Benefits Frequently Asked Questions
(Separate Website)
This resource provides answers to common questions about some types of benefits.
By: Legal Aid Society
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
What is Family Assistance?
(Separate Website)
Information about Family Assistance, a welfare program for families in need of financial assistance.
By: Legal Aid Society
What is Safety Net Assistance?
(Separate Website)
Information about Safety Net Assistance, a welfare program for individuals, and for families who have already reached the five year limit on receiving Family Assistance.
By: Legal Aid Society
Public Assistance and Liens
(Separate Website)
The Department of Social Services (DSS) can require you to sign a lien if you own a home and receive public assistance, but not food stamp benefits, child care assistance, and or HEAP.
By: Legal Assistance of Western New York, Inc.® - Geneva Office
Can My Boyfriend Live with Me If I Get Welfare?
(Separate Website)
The welfare office cannot restrict who lives with you, but you have an obligation under the law to give them "complete and accurate" information about who lives with you and how you are related.
By: Legal Assistance of Western New York, Inc.® - Geneva Office
How Do I Apply for Public Assistance? How Do I Know if I'm Eligible?
myBenefits!
(Separate Website)
The fast and easy way to find out about many health and human services programs and how to apply for them - anytime and anywhere.
By: New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
Application for Public Assistance and Other Social Service Programs
(Separate Website)
Application for Public Assistance and other Social Service Programs
By: Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance
How to Complete an Application for Public Assistance and Other Programs
(Separate Website)
How to Complete an Application for Public Assistance and Other Programs
By: Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance
How Do I Apply for Public Assistance at a Job Center?
(Separate Website)
This fact sheet includes information on who can apply for Welfare and how to go about it.
By: Legal Aid Society
How Do I Recertify for Public Assistance
(Separate Website)
Every person who receives public assistance benefits must renew, or "recertify" for, these benefits at least once a year. This fact sheet explains what you need to do to recertify for benefits.
By: MFY Legal Services, Inc.
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
Public Assistance Sanctions and People with Disabilities
(Separate Website)
A stark reality of New York?s welfare system is that over time many households have their benefits reduced or terminated as a result of sanctions for alleged non-compliance with the public assistance work rules.
By: Empire Justice Center - Public Benefits
How do I Keep from Losing my Public Assistance Benefits because of Work Assignment Sanctions
(Separate Website)
Information on public benefits, work assignments and how to avoid being sanctioned by the Human Resources Administration (HRA)/Department of Social Services (DSS).
By: MFY Legal Services, Inc.
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
What is Workfare?
(Separate Website)
Questions and answers about work requirements for those who are receiving welfare.
By: Legal Aid Society
What You Should Know About Welfare's Work Requirements
(Separate Website)
Information, including frequently asked questions and answers, about welfare's work requirements.
By: South Brooklyn Legal Services (A Program of Legal Services NYC)
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
What You Should Know About Emergency Assistance and DSS/HRA
(Separate Website)
If you have an emergency, you may be able to get help from your local Department of Social Service (DSS) office. (If you live in New York City, you can ask for Emergency Assistance from your local Human Resources Administration (HRA) office)
By: Legal Assistance of Western New York, Inc.® - Geneva Office
Emergency Assistance
A description of emergency financial assistance programs both for households that receive public assistance, and those that do not.
By: Legal Services NYC - Legal Support Unit
Read this in:
French / Français
National Call Center for Homeless Veterans
(Separate Website)
HOMELESS VETERAN in NEED of HELP?
Call 1-877-4AID VET (1-877-424-3838)
The Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) has founded a National Call Center for Homeless Veterans hotline to ensure that homeless Veterans or Veterans at-risk for homelessness have free, 24/7 access to trained counselors
By: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Public Assistance While You Are Working and Transitional Benefits
Government Benefits After You Start Working
(Separate Website)
Information on eligibility for public assistance and transitional benefits after you start working.
By: South Brooklyn Legal Services (A Program of Legal Services NYC)
Public Assistance Transitional Benefits Overview of transitional benefits, who qualifies, and what to expect when applying for these benefits.
By: Community Service Society
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
Can I get Public Assistance as an Immigrant?
(Separate Website)
People who are not U.S. citizens have the right to get some welfare benefits. This page will help you identify what benefits you can receive as a non-citizen. Each kind of benefit has different rules.
By: Legal Aid Society
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
Concerns Regarding Immigrants and Public Benefits
(Separate Website)
Answers to commonly asked questions regarding immigrants and public benefits. If you are an immigrant receiving public benefits, read this resource to learn about the effects this could have on your status.
By: The New York Immigration Coalition
Read this in:
Albanian / shqip
,
Chinese / 中文
,
Haitian Creole / Kreyòl ayisyen
,
Korean / 한국어
,
Russian / Pусский
,
Spanish / Español
Public Benefits for Minors and Emancipated Youth
(Separate Website)
This booklet provides information on how 16-20 year olds can open up their own welfare case with the Human Resources Administration (HRA).
By: The Children's Aid Society
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
Domestic Violence Information for all Temporary Assistance Applicants
(Separate Website)
This information is intended to help you determine if you are a victim of domestic violence and to consider ways to help keep yourself and your family safe and self-supporting.
By: Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance
Domestic Violence and Public Assistance
(Separate Website)
Everything you need to know regarding special protections if you are a victim of domestic violence and are receiving public assistance.
