it's likely that you'll need to appeal. Below are some tips to help improve your chances of getting benefits.

• Get on the same page as your doctor. It's important to have open and honest discussions with your doctor about your symptoms and limitations—not just for your disability claim, but for your health as well. Social Security will be looking at your doctor's treatment notes to see if your documented symptoms and tests match what you claim on your application.
• Comply with your treatment plan. Social Security wants to see that you're doing everything you can to improve your condition. If you don't follow your doctor's recommendations or take your medications as prescribed, you'll probably be denied.
• Acknowledge other medical conditions. It's not uncommon for people with severe arthritis (or any other condition causing chronic pain) to also experience depression or anxiety. You may have another physical condition like heart disease, a digestive disorder, or diabetes that also limits your functioning. Social Security has to consider how your combined impairments affect your ability to work, so it's important to list all your health issues on your application—not just the one you think is the most severe.

For more information on how you can increase your odds at every level of the Social Security appeals process, see our articles covering additional tips for winning your disability case.

How Much Does Disability (SSDI or SSI) Pay for Rheumatoid Arthritis?

Social Security payments aren't calculated according to the kind of disabling medical condition you have. If you're awarded benefits for rheumatoid arthritis, you'll receive the same amount as you would if you had bipolar disorder or congestive heart failure. Instead, your monthly payment will depend on the type of benefit you're approved for—Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI).

SSDI eligibility is based on your work history and earnings record. For 2025, the maximum monthly amount you can receive in SSDI is $4,018. However, the average monthly benefit paid to SSDI recipients is much lower, at around $1,580. This is because your actual benefit check is calculated from your average lifetime wages, which varies significantly between individuals.

SSI eligibility is based on having income and assets below a certain (low) threshold. In 2025, you can get up to $967 per month in SSI, minus any countable income you have for that month. Some states also offer modest supplemental benefits for SSI recipients. While Social Security doesn't offer a special living allowance for people with rheumatoid arthritis, if you're on SSI, you may also qualify for other benefits, such as help paying for housing or assisted living costs.

Applying for Social Security Disability With RA

Filling an application for disability benefits is fairly straightforward. You have several methods available to apply for SSDI or SSI benefits. Many people prefer to file online using Social Security's web portal, but you can also call 800-772-1213 (TTY 800-325-0778) to speak with a representative or go in person to your local Social Security field office.

Once your application is complete, Social Security sends your file to your state's Disability Determination Services (DDS) office. Here, a claims examiner will request and review your medical records and may call you for an interview or send you additional paperwork to complete. When the examiner feels that your file has sufficient evidence to make a decision, Social Security will notify you of the decision by mail. This normally takes three to four months but could take longer.

Getting Legal Help for Your Disability Claim

If you receive a denial letter and your condition has worsened, or you think your case is strong enough to win an appeal, consider contacting an experienced disability lawyer. Social Security is more likely to approve your claim when you have legal representation. From your initial application all the way up to a hearing in front of an administrative law judge, your attorney will know how to present your case in the most favorable light. And because most disability lawyers work on contingency, you'll have little, if any, up-front costs.