Online Benefit Screeners

Eligibility screening tools help you find out if you could get specific benefits. Based on your answers to questions, these tools will list benefits for which you might be eligible and tell you how to qualify and apply. For many programs, you can click on a link to apply online.

Eligibility screening tools:

•  Are NOT applications for benefits
•  Do not know, and will not ask for your name or Social Security number
•  Will not give an estimate of benefit amounts

However, if you choose to apply for any benefits, either online or in an office, you will have to share all the information required to qualify for those benefits.

The U.S. government offers the Benefits.gov website to screen for almost all federal programs. These include Social Security, SSI, Medicare, veterans, education, housing, and tax benefits. Because it covers several hundred programs, there are many questions to answer.

The website will ask questions based on your answers. For example, if you say there are no children in your household, questions concerning programs for children or families with children will not appear.

Virginia offers an online eligibility screener and a COMBINED APPLICATION FORM for many state food, child care, energy, medical and cash assistance programs for low income persons.

Start in one of three sections of the CommonHelp page:

•  Apply for Assistance
•  Am I Eligible?
•  Scroll down to read about or watch a video showing how to use CommonHelp online services:
  • applying for assistance and;
  • using CommonHelp after applying to track your application and/or report changes in your income, household or other factors that affect your eligibility