The United States Social Security Administration New Applicant Survey logo New Applicant Survey logo
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Welcome to the New Applicant Survey.

The survey is for recent disability benefit applicants—people like you who have applied for Social Security SSI or SSDI disability benefits. The SSA is interested in learning about your experiences before and during the application process. By participating you may help SSA improve the disability application process. The survey will take 30-40 minutes to complete.

If you need assistance, it is OK to ask another person to fill the survey out on your behalf as long as they are able to answer questions about your disability application experience, your health status and use of benefits.

Completion Guide

  1. 1

    1

    PIN
    Log in using the unique PIN which was included in your invitation letter.

  2. 2

    2

    Select an Answer
    Answer the questions to the best of your ability. There are no right or wrong answers.

  3. 3

    3

    Continue/Previous
    Use the continue or previous button to go between questions.

  4. 4

    4

    Submit
    When you have completed this online form, select “Submit Survey”.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • The Social Security Administration (SSA) is conducting the New Applicant Survey. SSA hired Westat, a national research company, to carry out the survey.

  • SSA is conducting the New Applicant Survey to learn about your health, your employment situation, your experience with the disability application process, and things you might have needed help with. This information may help SSA improve the application process.

  • We ask for your consent for your voluntary participation in the survey that will take 40 minutes or less to complete. The survey will ask about your experience with the application process, your health and employment situation, and things you might have needed help with. You may skip any question that you prefer not to answer. If you decide not to participate, it will not affect any decision SSA makes about your current, or future, disability benefits or payments. Please use the link or QR code in the enclosed letter and PIN to get to the survey.
  • By consenting to participate, you are agreeing to SSA maintaining and using the information that you share as Federal law, regulations, and directives permit. Any published reports will not identify you; your information will be grouped with other participants. SSA will retain information collected from the survey to comply with Federal records, and laws, and will retire the records in accordance with applicable Federal Records Retention Schedules (see 44 U.S.C. § 3303a).

  • You were randomly selected to participate in the New Applicant Survey from a list of people who recently applied for the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program benefits. Everyone on the list had the same chance of being selected.

  • Your participation is voluntary. The survey is being conducted for research purposes. If you decide not to complete the survey, it will not affect any decision SSA makes about your current, or future, disability benefits or payments.

  • We will follow Federal law and regulations to protect your privacy. SSA and Westat will protect your personal information collected during the survey consistent with Federal law, regulations, and directives. The information will be used for research in limited ways, consistent with applicable Federal law, regulations, and directives. For example, SSA may use your answers to the survey questions, combined with answers from other people surveyed, to improve the application process. Your name or other identifying information will not be included in any published reports.

  • Section 1110(a) of the Social Security Act, as amended, allows us to collect this information, which we will use to help SSA identify new interventions and policies to improve the application process and experience of applicants. Providing us this information is voluntary; not providing all or part of the information will not affect any SSA benefit. As law permits, we may use and share the information you submit, with other Federal agencies, contractors, student volunteers, and others, as outlined in the routine uses within System of Records Notice (SORN) 60-0382 available at www.ssa.gov/privacy. The information you submit may also be used in computer matching programs to establish or verify eligibility for Federal benefit programs and to recoup debts under these programs.

  • You will not benefit directly from participation. But you may help SSA to understand the application experiences and challenges, as well as support services applicants need. This information may help SSA improve their programs.

  • You received 2 dollars in this mailing. After you complete the survey, we will mail you a $40 Visa gift card.

  • There is a small risk to disclosure of your personal information. To reduce this risk, we will separate any information that identifies you from the rest of your data and store those identifiers separately. Although it is not likely, it is possible that some of the questions may make you feel anxious or frustrated. You can skip the questions or stop participating. A list of toll-free phone numbers of helpful services is included on the New Applicant Survey website https://www.nas-survey.org/. It is your decision to use the resources.

  • For questions about the survey, call Westat toll-free at 1-855-450-6464 toll free. For questions about your rights and welfare as a research participant, call the Westat Human Subjects Protections office at 1-888-920-7631. To protect your privacy, leave a message only with your first name, the name of the survey (New Applicant Survey) and a phone number beginning with the area code.

Privacy

Privacy Act Statement and Use of Personal Information.

Section 11109(a) of the Social Security Act, as amended, allows us to collect this information, which we will use to help the Social Security Administration (SSA) identify new interventions and policies to improve the application process and experience of applicants. Providing us this information is voluntary; not providing all or part of the information will not affect any SSA benefit. As law permits, we may use or share the information you submit, including with other Federal agencies, contractors, student volunteers, and others, as outlined in the routine uses within the System of Records Notices (SORN) 60-0382 available at www.ssa.gov/privacy. The information you submit may also be used in computer matching programs to establish or verify eligibility for Federal benefit programs and recoup debts under these programs.


OMB CONTROL NUMBER: 0960-0788
EXPIRATION DATE: 11/30/2026

Contact

For questions about the survey, call Westat toll-free at 1-855-450-6464 toll free.

For questions about your rights and welfare as a research participant, call the Westat Human Subjects Protections office at 1-888-920-7631. To protect your privacy, leave a message only with your first name, the name of the survey (New Applicant Survey) and a phone number beginning with the area code.

Thank you very much for your participation in the New Applicant Survey! A list of nationally available resources that may be helpful if you experience anxiety or frustration is listed below for your reference.

List of nationally available resources:

  • 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline   -   call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org
  • National Suicide Prevention Lifeline  -  1-800-273-TALK (8255)
  • Program Referrals for housing, access to health care, food, and other services  -  dial 2-1-1
  • National Domestic Violence Hotline  -  1-800-799-SAFE (7233)
  • National Sexual Assault Phone Hotline (RAINN)  -  1-800-656-HOPE (4673)
  • National Child Abuse Hotline  -  1-800-4-A-CHILD (422-4453)