How to Get Government Benefits: Official Ways to Find and Apply

Start with the official benefit finder

USAGov, the official guide to government information run by the U.S. General Services Administration, has a benefit finder at usa.gov/benefit-finder. You select one or more categories, and it lists benefits you may qualify for with information on how to apply.^[1][2]

• Children and families
• Death
• Disabilities
• Disasters
• Education
• Food
• Health
• Housing and utilities
• Jobs and unemployment
• Military and veterans
• Retirement and seniors
• Welfare and cash assistance

Sources^[1]

Benefits.gov, the government's former one-stop benefits site, has closed. In October 2024, USAGov announced that the closing of Benefits.gov, SSABest.Benefits.gov and GovLoans.gov moved that role to USAGov. When we checked, benefits.gov redirected to USAGov's benefit finder.^[3][4]

Who runs each program, and where to apply

The benefit finder points you to programs, but you apply with the agency that runs each one. USAGov notes that each program has its own eligibility rules, application process and deadlines.^[5]

Sources^{[8][9][12][13][16][17]}

For help with energy bills, USAGov points to the LIHEAP and WAP programs, and for phone or internet service, to Lifeline, a federal program for people with a low income. For state programs in general, USAGov keeps a directory of state social service agencies.^[7][14]

Applying for Social Security and SSI

The Social Security Administration's application page first asks whether you are applying for an adult or a child. It then lists retirement, family, disability and survivor benefits, the Lump-Sum Death Payment, and SSI for people with a disability or aged 65 or older. If you are not sure what to apply for, the page links to an eligibility check.^[16]

• You can start the process online through SSA's disability application, or call 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) to make an appointment, including a telephone appointment.
• Someone else can call to make the appointment for you or help with your application.
• Anyone may apply for SSI, and there is no charge to apply.
• SSA says it will complete the application forms for you based on the information you give.

Sources^[17]

After you apply, a free my Social Security account lets you check the status of your application and update your details online in most cases.^[15]

Many websites charge fees for Social Security card services. The SSA's Office of the Inspector General says you are not required to use them: SSA issues new and replacement Social Security cards for free.^[19]

SNAP, Medicaid and unemployment: apply through your state

SNAP, once called food stamps, helps people with a low income pay for food, with benefits loaded each month onto an EBT card. You must meet your state's requirements, which take into account income limits and the money you have in the bank. To apply, contact your state or local SNAP office; depending on the state, you may be able to apply online, in person, by mail or by fax, and you may need an interview before approval.^[8]

Medicaid has no set enrollment season: you can apply any time. You must be a resident of the state where you apply, and you can apply through your state Medicaid agency or through a Health Insurance Marketplace application, which sends your information to the state if anyone in your household appears to qualify. Medicaid.gov says you must contact your state Medicaid agency to apply, to see if you are eligible and to check on an application.^[9][10][11]

• Your name and date of birth
• Your Social Security number
• Your monthly rent, mortgage or utility payments
• Proof of citizenship or immigration status
• Proof of income, such as pay stubs or W-2s
• Details of other government benefits you receive
• Information about any health insurance you have or have been offered by an employer

Sources^[9]

The list above is what USAGov says a state Medicaid agency may ask for; each state decides what it requires. For unemployment insurance, there is no federal program: each state runs its own and sets its eligibility rules. In most cases you file in the state where you worked, and you may be able to file online or by phone.^[9][12]

How to spot fee-charging and fake benefit sites

• Someone contacts you out of the blue by phone, email, text or social media and says you qualify for free money from the government.
• They say grant money can pay personal bills, education costs, home repairs or debts. The FTC says government grants are not awarded for personal needs.
• They ask for your Social Security number to see if you qualify, or your bank account number to deposit the money.
• They demand processing or other fees, paid in cash, gift cards, wire transfers or cryptocurrency.
• They use an agency name that sounds official but does not exist, such as the Federal Grants Administration, or fake a government number on caller ID.

Sources^[20][21]

The FTC says no government agency will ever contact you to demand payment to get a grant, and no government agency will ever ask you to pay with cash, a gift card, a cash reload card, a wire transfer or cryptocurrency. It also says not to pay for a list of government grants: the only list of all federal grants is at grants.gov, and it is free.^[20]

USAGov says that, unless you contacted them first, government agencies typically start communication with you by letter. The Social Security Administration says it will never ask for sensitive or personal information through social media, email or text. Its signs of an imposter account include links to websites that do not end in .gov, and charging for government forms or documents that are typically free.^[6][18]

What this guide cannot do

• It cannot tell you whether you qualify. Eligibility is decided by the agency or state office that runs each program, using its own rules.
• It does not replace the official application. Always apply on the agency's own site, by phone or in person.
• It covers only U.S. programs and does not list every benefit; use the benefit finder for the full set of categories.
• Rules, deadlines and application steps change. Check the official page for any program before you apply.

A practical tip from us: type the agency's address yourself, such as usa.gov, ssa.gov, medicaid.gov or healthcare.gov, rather than clicking an ad or a link in a message, and check that the address ends in .gov before you enter personal details.

Where to get help and report scams

• Questions about any government service: USAGov's contact center, 1-844-USAGOV1 (1-844-872-4681).
• Scams offering free government money or grants: report them to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
• Social Security-related scams: report them to the SSA Office of the Inspector General at oig.ssa.gov/report.
• Help in other languages: call the FTC at (877) 382-4357 and press 3 to speak to an interpreter.
• If your personal information was stolen: SSA points to identitytheft.gov for a report and a recovery plan.

Sources^[5][18][20]

If you already paid a scammer, the FTC says to act quickly: contact the company you used to send the money, such as the gift card, money transfer or cryptocurrency company, tell it the transaction was fraudulent and ask it to reverse the payment.^[20]