Receiving unemployment benefits while your disability claim is pending

To qualify for Social Security Disability, you must certify you are unable to work or expect to be unable to work in any capacity for a minimum of twelve months. In contrast, if you also apply for unemployment benefits, you most likely must certify that you are ready, willing and able to work in order to receive unemployment benefits.

When Social Security reviews your claim for disability benefits, it quite likely may notice if you are receiving unemployment benefits. If so, you may have a credibility issue. In addition, if you continue to receive unemployment benefits while proceeding with you Social Security Disability claim, you may run the risk of having to repay the unemployment benefit at a latter date. Alternatively, Social Security may structure your disability benefit to begin sometime after you stop receiving unemployment benefits. You should also be aware that a Social Security judge could deny your disability claim outright if you are of receiving unemployment benefits.