Social Security Cuts Down Work History Requirement for Disability Benefits

The update is expected to reduce disability claim processing times.

A Social Security card sits alongside checks from the US Treasury in Washington, on Oct. 14, 2021. Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

The Social Security Administration (SSA) reduced the work history that disability claim applicants need to submit from 15 years to five years as part of simplifying administrative processes and enabling more citizens to receive government benefits.

The SSA first published the amended rule on April 18. According to a recent press release by the agency, the update will “improve the application process for disability benefits and reduce the time applicants wait for a decision.”