Getting Disability Benefits (SSDI and SSI) for Autism

Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects communication and social interaction skills. Autism is thought to be present from birth and is usually recognized by three years of age. Asperger's syndrome and "pervasive development disorder—not otherwise specified" (PDD-NOS) are often included on the "autism spectrum." Not everyone with autism displays the same behaviors.

Children with autism may be able to qualify for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits if their symptoms are severe enough and their families meet the SSI income and asset limits. Adults with autism can also qualify for disability benefits—whether through the SSI program or from Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)—depending on their work history and earnings record.

Is Autism a Disability?

Not always. There are many signs and symptoms of autism—such as trouble with communication and repetitive behaviors— that manifest to varying degrees from person to person. Some people with autism may be able to function quite well independently, while others might need extra support to complete their daily routine.

Social Security awards disability benefits to adults who have a medical condition that keeps them from working full-time for at least one year. Children can get disability if their condition "meets or functionally equals" a listed impairment. In practice, this means that only people with significant limitations as a result of autism will qualify for disability. The more intense your (or your child's) symptoms are, the more likely you'll be eligible for SSDI or SSI.

Communication Symptoms

Children and adults with autism often have trouble communicating with others. Such symptoms can include a lack of responsiveness—for example, not answering questions when asked—or unusual gestures. Estimates of the number of autistic children who are nonverbal or minimally verbal (meaning they don't develop speech and communication enough to meet the needs of daily life) range from 25% to 35%. Children don't need to be nonverbal to be found disabled.

Restrictive or Ritual Behaviors

Many people with autism make involuntary motor movements ("tics") such as rocking, head rolling, hand flapping, and rapid blinking. They may also feel compelled to engage in ritual behaviors ("stimming") such as rearranging objects, and can be very resistant to changes in their environment, needing to do things in the same way and at the same time every day. Some children with severe autism may be prone to unusual responses to sensory stimuli and self-injury, such as biting themselves or pulling hair.

Highly Specialized Interests

Adults and children with autism often have a very intense focus on a specific interest—for example, a particular city's public transportation system—that takes up much of their time and mental energy, beyond what's usually typical of a hobby. This can sometimes interfere detrimentally with other areas of life, such as school, if the child is unable to divert their attention toward things that don't interest them as much.

How to Get SSI for a Child With Autism

When a child has a number of the symptoms above and they prevent the child from learning, interacting, focusing, or taking care of themselves, they may meet or equal one of Social Security's "listings" and be approved for disability benefits. Listing 112.10 for autism spectrum disorder requires that a child's medical records include documentation of all of the following:

• deficits in social interaction
• deficits in verbal and nonverbal communication, and
• significantly restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities.

If all three signs are documented, Social Security will look to see whether the child's functioning is severely limited by autism. The child must either have an "extreme" limitation in one (or a "marked" limitation in two) of the following areas:

• cognitive and communicative functioning (understanding, remembering, or using information)
• interacting with others
• focusing on activities, and
• adapting or managing oneself.

"Extreme" functional limitations are worse than "marked." "Extreme" is the rating given to the most severe limitations—it describes a very high degree of restricted functioning. "Marked" is less serious than "extreme," but still represents significant difficulty in the above areas.

Cognitive and Communicative Functioning

Cognitive and communicative functioning includes the ability to learn, remember, and use information; follow instructions; solve problems; and use reason to make decisions. A child's ability in these areas can be measured through the use of standardized testing appropriate for their age and special tests for language development or speech pattern development. For example, one primary sign of limited cognitive function is a valid IQ score (either full scale, verbal, or performance) of 70 or less.

Interacting With Others

This functional area encompasses a child's capacity to form and keep relationships (with peers, parents, and other adults), such as the ability to engage in interactive play, cooperate with others, maintain friendships, handle conflicts, initiate or sustain conversation, and understand social cues. Impairments in social functioning may result in physically aggressive behavior, inappropriate response to authority figures, social isolation, and even lack of speech.

