Social Security Benefits

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Is an 18 year old ASD young adult eligible for social security benefits?

Which country?

I used to be a claims adjudicator in the US. A diagnosis alone isn't enough. It's all about whether you function well enough to work. You'd need to have 2 out of the following four items 1) marked restrictions in activities of daily living (can't drive, or use public transport, prepare simple meals, remember to bathe, et.c) 2)marked restrictions in maintaining social functioning (can't accept criticism from bosses without melting down or deal with coworkers appropriately)3)Marked difficulties maintaining concentration, persistence or pace (can't remember how to do simple, repetitive work or do it in a timely fashion) 4)repeated episodes of decompensation (this means you have been hospitalized for mental issues for several weeks out of a year). The items in parentheses are just examples so that you would know the level of impairment that is meant by marked...it is by no means limited to that. It just takes a lot for them to consider one of these categories marked. Most who are higher functioning pretty much don't have a shot.

If you don't have a parent receiving social security, at 18 you most likely would only get SSI if approved medically (which caps out at about $600 a month), since to get Disability, you have to have worked five out of the last ten years.

Is there anyone who can help with this? For example, Binder and Binder says they are social security disability advocates. Their commercial then talks about people who can no longer work, not those who never could. Are there any firms that specialize in getting SSI benefits for people with autism/Aspergers or other related condtions? Can you name any?

You shouldn't get a lawyer until after you have been denied on your initial and reconsideration claims. At these levels, a lawyer will have zero effect on the outcome of your case. Examiners are just making a decision based on your medical records, and have to follow the same rules whether there is a lawyer or not. When I was an examiner, I rarely even heard from the lawyers, so the people had lawyers who were allowed at those levels were paying them to do nothing. Once you get denied twice and have a hearing set up with an ALJ, ( a judge) then you need a lawyer. Any law office that does disability claims would work...it doesn't matter if you haven't worked, the cases are processed the same way.

Thanks for your advice on this!