When you find yourself with an illness or injury that prevents you from doing any kind of full-time work, you may be eligible for either Social Security Disability, Supplemental Security Income, or both.  Social Security Disability is available for people who have paid enough Social Security or self-employment taxes to the government, and Supplemental Security Income is available for those people who haven’t paid enough tax.  Both require that you show that there are no jobs within the national economy which you can perform.