Does Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Qualify for Disability Benefits?

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic disease that can affect vision, movement, and concentration. It affects more women than men and is most frequently diagnosed in people between the ages of 20 and 40 years old. MS is an unpredictable disorder that varies from person to person. Some people have a mild form that doesn't significantly interfere with their lives, while others have severe symptoms that greatly restrict their daily activities.

Although having a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis isn't necessarily disabling, if your symptoms prevent you from working full-time for at least one year, you might qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Knowing what evidence Social Security needs to see before approving a claim based on MS can help you strengthen your claim at all stages of the disability determination process, including any appeals.

What Is Multiple Sclerosis (MS)?

Your body's immune system is an important defense against germs, bacteria, and viruses. MS occurs when your immune system begins attacking a protective sheath (known as myelin) that covers your nerve fibers and disrupts how your nerves communicate with the rest of your body. While not every person diagnosed with MS will have the same type, severity, or duration of symptoms, the disorder often affects movement. The more common symptoms include:

• numbness, tingling, and weakness in the arms and legs
• loss of balance or difficulty walking
• painful muscle spasms
• blurred vision, and
• cognitive changes, such as memory loss or trouble concentrating.

There isn't a conclusive test that diagnoses multiple sclerosis, although a neurological examination can identify symptoms that may indicate the presence of MS. Doctors generally diagnose MS after ruling out other, similar conditions (called a "differential diagnosis"). Neurologists classify multiple sclerosis into four different types:

• Relapsing-remitting MS. The most common type of MS, this is characterized by relapses or "attacks" of increased symptoms followed by a period of recovery.
• Primary progressive MS. This type involves worsening neurological functioning over time without any periods of recovery or remission.
• Secondary progressive MS. This type starts off with cycles of relapse and remission, but later transitions into a progressive worsening of functioning.
• Clinically isolated syndrome (CIS). This refers to the first episode of MS symptoms lasting at least 24 hours. People with CIS can, but do not always, develop MS.

Unfortunately, there's currently no known cure for MS. The most common treatment is medication, which can slow the disease's progression and help manage symptoms. Other treatments such as physical therapy, speech therapy, and the use of assistive devices may help. Lifestyle changes, like avoiding stress and maintaining an exercise program, can also be beneficial.

Can You Get Disability for Multiple Sclerosis?

Depending on how severe your MS symptoms are, you may qualify for disability benefits. Some people with MS have mild symptoms that don't pose many obstacles in their activities of daily living, while others may have significant difficulty functioning that can affect their ability to hold down a regular job.

The Social Security Administration awards disability benefits to people who have a medical impairment that keeps them from working at the level of substantial gainful activity for at least twelve months. You'll also need to meet the financial eligibility requirements for either SSDI or SSI, the two disability benefit programs run by Social Security. If you meet both the medical and technical requirements for at least one type of benefit, your disability claim will be approved.

How to Qualify for SSDI or SSI With Multiple Sclerosis

Under the agency's definition of disability, there are two ways you can be considered medically eligible for benefits—by meeting the requirements of a listed impairment or by having functional limitations that rule out all full-time employment. Social Security claims examiners and disability judges will review your medical records for evidence of MS symptoms that may "meet a listing" or keep you from performing any jobs.

Meeting the Official Listing for MS

The "Listing of Impairments," also known as the Blue Book, is a category of conditions that can automatically qualify you for disability if you have certain documentation in your record that meets the listing's medical criteria. The requirements for adults with multiple sclerosis are described underlisting 11.09. You can meet these requirements in two ways:

• you have so much trouble with at least two of your arms and legs that you can't get up from a chair, walk without falling, or hold and carry objects without assistance, or
• you can move independently (with difficulty), and you struggle to maintain mental focus.

Children can also qualify for SSI benefits under asimilar listing for MS, but only in very limited circumstances (such as when they can't move independently).

Qualifying for Benefits Based on Medical-Vocational Guidelines

Most Social Security claimants with MS aren't so limited that they meet the strict requirements of listing 11.09, but that doesn't mean that they're not disabled. You can still qualify for disability if you can show that no jobs exist that you can perform according to the "medical-vocational guidelines." These rules help the agency determine your ability to work based on your age, education, past work history, and residual functional capacity (RFC). Your RFC is a list of restrictions that reflect the most you're capable of doing, physically and mentally, in a work setting. A typical RFC for a claimant with MS can include the following restrictions:

• how long you can sit, stand, and walk for
• how much weight you can lift and carry
• whether you can perform skilled or unskilled tasks
• how often you can use your fingers and hands to move objects or press buttons, and
• whether you're able to focus enough to finish your job duties on time.

