Even the best accommodations at work sometimes aren’t enough to help you keep your job when you have diabetes. Symptoms like blurry vision, nerve damage, neuropathy, and fatigue can make working extremely difficult.

“I’m considering going on disability,” one DiabetesTeam member shared. “I have fought several health complications and continued to force myself to work while doing so, but the struggle is becoming too much.”

When people in the U.S. with diabetes can no longer work, many seek Social Security disability benefits to help replace lost income. While applying for a disability claim may feel intimidating, understanding the process ahead of time can make applying easier.

Disability Benefit Programs in the U.S.

There are two federal disability programs in the United States — Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI). To qualify for either program, you must have a disability that interferes with your ability to work.

Social Security Disability Insurance provides benefits to those who have previously had full-time work. If approved, you can receive benefits six months after becoming disabled. If you’ve been disabled for at least a year, you may be able to get back payments of disability benefits for one year. You are eligible for Medicare 24 months after you start receiving SSDI.

Supplemental Security Income provides benefits to those who have not worked the required time period and have a low income. If approved, you can receive benefits in the next month. You may also be eligible for back payments if you became disabled before your SSI approval.

In most states, SSI eligibility qualifies you for Medicaid. In a few states, you have to apply for Medicaid separately from SSI, but the criteria for both are the same.

It’s possible to get both SSDI and SSI if you have very limited funds and have a work history.

Can You Get SSI if You Already Receive Social Security and Have Diabetes?

If your income and resources are low enough, you may be able to get SSI and Social Security at the same time. These are known as concurrent benefits.

SSI is needs-based, and your Social Security benefit counts as income when determining SSI eligibility, as do pensions, veterans’ benefits, unemployment, and other types of income.

In 2025, you may be eligible for SSI if your total income is less than $987 per month for an individual or less than $1,470 per month for a couple. You cannot have additional resources valued at $2,000 for an individual or $3,000 for a married couple living together. Resources are defined as items you own that you could sell to support yourself.

To find out if you qualify for both, contact the Social Security Administration (SSA) or fill out the online SSA benefits questionnaire.

Qualifying for Disability With Diabetes

To determine whether someone is eligible for benefits, the Social Security Administration will evaluate several factors.

The following qualifying criteria will be examined when you apply for SSDI benefits:

• You must be unable to engage in substantial gainful activity. For 2026, if you earn more than $1,690 per month (or $2,830 per month if you’re blind), you may not be eligible for SSDI. These numbers change annually.
• You must be incapable of performing basic tasks required for most jobs, and you must not have been able to perform these tasks for at least 12 months.
• You must have a recognized disability. The SSA considers both types of diabetes and some diabetes complications, such as vision loss, amputation, and neuropathy, as disabling conditions.
• You must be unable to do any work you did previously. (If you’re applying for SSI benefits, it’s not necessary to have a work history.)
• You must be unable to do any other form of sustainable work.

If eligible for SSDI, you may be granted a trial work period. During this time, you can test your ability to work while disabled. Money you earn during this period does not affect your SSI benefits.

If you’re applying for SSI, the government will determine whether you meet the following criteria:

• You are 65 or older, have a disability, or are blind.
• Your monthly income falls below a certain limit. For 2025, that amount is below $2,019 for individuals or $2,985 for couples if it’s from earnings. If the income is from a pension or other types of nonwork income, the amount must be below $987 for individuals or $1,470 for couples.
• You live in a U.S. state or territory, you’re a student temporarily studying abroad, or you’re a child of military parents.

Application Process for SSDI and SSI

Applying for disability benefits for diabetes requires a lot of paperwork. The Social Security Administration offers a checklist of necessary application information. Below is a summary of what you’ll need to provide.

Personal and Family Member Information

• Your full legal name, date of birth, and Social Security number
• Full names and dates of birth of your current or previous spouses and dates of marriage, divorce, or death
• Full names of your children and their dates of birth
• Bank account information

Medical Evidence About Your Diabetes

Medical evidence is typically the most important component of a disability application. Make sure your diabetes treatment team is aware that you’re applying for disability so they can document your medical condition accordingly. Documentation is especially important if you’re required to have a disability evaluation.

You may need the following documentation:

• The name and contact information of your endocrinologist or primary care provider
• A complete list of medications that you have taken for diabetes and any medical tests you’ve had
• A description of how diabetes symptoms affect your ability to do daily activities, supported by medical records

Total Employment History

• Earnings from the past year
• Any current employers or those you worked for in the past two years
• A complete work history from the past 15 years, including any jobs from before you became disabled
• Whether you are getting or intend to receive workers’ compensation
• Any history of military service

Other Documents

• Birth certificate
• Social Security card
• Proof of citizenship
• W-2 or other tax forms from the previous year
• Any medical records that document your health problems
• Proof of any workers’ compensation you have received

You can apply for SSDI online if you aren’t currently receiving benefits and haven’t been denied in the past 60 days.

You can apply for SSI online if you are also applying for SSDI, are a U.S. citizen or qualified noncitizen, have never been married, have never applied for SSI for yourself or a child, have (or are willing to create) an online my Social Security account, and are between 18 and 65.

If you don’t meet those criteria, you can apply in person at a local Social Security office or over the phone by calling 800-772-1213.

You can also start the process by showing intent to file, which includes completing the first page of the online application and clicking “Next Page.” This process will provide you with a filing date and an application number so you can complete the process later.

Appealing a Disability Application Rejection

It can take six to eight months to process an initial application for disability benefits, but your wait may be shorter or longer, depending on your situation. The Social Security Administration shares performance metrics that may help you estimate your wait time.

Only 21 percent of those who applied for disability benefits between 2010 and 2019 were approved on their first attempt. You can appeal the decision if your application is denied. The first step is reconsideration, which is when your case is evaluated by someone who did not take part in the first evaluation. From 2010 through 2019, about 2 percent of applications that weren’t approved the first time were approved during reconsideration.

If necessary, you have the option to file a second appeal, which includes a hearing by an administrative law judge. These are judges trained in disability laws. You may have a disability attorney represent you at this hearing.

If you are denied at this level, you can ask the Appeals Council to review your case. About 8 percent of SSDI claims between 2010 and 2019 were approved during a hearing with an administrative law judge or the Appeals Council. If you’re denied at this level, your last remaining option is a federal court hearing.

DiabetesTeam Members’ Experiences

Filing for disability benefits can be stressful. Members have shared a variety of ways to help deal with the process:

• “I’m on disability and Medicare, and it took me a while to get it, but I got a lawyer through a prepaid legal service. One month later, I got my disability back pay.”
• “Most people I know who have applied for SSDI get denied their first time around, but with a good attorney have been approved the second time, so don’t get discouraged.”
• “I didn’t get Medicare for three years after SSI. Hang in there — it takes time with the government. I had to get a lawyer after being turned down three times.”

Consider These International Resources

If you’d like to research more about disability benefits in countries outside the United States, check out these resources, listed by country:

• Australia — Living With Disability
• Canada — Disability Benefits
• Denmark — Danish Disability Pension
• Finland — Disability Pension in Finland
• Great Britain — Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
• Iceland — Disability Pension in Iceland
• Ireland — Operational Guidelines: Disability Allowance
• The Netherlands — Invalidity Benefits
• New Zealand — Disability Allowance
• Norway — Disability Benefit
• South Africa — Old Age, Disability, and Survivors
• Sweden — Benefits for People With Disabilities

Join the Conversation

On DiabetesTeam, people share their experiences with type 2 diabetes, get advice, and find support from others who understand.

Have you applied for Social Security disability benefits for diabetes? Let others know in the comments below.