How to Apply for Welfare

There are two basic programs for public assistance (“welfare”). The “Family Assistance” Program is for families with children under 18. The “Safety Net Assistance” Program is for adults without children under 18.

Where to Go

The New York City Welfare Department has 9 “Job Centers” in Brooklyn where you can apply for welfare. To find out which Center serves your area, call 877-HRA-8411.

Getting An Application

You can walk into your local Job Center and get an application, an applications packet, and an appointment for an initial interview (within 5 work days from when you hand in your application). The application tells you what documents to bring to your interview.

*If you have no food or money, you may be eligible for emergency aid to meet your immediate needs (before the Center determines your eligibility for welfare). You should be interviewed the same day. *If you owe back rent, apply for welfare to pay it.

After handing in your application, you should be sent to the Financial Planning Unit to set up the initial interview, finger imaging, and eligibility verification review and then sent to the Employment Planning Unit.

Papers You Will Need

At your interview, you must submit documents to support the information you give on your application.

These papers include:

Proof of your identity: drivers license, U.S. passport, immigration papers, Social Security card, and birth certificates for each person in your household seeking benefits;

Proof of residence and rent: rent receipts, a lease, or a letter from your landlord or the person who shares your rent;

Proof of immigration status: U.S. passport, certificates of naturalization or citizenship, or resident alien card (“green card”); and

Proof of income: pay stubs or tax returns.

If you are applying for welfare for your children, you will need to prove that they live with you by submitting a clinic card, a doctor’s letter, a school letter, or a report card.

The welfare center will also want proof of how you supported yourself and your family before you applied for welfare. If you worked, you will have to show the last time you worked and the reason why you stopped. If you received unemployment insurance benefits, you will have to show your unemployment insurance book or some other proof.

If you did not qualify for unemployment benefits, you will need a letter from the unemployment office. If you have borrowed money or received support from a relative or friend, bring in a letter from that person which states how much money or other support you have received from them and when.

If a worker asks you for a document that you do not have or that requires a fee, ask the worker to help you get it. The worker must assist you in getting any documents you do not have.

Remember: Always make copies of all documents you give to a worker and never leave original documents with a worker. Always write down the names of the people you speak with.

Office of Child Support Enforcement

If you are applying for welfare for your children under age 18, and their other parent does not live with you, you will have to give the welfare center information about your child’s absent parent, including his/her name, address, place of employment, and Social Security number.

If the worker asks you for information you do not have, explain that you do not know. Your application may be denied if you refuse to furnish required information. If you are a victim of domestic violence, you may not be required to provide this information.

Finger-Imaging
As part of your application, all adult members (over age 18) of your household must be finger-imaged.

Eligibility Verification Review (EVR)
Within 11 days of applying, you will be sent to 320 Schermerhorm Street or 250 Livingston Street in Brooklyn for another interview to verify the truth of the information you gave on your application. An EVR investigator will also make an unannounced visit to your home to verify your address.

Employment Planning Unit
You will be required to do job search when you apply for public assistance. You are entitled to safe and reliable child care to do job search. You do not have to do job search activities if the Welfare Department determines you have a disability that prevents you from working.

Decision on Your Application
The Welfare Department is required to notify you in writing of its decision on your application within 30 days of the date you applied for Family Assistance, or 45 days of the date you applied for Safety Net Assistance.

If your application is accepted, you will be given an appointment to get your photo identification card.

If your application is denied and you disagree with the center’s decision, you should immediately request a fair hearing. You may request a fair hearing by going to 14 Boerum Place (in Brooklyn), by sending a written request by fax to (518) 473-6735, or by calling (800) 342-3334. For more information about the fair hearing process, see the Fair Hearing Fact Sheets from South Brooklyn Legal Services.

The Amount You May Receive
Your eligibility for welfare and the amount you receive depends on your income and family size. For households with children to receive welfare, your gross income must be less than:

Household Size	Maximum Monthly Gross Income
1	$ 766.09
2	$ 927.78
3	$1278.35
4	$1527.55
5	$1784.70
6	$1959.52

Exempt Income
Some kinds of income should not be counted when the center determines the amount of your welfare (for example, educational grants and loans, SSI, and earnings of a minor child who is a full-time student). For people with earned income, the first $90.00 of income is ignored. For people receiving Family Assistance, 48% of earned income is ignored.

Components of a Welfare Grant

Your welfare grant includes a “basic allowance” for food, clothing, transportation, and utility bills, and a “shelter allowance” for rent. The table below shows the amount of the grant by family size. You may receive less if your family has other “non-exempt” income. If you do not receive the amount listed for your family size, ask your worker for an explanation or request a conference at your center.