Trump Administration Proposes Cuts to SSI Benefits for Disabled Adults Living With Family

The Trump administration is advancing a rule change that would penalize disabled adults who live with their families by deducting the value of their bedroom from their Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits, according to internal documents and federal officials. The proposed regulation targets some of the most vulnerable Americans, including individuals like Shy’tyra Burton, a 22-year-old with severe developmental and intellectual disabilities.

Who Is Shy’tyra Burton?

Burton was born two months prematurely into a low-income family in Philadelphia. Due to her disabilities, she was unable to breathe or swallow without medical intervention and spent much of her early childhood in medical facilities. Diagnosed with multiple developmental and intellectual disabilities, her IQ is below 70.

Despite these challenges, Burton graduated from a high school special education program and attempted community college. However, she struggled with basic tasks and was unable to secure employment, including at McDonald’s. After evaluations and a hearing, she was approved for SSI, which provides a basic income to severely disabled individuals and indigent older adults.

For Burton, the $994 monthly SSI benefit is critical but insufficient to live independently. Like many SSI recipients, she continues to live with her father, Rondell Burton, a Philadelphia sanitation worker earning around $2,000 per month.

How the Proposed Rule Would Impact Disabled Adults

The administration’s rule change would deduct the value of a disabled adult’s bedroom from their SSI allotment if they live with family members, even if those family members qualify for food stamps under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). This could reduce monthly benefits by up to a third—approximately $330 in Burton’s case—or eliminate benefits entirely for some recipients.

The effort to cut SSI for families also receiving SNAP was initiated by top White House and Department of Government Efficiency officials last year, according to multiple Social Security officials. This marks the second attempt by the Trump administration to scale back disability benefit programs administered by the Social Security Administration, despite their strict eligibility standards and minimal fraud.

Previous Attempts to Cut Disability Benefits

Last year, the administration abandoned a different proposed regulation targeting disability payments after ProPublica and other news outlets reported on the harm it would cause to hundreds of thousands of largely blue-collar workers in red states. The programs in question are administered by the Social Security Administration but are separate from the retirement program, which the administration has pledged not to cut.

Key Details of the Proposed Rule

• The rule would penalize disabled adults for living with family members, including those in poverty.
• Benefits could be reduced by up to $330 per month for some recipients.
• The change targets SSI recipients who also receive SNAP (food stamps).
• White House and Department of Government Efficiency officials initiated the proposal last year.
• This is the second attempt by the Trump administration to cut disability benefits.

"The administration is working on a rule change that would deduct the value of a disabled adult’s bedroom from their SSI allotment, even if the family members they live with are poor enough to qualify for food stamps."

Broader Implications of the Proposed SSI Cuts

The proposed cuts would disproportionately affect low-income disabled adults who rely on family support to survive. Many recipients, like Burton, depend on SSI to cover basic needs but cannot afford to live independently. The rule change could push some of the most vulnerable Americans further into poverty.

Critics argue that the administration’s focus on cutting disability benefits contradicts its stated goals of reducing government waste and fraud, as SSI and SNAP programs already have stringent eligibility requirements and low rates of fraud.