Kentucky Social Security Disability and SSI Benefits

If you live in Kentucky and can't work full-time for at least one year due to a medical impairment, you may be eligible for disability benefits from the Social Security Administration. You may also recover a percentage of your previous earnings through a private long-term disability provider or—if your injury or illness began on the job—a workers' compensation claim.

Social Security Disability Benefits for Kentucky Residents

There are two federal Social Security programs available for disabled adults. Each program has its own preliminary eligibility requirements that you'll need to satisfy before Social Security can decide whether you meet the agency's medical definition of disability.

Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) is available to people who've contributed to the program through payroll taxes and earned enough work credits to establish coverage. Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is needs-based and available to disabled people who have limited income and assets.

Some people are eligible for both SSDI and SSI, called a "concurrent claim". Most people who are awarded Social Security disability also qualify for other benefits, such as Medicare or Medicaid, help with housing costs, and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. The commonwealth of Kentucky also provides a small "state supplement" for residents who receive SSI.

How to Apply for Disability Benefits in Kentucky

You have several methods to choose from when applying for disability benefits.

• File online for SSDI using Social Security's web portal.
• Call 800-772-1213 from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday, to file for SSDI, SSI, or both. If you're deaf or hard of hearing, you can use the TTY number at 800-325-0778.
• Apply in person at your local Social Security field office. There are almost 30 field offices located throughout Kentucky, open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

After Social Security screens your application to make sure you meet the initial eligibility requirements for SSDI or SSI, your file is then sent to a state agency where claims examiners will determine whether your medical condition meets a listing or causes functional limitations that rule out all work.

KY Disability Determination Services

Kentucky's Disability Determination Service (DDS) is managed by the Cabinet for Health and Family Services. Claims examiners review disability applications and decide whether to approve or deny the claim. For fiscal year 2023, DDS examiners in Kentucky awarded about 33% of initial disability applications, slightly below the national average.

DDS also determines eligibility for the Kentucky Transitional Assistance Program (KTAP) and Medicaid. You can contact DDS with questions about the status of your claim using the information below:

Kentucky DDS
275 E. Main St.
Frankfort, KY 40621

Telephone: (502) 564-5497 or (800) 372-2973

If you aren't approved for disability on your first try, you have 60 days to appeal the denial by requesting reconsideration of your claim. At the reconsideration stage, another claims examiner at DDS will look at your file to determine whether the initial denial was correct. Less than 10% of awards are issued after reconsideration, but you can appeal further by asking for a hearing with an administrative law judge.

Disability Appeals in Kentucky

Social Security's Office of Hearing Operations (OHO) schedules and conducts disability hearings in Kentucky. There are four offices in Kentucky that hold hearings across the state. Contact information for each OHO is below.

As of June 2024, the average wait time for a hearing in a Kentucky OHO was between 6-7 months. Judges in the offices serving Kentucky issued favorable decisions (awarding benefits) in about 55% of cases.

How Much SSI or SSDI Will I Receive in Kentucky?

The federal government funds a large portion of the SSI payment (up to $943 a month in 2024), but the Commonwealth of Kentucky provides a state supplemental payment to the federal benefit rate for people who need home care assistance. The maximum amount of the state supplement depends on your exact living situation.

• If you live in a personal care home, you can receive up to $616 per month in addition to your SSI payment.
• If you live in a family care home, you can receive up to $172 per month on top of SSI.
• If you live at home with a caretaker, you can receive $62 extra per month. Married couples can get up to $587 extra if both spouses are receiving care.

SSDI benefits are calculated based on your wage history. You can receive up to $3,822 per month in SSDI for 2024, although the average payment is much lower, at $1,537.

Kentucky Workers' Comp

All employers in Kentucky are required to carry worker's compensation insurance for their employees, except for certain agricultural employers. Anyone who becomes disabled due to a work accident or illness should file a claim with their employer for workers' comp benefits first. If you're unable to go back to work after one year has passed, consider filing for Social Security benefits as well.

KY Disability Rights Advocacy

In 1975, Congress enacted a law in response to the discovery of widespread abuse and neglect of disabled people in public institutions. This law created a network of state organizations, called the Protection and Advocacy (P&A) system, that provide legal aid to people with disabilities whose rights are at risk.

Kentucky's P&A office is located in Frankfort. You can find them at :

5 Mill Creek Park
Frankfort, KY 40601

Telephone: 502-564-2967 or 800-372-2988
Fax: 502-695-6764

P&A organizations don't usually provide representation for Social Security hearings or help you with your workers' comp claim, but they can often point you in the direction of a good disability lawyer.

Getting Legal Help with Your Kentucky Disability Claim

You're not required to hire an attorney in order to apply for disability benefits, but it's generally a smart way to increase your odds of getting approved. Because claimants in Kentucky are approved by DDS at a lower rate than other states, you'll likely have to go to a disability hearing for your best shot at getting benefits, where you'll want an experienced attorney preparing you to answer questions from the judge and cross-examining experts.