WI25-04: Disparities in SSI, SSDI, and OASI Participation Among LGB and non-LGB Persons: Evidence from COVID-19 Pandemic Shocks

Social Security (SS) benefits, such as Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), play a vital role in supporting individuals who face economic insecurity and disabilities. Despite their importance, the uptake and accessibility of these programs among LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning) individuals remain underexplored. This project will (1) document trends and disparities in SS benefit receipt among LGB individuals (especially those with disabilities) and compared to non-LGB populations, (2) assess how the COVID-19 pandemic affected LGB persons differentially relative to non-LGB persons with respect to take-up of SSI/SSDI, and (3) evaluate how retirement decisions (and OASI take-up) of LGB households were differentially affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Our findings will be critical for documenting barriers to program participation for LGB persons, understanding how the COVID-19 pandemic differentially affected these persons, and developing policy strategies that meet the needs of sexual minorities.