A dire need situation exists when a claimant alleges one or more of the following
circumstances:
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•
Dire financial need, for example, the claimant does not possess sufficient income
or resources to address an immediate threat to their health or safety (i.e., lack
of food, medicine, or medical care);
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•
The non-receipt or interruption of benefit checks that has caused a hardship; or
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•
Another hardship situation with adverse public relations potential (for example, congressional
inquiry, or inquiries from other public officials).
Absent evidence to the contrary, the Field Office (FO) or Disability Determination
Services (DDS) should accept a claimant's allegation of their circumstances. If the
FO or DDS later determines the claimant's circumstances no longer meet dire need criteria,
the dire need designation can be removed.