Legal Definitions - Welfare

Welfare is a system of government programs that provide financial assistance to individuals and families with low or no income. The purpose of welfare is to help people meet their basic needs, such as food, housing, and healthcare.

Examples of welfare programs in the United States include:

• Supplemental Security Income (SSI) - a federal program that provides financial assistance to elderly, blind, and disabled individuals who have little or no income.
• Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) - a federal program that provided financial assistance to families with children who had little or no income. This program was replaced by Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) in 1996.
• Medicaid - a joint federal and state program that provides healthcare coverage to low-income individuals and families.
• Food Stamps (now known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP) - a federal program that provides assistance to low-income individuals and families to purchase food.

These programs are designed to help people who are struggling financially to meet their basic needs. For example, SSI provides financial assistance to elderly, blind, and disabled individuals who are unable to work and have little or no income. Medicaid provides healthcare coverage to low-income individuals and families who may not be able to afford healthcare otherwise.