can't work - going for SSI

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I've had 70+ jobs in my life averaging about 2-3 months at a time.

It's clear to me and my wife that I simply cannot work right now and am going to apply for Social Security.

Anyone have any tips or tricks on how to do it? I mean wording, put this, not that...?

I've secured many good jobs, and only kept a handful for any length of time. My longest employment experience was when I was 16 and worked at Subway. I worked there until I was 21. My longest employment aside from that has been three months.

Hi, there! I began applying for SSI back in June for our daughter, 18, and waited several months before I knew if she was accepted.She just received her 2nd payment.It takes endless forms, questionaires, in-person talks with SS personnel, copies of doctor visits, diagnosis results, other reports from psychiatrists, teachers, etc... She was accepted primarily because she has mental retardation along with autism, and her IQ is under 70. There was still many nervous moments when I wasn't sure they were going to qualify her or not.. You may want to try for SSD, which is for disabililty, ou may need to prove that you are not mentally or physically able to work... The SSA is just overwhelmed with applicants, and it all takes time..So please make your decision and get started...Best of luck to you...

Hi Digger,

I am aware that as I am in the UK, and you are in the US the systems for applying for disability benefits will be very different.

However, I am posting this as I think it may be of general use.

1) Keep copies of everything that may be relevant to your claim, if possible have a ringbinder or segmented concertina file specifically for this purpose.

2) Make sure you get receipts or copies of everything you hand in, with the date it was handed in on, to the various departments you will deal with, in case stuff you hand over goes "missing"

3) As horrible as it can be, state baldly how you are at your worst. If you have developed coping strategies or workarounds, state how you are without applying those strategies.

4) Bear in mind you are dealing with a system that sees you not as an individual, but as a number to be processed. If you are rejected, postponed, etc it is not a personal slight, but is simply something that happens if you don't precisely fit their model.

5) If there is a professional (or volunteer) organisation that will help you with this, provide advocacy, expertise, or just support, go to them.

Best wishes with it all

Robin