Focusing on Activities

When assessing a child's limitations in focusing, Social Security will look for evidence about their ability to concentrate on a task, to stick with it, and to maintain a pace at the task that would be considered an age-appropriate level. This is measured both by observing the child and also measured by results obtained from standardized testing.

Adapting or Managing Oneself

This is a bit of a catch-all category for activities that aren't covered in the previous areas but still have a significant impact on the child's well-being, such as the ability to regulate emotions, control behavior, avoid danger, and maintain personal hygiene. Social Security looks to both teachers' and doctors' observations of the child's self-care skills—like being able to feed themselves and go to the bathroom when necessary—to determine the child's ability to manage their behavior in an age-appropriate way.

How to Apply for SSI for a Child With Autism

While the Social Security Administration has recently expanded its online disability application process for SSI applicants, the agency still requires childhood SSI applicants to apply in person or over the phone. You can call 800-772-1213 (TTY 800-325-0778 for those who are deaf or hard of hearing) from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday, to speak with a Social Security representative. Or, you can make an in-person appointment at your local Social Security field office.

Autism Disability Benefits for Adults

Many children with autism grow into adults with autism, though symptoms of autism in adults can manifest in different ways. Adults with autism may have trouble keeping up a two-sided conversation, interpreting what others are thinking, regulating their emotions, and showing interest in things outside of a restricted range of special interests.

Social Security has two ways for adults to qualify for benefits based on autism. The first method is by meeting listing 12.10 for autism spectrum disorders, which requires medical documentation of symptoms and functional limitations similar to that of the childhood listing. Here's an example of how an adult with severe autism symptoms might meet the criteria of listing 12.10 and get disability benefits:

Adults who have autism symptoms that don't rise to the level of "extreme" or "marked" mental restrictions as required by listing 12.10 can still qualify for benefits if they have functional limitations that keep them from working full-time. (Adults on the autism spectrum who were previously described as "high-functioning" may get disability this way.) The process by which Social Security determines whether you can work is called assessing your residual functional capacity (RFC).

Your RFC is a set of restrictions on what work activities you can do. For example, somebody with moderate autism symptoms might have an RFC that rules out any jobs where they'd have to deal with the public or perform complex tasks. If you're younger than 50, you'll generally have to show that you can't do even the simplest jobs on a regular basis, while applicants 50 years of age and older may have an easier time qualifying for disability under the medical-vocational grid rules.

How Much Is a Disability Check for Autism?

Social Security doesn't pay benefits based on the type of disabling condition you have. Instead, the exact amount of money you'll be paid every month depends on whether you're eligible for SSDI or SSI benefits. Adults with autism who qualify for SSDI will receive a benefit rate based on their average lifetime earnings. For 2025, the maximum amount you can receive in SSDI is $4,018 per month, but the average amount is much less, at $1,580.

Children and adults alike who qualify for SSI will receive monthly benefits equal to the federal benefit rate—$967 per month in 2025—minus any countable income they have in that month. Many states provide a modest supplemental benefit amount to the federal benefit rate, depending on your living situation.

While applications for children's SSI can't be completed online, adults who've never been married or applied for SSI before can start and finish their application online, as can adults who qualify for SSDI benefits. You can learn more about the process in our article on how to file an application for Social Security benefits.

How Hard Is It to Get Disability Benefits for Autism?

Because autism is a spectrum of symptoms—some of which aren't necessarily work-prohibitive—qualifying for disability benefits takes more than simply having a diagnosis of the disorder. Rather, the biggest factor in determining whether you or your child will qualify for disability benefits is the strength of your medical records. You'll have an easier time winning your case if you have extensive medical documentation of significant functional limitations that make working or going to school full-time very challenging.

If you're on the fence about filing for benefits or you're not sure how strong your disability claim is, consider contacting an experienced disability attorney (or nonattorney advocate) to help you with your application. Your lawyer can help you obtain medical records, get favorable statements from doctors and teachers, and represent you at a hearing. Disability lawyers work on contingency—meaning they don't get paid unless you win—and many offer free consultations, so there's little risk in talking to one before you apply.