Delaware and Social Security Disability Benefits
- Why is State-by-State Information Important?
- Applying for Social Security Disability Benefits in Delaware – What You Need To Know
- Delaware SSDI Hearing Wait Times & Approval By Office
- Hearing Offices in Delaware & The SSA Offices They Serve
- List of Social Security Administration Field Offices in Delaware
- More Important Information about The Application Process
ALL STATE DATA UPDATED FOR 2024!
Everyone’s experience applying for Social Security Disability benefits will be unique. Part of this is because everyone’s individual medical and work history is different. But, potential applicants should also know that each state – like Delaware – has its own story to tell in terms of social security disability benefit approval rates at each stage of the process, as well as waiting times at the hearing stage.
Why is State-by-State Information Important?
Specialized disability advocates (like us here at Citizens Disability) and Delaware social security disability attorneys know all too well how important it is to understand that every state is different. It’s very helpful to know what the trends are, how long the wait times are from office to office, and what the different rates of approvals are.
Citizens Disability takes a data-driven approach to helping our clients. We want to make sure that we’re giving our clients the best possible advice at every step in the application process. We also work very hard to present the best possible case for each of our clients. Bringing together data from a wide variety of sources – including data like this, which comes from the Social Security Administration – allows us to make smart decisions when we present cases for our clients.
Finally, this information can be very helpful to applicants. Applying for social security benefits is likely a new experience for most applicants, and having an idea of what they can expect from the process can help them be engaged and involved participants with their advocates.
While your own journey may be different than the trends you see here, these tables and charts can help you understand what, on average, you can expect.
You will also find location and contact information for all the offices in Delaware below.
Applying for Social Security Disability Benefits in Delaware – What You Need To Know
There are generally three stages in the application process for Social Security Disability benefits: initial application, reconsideration, and the hearing. In this table, you can see how Delaware compares to the national average (all states in America) when it comes to approval rates at each of those stages.
| Initial Application (L1) | Reconsideration (L2) | Hearing (L3) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delaware | 40.0% | 19.1% | 58.8% |
| National Average | 39.5% | 15.1% | 57.7% |
| State Difference: | 0.5% | 4.1% | 1.1% |
As the table shows, in 2024, Delaware was is slightly ahead of the national average approval rates at the Initial, Reconsideration, and Hearing approvals.
Delaware Initial Application Approval Over Time
| Initial Application Approval Rate | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delaware | 40.0% | 39.6% | 37.1% | 40.2% | 39.6% | 37.8% | 39.2% | 38.2% | 35.5% | 36.2% |
| National Average | 39.5% | 38.9% | 38.8% | 37.7% | 38.3% | 37.6% | 35.3% | 34.4% | 33.5% | 32.8% |
As the table and the below chart show, Delaware has been close to the national average, and in a number of years, slightly ahead of the national average, for approvals of Initial Applications going back to at least 2015. In 2024, Delaware ranked 31st in the nation in terms of percentage approval of Initial Applications. While approval rates have improved in Delaware over the last few years, it is clear that just about 4 in 10 initial applications are approved in Delaware. If you are thinking of applying for SSDI, don’t worry – there are multiple stages to the application process.
Delaware Reconsideration Approval Over Time
| Initial Application Approval Rate | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delaware | 58.8% | 59.1% | 59.2% | 59.1% | 41.5% | 54.8% | 57.7% | 55.3% | 48.7% | 51.2% |
| National Average | 57.7% | 56.8% | 54.2% | 54.7% | 51.1% | 52.9% | 53.9% | 56.8% | 54.7% | 53.4% |
As the table and the below chart indicate, Delaware has generally lagged behind the national average when it comes to approvals at the Reconsideration level. However in 2024, Delaware ranked 5th in the nation for highest percentage of approvals at Reconsideration showing improvement. As you can see, in general, the chances of winning approval at Reconsideration are not particularly high. That is why many applicants must continue in the next level, the Hearing.
Delaware Hearings Approval Over Time
| Initial Application Approval Rate | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delaware | 58.8% | 59.1% | 59.2% | 59.1% | 41.5% | 54.8% | 57.7% | 55.3% | 48.7% | 51.2% |
| National Average | 57.7% | 56.8% | 54.2% | 54.7% | 51.1% | 52.9% | 53.9% | 56.8% | 54.7% | 53.4% |
As the table and the below chart indicate, Delaware has improved its approval rates when it comes to approvals at the Hearing level. Delaware was behind the national average; but over the last few years, Delaware’s Hearing approval rates have come well up and had now surpassed the national average. In 2024, Delaware ranked 18th in the nation for highest percentage of approvals at Hearings.
Also note that past performance is only one indicator of likely outcomes; as new data comes in, you might see that a state’s performance compared to the national average has either improved or weakened.
Delaware SSDI Hearing Wait Times & Approval By Office
Delaware is part of the Social Security Administration’s “Region 3,” which is headquartered in Philadelphia. There is 1 hearing office in Delaware. You can see waiting times for hearings & case dispositions for that office below, with comparisons to the National Averages.
The “Hearing Wait Time (Months)” is, on average, how long it takes in between when an applicant asks for a Hearing and when that hearing occurs.
The “Average Disposition Time (Days)” is, on average, the number of days in between when an applicant asks for a Hearing, and when the Administrative Law Judge who hears their case actually makes a decision on that case.
The “Average Approval Rate” is percentage at which cases are decided in favor of the applicant.
| Hearing Wait Time (Months) | Average Disposition Time (Days) | Average Approval Rate (2024) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Average | 9.3 | 366 | 57.7% |
| Delaware Average | 13.3 | 442 | 58.8% |
| DOVER | 13.3 | 442 | 58.8% |
As the table here and the chart below indicate, in 2024, the Dover office (and thus Delaware in general) has longer wait time than the national average (Delaware ranks 39th in the nation) and has somewhat lower approval rates for hearings.
These waiting times and approval rates only highlight how important it can be to have a qualified representative – such as an Advocate from Citizens Disability – working on your case. The Government Accountability Office has done research that shows that an applicant who has a representative has an up to three times greater chance of being approved than a person who goes it alone.
Hearing Offices in Delaware & The SSA Offices They Serve
These are the “Office of Hearing Operations” offices in Delaware. These offices are where hearings are scheduled and generally conducted. Each OHO office supports a number of regional Social Security Administration field offices. You are likely (but not guaranteed) to have your hearing scheduled with a Judge who works in the OHO office that supports the SSA field office nearest to you.
Hearing Office Region 3 Dover SSA, OHO
Suite 200 500 W. Loockerman Street
Dover, Delaware 19904
(877) 405-3671 • (302) 674-7024 • (877) 548-8803
Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Serves the following Social Security Administration Field Offices:
DELAWARE: Dover, Lewes, Wilmington and MARYLAND: Cambridge
List of Social Security Administration Field Offices in Delaware
| Office Name | Location | Address | City | State | Phone Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WILMINGTON DE | SUITE 200 | 920 W BASIN ROAD | NEW CASTLE | DE | (866) 667-7221 |
| DOVER DE | SUITE 100 | 500 W. LOOCKERMAN ST. | DOVER | DE | (877) 701-2141 |
| LEWES DE | SUITE 101 | 12001 OLD VINE BLVD | LEWES | DE | (866) 864-1803 |
Swipe left & right to see the whole table
All data on this page is current as of July, 2024.
More Important Information about The Application Process
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