Households now have the ability to lock their EBT card.  The lock feature will prevent benefits (Cash Assistance, SNAP, & HEAP), from being accessed, as well as prevent purchases, balance inquiries and most other transactions until the card is unlocked.The NYS Office of Temporary & Disability Assistance (OTDA) released this new feature as a tool to [...]

There is a 3.2% cost of living adjustment (COLA) to Social Security and SSI benefits for 2024.The following are the federal monthly SSI benefit amount for 2024:For an individual living alone: $943, plus the NYS supplement of $87, for a total of $1,030.For a couple living alone: $1,415, plus the NYS supplement of $104, for a [...]

A nationwide class action lawsuit filed by NYLAG, Justice in Aging, and Arnold & Porter alleged that pandemic-related administrative errors and shutdowns with the Social Security Administration led to a combination of benefit reductions, benefit terminations, and benefit overpayments, adversely affecting SSI beneficiaries.From March 2020 to April 2022, with Social Security’s field offices closed, many older [...]

Regular HEAP BenefitHEAP officially opened November 1, 2023. HEAP provides a grant to low-income households to help pay for energy expenses. HEAP eligible households receive either a direct payment to their heating/utility vendor or a one-time cash benefit. The benefit amount depends on whether the household pays for heat directly (and if so, the type of [...]