Why is disability income so much lower than normal wages?

The amount of disability you get from social security is dependant upon how many credits you have built up over your working life. If you haven't worked long or earned much and paid in much, you aren't going to get as much from disability. Nobody can figure out how the heck they determine anything. You think that it's bad how you only get half, what is truly the worst part is the social security disability/retirement, and veterans compensation only received a 2.3 % cost of living increase, and yet the cost of goods like food and gasoline and medications has gone up nearly 35% in the last year. That 2.3% cost of living increase didn't come close to covering the true increase that we are all experiencing.

hello gardengrrl i agree with your comment about low income for disabled people-i live in the uk and am epileptic have a broken back arthritis in my spine amongst a lot of other things but get the low rate of benefit- as you say we have all the same bills to pay but get no help it always has annoyed me that the goverment cannot see how much it costs to buy food,pay bills,if needed clothes which are expensive here even the cheap shops,as well as commuting to different places-yet at the same time the goverment give all the benefits the immigrants coming into our country and they get more money----its unfair to all who have been born bred in the uk especially if you are disabled--litleowl

It is shocking isn't it gardengrrl! I am in the unfortunate position that as I only worked part time for the last few years I am not eligible for sick pay or incapacity benefit and have failed to get any response from disability living allowance! I have now been unable to work from April last year without a penny. My partner works full time and does whatever overtime he can get but it is still a struggle at the time , as you so rightly said, you need the money most! The reason , well my guess is that the people who make the policies have never been in a situation where they need to use it! xxx

Usually, when you are on disability, they are also paying for your medical bills. That is part of the diability. You also are not paying social security tax or income tax. This is part of the reasoning. The rest is they figure that that is better than nothing. Which is what you get in a lot of places. It is also what you get if you work for yourself and cannot afford to pay the big bucks yourself for such insurance, like me. I am disabled and I was not insured and I am totally screwed!!!! It also encourages you to get back to work faster, which is the major issue. That way, they do not have to pay disability any longer than necessary. Shalom~Adoniah