If My Injury Didn't Happen at Work, Are Any Benefits Available Besides Welfare or SSI?

Question: How Do I Support My Family If I Got Hurt at Home and Can't Work?

I hurt my back badly and I can't do my job anymore. Unfortunately, the injury was on the weekend, and not at work, so I can't get any compensation or time off work for it. I don't know what I'm going to do. I'm afraid I won't be able to feed my family. What happens if I can't pay my mortgage when I'm injured and unable to work?

I don't want to have to go on welfare or food stamps or SSI. I want to provide for myself. And don't I have to become destitute and lose my house before I go on SSI?

Answer: Benefits Are Available If You're Injured, Can't Work, and Need Money

I'm sorry to hear about your injury. Your anxiety is natural—most people's initial reaction to a disabling injury is the fear that they'll never be able to work again and won't be able to provide for their family. Fortunately, the Social Security Administration (SSA) provides insurance for when you're injured and unable to work.

Social Security Disability Pays Even If You Were Injured Outside of Work

Many people think Social Security just provides retirement benefits, but if you're injured and unable to work long-term, you can start getting your Social Security benefits early. You can actually collect the same amount as you would at full retirement age.

This part of Social Security is called Social Security disability insurance (SSDI), and everyone who's paid FICA taxes (or self-employment taxes) for a number of years has it. It's amazing how many people pay for this insurance but don't know about it; they mistakenly think their only option is SSI, which is only for those with very low incomes.

You shouldn't be uncomfortable applying for Social Security disability insurance, because it's an insurance program you pay for in case something like this happens.

How Much Does SSDI Pay When You Can't Work Due to Injury?

The maximum SSDI benefit this year (2025) is $4,018 (at full retirement age), which is not too shabby, but to earn this amount, you must have worked a number of years earning a fairly good salary. Most people receive much less from SSDI; the average in 2025 is $1,580 per month.

Read about how SSDI benefits are calculated.

If You're Out of Work Due to Injury, Your Family Might Get Benefits Too

Your family might be able to get SSDI benefits if you're found disabled, which can help. Your minor child (or disabled adult child) can receive 50% of your benefit amount. Your spouse who's caring for your child or is of retirement age can receive 50% of your benefit amount. But if more than one dependent receives benefits, there's a family maximum benefit that will limit the amount of cash your family can receive.

When You Can't Work Due to Injury and Need Money Immediately

If your injury is expected to heal within a year, you won't qualify for Social Security disability benefits. But short-term disability benefits might be available through your state government, depending on where you live or your employer if it offers a short-term disability insurance policy.

Here's a table with the difference between SSDI and state government short-term disability benefits.

In addition, some states have recently added paid leave programs, including Connecticut, Oregon, and Washington. Paid leave programs usually compensate you for time off work due to your own inability to work or your need to take care of a family member. These paid leave programs often pay benefits for a shorter period of time than state disability programs, however. Here's a summary of state paid leave programs to date.

Getting Help With Costs While You Wait

If your back injury has caused a long-term impairment, you might qualify for SSDI. The downside of the SSDI program is that, unless your injury is very severe and clear cut (easy to prove with objective medical tests), it can take a long time to get a decision from Social Security.

While you wait for a decision, you might be able to get a loan modification or forbearance on your mortgage or get other forms of temporary assistance. If your lender grants a forbearance, it will suspend your monthly mortgage payments while you're waiting to get disability benefits. Learn about help for homeowners with FHA loans and other assistance with housing costs.

If you use up your savings and don't have another source of income while you wait for SSDI, you might be able to collect presumptive disability benefits through SSI (Supplemental Security Income), just for the months before you receive your disability approval and back pay. (If you eventually get approved for disability benefits, you could be paid back pay benefits to the date you became unable to work, which will add up to a significant lump sum.) SSI recipients can keep their house, household goods, clothing, jewelry, and car and still receive monthly benefits.

Is It Hard to Qualify for SSDI for a Back Injury?

Be forewarned, it's not easy to qualify for SSDI. You must meet Social Security's strict definition of disability, which basically means you can't do a simple, sit-down job for eight hours a day. And to qualify as disabled, Social Security must find that there's no full-time job you can do for at least a year. But if your back problems reduce your capacity to sit, walk, and bend to the point where you can't work a full day, five days in a row, you might qualify for disability. Being over age 50 or 55 can help.

Social Security sees a lot of applications for back problems. Here's a comprehensive discussion of the factors Social Security will look at when determining if you can work despite back pain, including a list of reasons why claims for back problems might get denied.

To find out if your back injury might qualify for disability benefits, you might also want to read our article on the chance of getting disability for back problems.