Social Security will assess your RFC by reviewing your doctors' notes and looking at the result of any consultative examinations you attended. If you have other physical or mental conditions that affect your ability to work, the agency will consider any limitations from these impairments, along with your MS, when determining your RFC.

If your RFC rules out your past work, Social Security will need to find out whether any other jobs exist that you can do with your restrictions. In general, being older with less education and a history of unskilled labor increases the chances that you'll get disability. (Learn more in our article about how the "grid rules" help claimants 50 years of age and up.) Younger claimants typically need to show that they're unable to perform even simple, sit-down jobs to qualify.

What Are My Chances of Getting Disability With MS?

Statistically, about 10% of SSDI recipients and 8% of SSI recipients were awarded benefits at least in part due to disorders of the nervous system, of which multiple sclerosis is included. Individually, your chances of getting disability are higher the stronger your medical records are, so it's important to have sufficient evidence for Social Security to review.

When you apply for disability benefits, the agency will obtain records from the medical providers who treat you for your MS. Social Security claims examiners and disability judges will be on the lookout for documentation of your MS symptoms as well information on how those symptoms limit you. Examples include:

• medical imaging such as an MRI, CT scan, X-ray, or electroencephalography (EEG)
• any tests you've undergone in the process of getting an MS diagnosis like a blood test, lumbar puncture, or nerve conduction study
• the results of physical examinations that show muscle weaknesses and reduction in your range of motion
• progress notes from your doctors showing that you're reporting MS symptoms such as fatigue or dizziness, and
• medical source statements with your doctors' opinions about the severity of your MS.

Your medical records are the foundation of your disability claim, so make sure that you keep Social Security in the loop about any new treatment you receive for your MS. The agency needs to see that your records are timely, accurate, and sufficient before they can be used as a basis to award you benefits.

MS Disability Benefit Amounts

Social Security doesn't award benefits based on the type of disabling condition. Instead, the amount you'll receive if you're awarded benefits will depend on whether you're eligible for SSDI or SSI. SSDI eligibility is determined by your work history and how much you've contributed to the program in payroll taxes, while SSI is a needs-based benefit available to people with limited income and assets.

For 2025, the maximum you can receive in SSDI benefits is $4,018 per month, although the average amount is much lower, at $1,580. SSI benefits are tied to the federal benefit rate, which in 2025 is $967 per month minus any countable income you have for that month. (You can learn more in our articles on how much you can get in SSDI and how much you can get in SSI.) VA compensation is calculated using a combination of your disability percentage rating and your living situation. Check out the VA current disability compensation rates webpage to see what monthly payments you may be entitled to.

Applying for SSDI or SSI Benefits for MS

Filing for Social Security disability isn't hard to do, and there aren't any additional hurdles specific to people who are applying due to MS. You can start your claim in the following ways:

• Use the application tool provided on Social Security's secure website.
• Call 800-772-1213 from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, to speak with a representative. If you're deaf or hard of hearing, you can use the TTY number at 800-325-0778.
• Go in person to your local Social Security field office. Offices are typically open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., but you may need to make an appointment first.

No matter which method you choose, it'll help if you have some information already gathered when you start. Social Security will need:

• your name, address, and Social Security number (including those for your spouse if you're married)
• your work history, including dates of employment, employers' names, your job title, and the type of work you performed
• medical information for all the doctors you've seen for MS and any hospitals you've been admitted to.

Don't delay filing your disability application because you don't have all the information and documents you need. The representative assigned to your case can help gather anything you're missing.

What If My Claim Is Denied?

It's very common for SSDI and SSI applications to get denied on the first try. Only about 35% of applications are initially approved, and most claimants who ultimately are awarded benefits don't get them until they've had a hearing with a disability judge. You have 60 days from the date you receive a denial letter to submit an appeal, at which point you may want to consider getting a lawyer to help you.

Because MS symptoms can vary so widely between claimants, without the help of a disability lawyer or advocate, it can be difficult to know what your chances are at qualifying for benefits. An experienced attorney can ease the stress of gathering your medical records, handle communications with Social Security, and represent you in front of an administrative law judge at a disability hearing.