Posts tagged "West Virginia"

People in Charleston recognize that there are a considerable number of very physically-demanding jobs in West Virginia, but they may not realize that it has resulted in West Virginia having the highest percentage of people on disability benefits. Approximately 9 percent of the West Virginia population between 18- and 64-years-old was receiving Social Security disability insurance benefits in 2010. This is compared to 2.8 percent of the populations in the states with the lowest rates.

So what is causing such a high number of people relying on disability benefits? Not only do West Virginians have a higher chance of being disabled, but there has been an overall increase in people applying for and receiving benefits. In fact, there has been a 23 percent increase in the number of recipients since 2007.

If your only income is Supplemental Security Income, it may be hard to pay for all your necessities. Food, medicine and living costs are all expensive, but as it gets colder, you will need to start paying a heating bill. Since many West Virginians on Supplemental Security Income or Social Security Disability Insurance benefits may not be able to afford their heating costs, the Dollar Energy Fund has been used to offset the expense of staying warm.

The program is run by the West Virginia Utility Assistance Program and is sustained by private and utility company donations. Several utility companies have promised a dollar-for-dollar match of all private donations. The assistance program is meant to help those who are unable to afford their utility bills, but anyone applying for the program must be able to show that he or she has tried to pay for his or her utilities.