By agreeing to receive unemployment benefits, you are stating that you are able and willing to work but cannot currently find work. While you can apply for SSDI while on unemployment, you should really consider your medical and/or mental health conditions. If you believe you should be able to return to work, then apply for unemployment. But if you believe that your physical and/or mental health conditions prevent you from working for an extended period, you should consider applying for SSDI if you qualify.
If you need help from an attorney
It is important to note that these two government assistance programs exist for their own purposes, and you should truly consider which one you may need, if any. While unemployment benefits are not automatically deducted from SSDI back pay (unlike workers’ compensation), an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) may consider your unemployment receipt when determining your disability onset date. If the ALJ sets your onset date to begin after your unemployment ended, this would reduce your back pay amount. As mentioned earlier, you should consider if your medical conditions truly prevent you from working or if you just are not working because you are unable to find work. For 2026, the SSA considers you unable to engage in substantial gainful activity (SGA) if your earnings are below $1,690 per month, or $2,830 per month if you are blind—these thresholds help determine SSDI eligibility, and you can learn more about expected Social Security Disability changes for 2026.
We Do Not Recommend Receiving Unemployment If You Are Applying For SSDI
Our attorneys recommend that you do not receive unemployment benefits when applying for SSDI or SSI. You should also only apply for either assistance program out of necessity.