Annual Statistical Report on the Social Security Disability Insurance Program, 2001

 

Chart 2.
All Social Security disabled beneficiaries in current payment status, 1970-2001

This line chart shows four data series covering 1970-2001:

• The total number of disabled beneficiaries,
• The number of disabled workers,
• The number of disabled widow(er)s, and
• The number of disabled adult children.

The total number of beneficiaries is primarily driven by the number of disabled workers. Therefore, this line follows roughly the same pattern already described in the main text for disabled workers. The total number of beneficiaries rose steadily from about 1.8 million in 1970 to just under 3.5 million in 1980, declined by almost 200,000 through 1983, then started to increase again in 1984, and began to increase more rapidly beginning in 1990. In 2001, over 6.2 million people received disability benefits.

The number of disabled workers rose from a little under 1.5 million in 1970 to almost 2.9 million in 1978; declined slightly until 1983; and has risen since, reaching over 5.2 million in 2001.

The number of disabled widow(er)s has risen steadily from just over 49,000 in 1970 to about 204,000 in 2001.

Finally, the number of disabled adult children has risen from about 270,000 in 1970 to over 736,000 in 2001.

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