By: South Brooklyn Legal Services (A Program of Legal Services NYC)
Fact Sheet on Public Benefits and Domestic Violence
(Separate Website)
When you apply for public benefits the caseworker should ask if you are a victim of domestic violence.
By: Legal Assistance of Western New York, Inc.® - Geneva Office
Basic Welfare Benefits for Homeless Families
This fact sheet has information on what welfare benefits you should be receiving if your family is homeless.
By: City Bar Justice Center
Homeless: Family Services
(Separate Website)
Information from the City for homeless families on where to go for help, who is eligible for assistance and what to bring.
By: New York City Department of Homeless Services
Homeless: Single Adult Services
(Separate Website)
Information from the City on where to go if you are a single adult and homeless and need shelter, and what to expect when you get there.
By: New York City Department of Homeless Services
How To Win Your Fair Hearing Information on how to prepare and win your fair hearing.
By: Legal Aid Society
What Happens at a Fair Hearing
(Separate Website)
Detailed information on the fair hearing process from beginning to end.
By: South Brooklyn Legal Services (A Program of Legal Services NYC)
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
Frequently Asked Questions About Fair Hearings
(Separate Website)
This fact sheet from the government answers many questions about fair hearings, including how to request one and what happens next.
By: New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance
FAIR HEARING REQUEST FORM
(Separate Website)
This form can be used to request a Fair Hearing. You have a right to request a Fair Hearing to challenge virtually any action (or lack of action) that the Social Services agency takes on your request for benefits (welfare, food stamps, HEAP, child care, Medicaid, and other programs). You also have a right to request a Fair Hearing if Social Services makes a change to benefits that you already get, and you disagree with that change.
By: The Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance
What You Should Know About the HIV/AIDS Services Administration (HASA)
(Separate Website)
Information about the HIV/Aids Services Administration (HASA) and what benefits and services they provide, and how to apply.
By: South Brooklyn Legal Services (A Program of Legal Services NYC)
Be Your Own Advocate at the HIV/AIDS Services Administration (HASA)
(Separate Website)
What steps to take to assert your rights to benefits and other assistance from the HIV/AIDS Services Administration (HASA).
By: South Brooklyn Legal Services (A Program of Legal Services NYC)
How to file a complaint if you feel you have been discriminated
How to File a Discrimination Complaint With The Office For Civil Rights
(Separate Website)
If you believe that you have been discriminated against because of your race, color, national origin, disability, age, sex or religion by a health care or human services provider (such as a hospital, nursing home, social service agency, doctor's office, pharmacy, children's health program, alcohol and drug treatment center, adoption agencies) or by a State or local government health or human services agency, you may file a complaint with the Office for Civil Rights (OCR).
By: U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
Read this in:
Chinese / 中文
,
Korean / 한국어
,
Polish / polski
,
Russian / Pусский
,
Spanish / Español
,
Tagalog / Tagalog
,
Vietnamese / Tiếng Việt
A Guide To Burial Assistance And Funeral Planning For New Yorkers In Need
(Separate Website)
This guide for residents of New York City only provides information on burial assistance and funeral planning for families and friends of poor persons who have died, and for social workers and others involved with making burial arrangements for poor people.
By: Volunteers of Legal Service (VOLS)
Basic Welfare Benefits For Homeless Families
This fact sheet provides benefit information on a list of welfare and public subsidies.
By: City Bar Justice Center
Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT)- Frequently Asked Questions
(Separate Website)
All New Yorkers receiving cash assistance and/or food stamps must use EBT, the system for electronic distribution of public benefits. The EBT Working Group created this pamphlet for EBT users describing how to avoid ATM fees, who to call in case of an error, and other important information. [Note: The EBT Working Group last updated this brochure in 2006 ; some information may be out of date.]
By: Neighborhood Economic Development Advocacy Project
Do you have trouble with English? Are you unable to to speak, read, write, or understand English well?
(Separate Website)
Did you know federal agencies and organizations that get money from the federal government have to provide reasonable services to assist you? Learn more.
By: Federal Interagency Working Group on LEP
Video: How to Work with Interpreters
(Separate Website)
In this video, you will learn some basic tips that will allow you to communicate effectively and easily through an interpreter with a person who doesn't speak your language.
By: Legal Services of New Jersey
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
Public Benefits Legal Information Letters
(Separate Website)
Informational letters that cover many public benefit topics
By: Neighborhood Legal Services, Inc.
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
English-Spanish Glossary of Legal Terms & Phrases
(Separate Website)
Economic Empowerment Resource Guide
(Separate Website)
While this guide is specifically intended to provide helpful information for immigrant victims of violent crimes, it may benefit many New Yorkers who are entering the job market for the first time, researching college or other educational programs, or looking to change careers. It provides information about:
- high-school equivalency (GED) and English as a Second Language (ESL) programs
- welfare/job centers that service immigrants throughout New York City and accept applications for cash assistance, food stamps, and Medicaid
- job training and job placement programs
- employment agencies
- personal financial literacy classes to teach how to budget and save money as well as take control of your debt
- financial aid for higher education (such as college)
- small business resources, including micro-loans
By: City Bar Justice Center - Immigrant Women and Children Project
Adobe Acrobat Reader required. (If you are using a screen reader that does not support PDF format, copy the PDF link, and use the Access Adobe online form to convert this file to HMTL text.)
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