“I live in a homeless shelter. Do I qualify for a free government cell phone?”
“I had to leave my home last week and move into a battered women’s shelter. How can I get a free government cell phone?”
If you read the comments section found below many of our articles, you know that questions like the ones above are very important to many of our readers.
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But that needn’t be the case. There is a way for you to get a free government cell phone even if someone else at your shelter already has one. All you need to do is fill out what’s called a “one-per-household worksheet.” Each phone vendor should have a worksheet upon request. You can find an example of the worksheet, along with further information, on the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC)’s website here. You can also view a copy of a sample worksheet by clicking the thumbnail to the left.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) makes this clear in new, recently-revised language on its website:
Federal rules prohibit eligible low-income subscribers from receiving more than ONE Lifeline service per household. That is, eligible low-income subscribers may receive a Lifeline discount on either a wireline or a wireless service, but may not receive a Lifeline discount on both services at the same time. Additionally, only ONE Lifeline service may be obtained per household. “Household” is defined as any individual or group of individuals who live together at the same address as one economic unit. An “economic unit” is defined as “all adult individuals contributing to and sharing in the income and expenses of a household.” However, Lifeline support is available to eligible low-income subscribers living in group living facilities. Lifeline applicants may demonstrate when initially enrolling in the program that any other Lifeline recipients residing at their residential address are part of a separate household by completing the one-per-household worksheet. (emphasis ours)
Many Lifeline Assistance free government cell phone companies now attempt to make this clear by including the bolded statement on their websites. Others, like Assurance Wireless, clarify the situation with their own statements:
“Separate households that live at the same address are eligible, including residents of homeless shelters and nursing homes. Residents with temporary addresses are also eligible. A household is define as any individual or group of individuals who live together at the same address and share income and expenses.”
Is this real? Can you really qualify for a free government cell phone even if you live in a group home or shelter? Absolutely. In fact, some cities are now actively seeking out individuals who didn’t qualify for the program under the old rules.
For example, SFGate.com wrote about Bevan Dufty, the head of San Francisco’s municipal homeless initiative and part of the the city’s Coalition on Homelessness.
“Dufty said that in the coming weeks he will send representatives to low-income housing complexes, homeless shelters and other places where people will want to know how to apply for the free phones.”
“‘We are very excited by this,’ he said. ‘It will help people move forward. It will empower them, and we in San Francisco are going to be a model city for this program.'”
What does it take to qualify?
To simplify things for you before you contact a Lifeline phone vendor and request the worksheet, here are the relevant questions:
– If you checked NO, please answer question #2.
2. Other than a spouse or partner, do other adults (people over the age of 18 or emancipated minors) live with you at your address?
B. An adult son or daughter __YES __NO
C. Another adult relative __YES __NO
D. An adult roommate __YES __NO
E. Other ___________ (such as a sibling, aunt, cousin, grandparent, grandchild, etc.)
If you checked NO for each statement above, you do not need to answer the remaining questions. Please initial line B, below, and sign and date the worksheet. If you checked YES, please answer question #3.
3. Do you share living expenses (bills, food, etc.) and share income (either your income, the other person’s income or both incomes together) with at least one of the adults listed above in question #2? _____YES _____NO
– If you checked YES, then your address includes only one household. You may not sign up for Lifeline because someone in your household already receives Lifeline.
If you live in a group home or shelter, and feel you qualify, give one of the Lifeline cell phone companies a call and be sure to tell them you are requesting the “one-per-household worksheet.” You can find a list of phone providers by state when you click here.
Karen jones says
I would like a cell phone
Free Government Cell Phones says
Then you should enroll in one of the plans, Karen.
Jacob says
I have a question in the group home category about applying for a cellphone. I currently live with family, however there is a woman living with us who is not related to us paying rent to the household to live here. She is currently on Q-Link Lifeline program. I am also currently paying rent and am on SNAP Foodstamps program and need a cellphone in order to find myself a job. Would I be able to apply for a cellphone if i am living with an unrelated person in the same household who is also on the lifeline program?
Free Government Cell Phones says
It sounds as if you both qualify, but you should doublecheck it with your preferred service provider.
Margaret Krimmer says
My disabled son lives in a 4-person group home in Wisconsin. I know that none of the other residents have a cell phone as they are non verbal.
My son receives SSI, which pays for various expenses.
He also receives Medicaid. The State of Wisconsin under Easter Seals Wisconsin pays his expenses through that funding. His SSI is used for clothes, outings, personal items, etc.
Would he qualify? The group has their own landline.
Free Government Cell Phones says
It certainly sounds as if he would qualify. Residents of group homes are eligible to receive free government cell phones, but you must make sure you speak to customer service and fill out the proper “group home” forms.
Pete The Florida SafeLink Guy says
As a Florida Safelink Agent… I can say that the key to qualifying as a resident of a shelter, group home or nursing home, is that you’re identified as an individual household and do not share expenses with any of the other residents.
However, with SafeLink, there were instances where an address for a shelter was blocked as an invalid residence address, and I had to call support to have that shelter address unblocked.
Latoya says
It’s very frustrating when so much of the system is based on calling to receive services. Your statement says, “If you live in a group home or shelter, and feel you qualify, give one of the Lifeline cell phone companies a call and be sure to tell them you are requesting the ‘one-per-household worksheet.’” How are people to call to get a free phone, when they don’t have a phone?…
Free Government Cell Phones says
Borrow a phone from a friend or neighbor, Latoya. Or apply online at your chosen Lifeline company’s website.
Bob McCall says
Applying online doesn’t work. The address of the shelter is not accepted by the system. Calling
does little good. I called Safelink and never got the application they said they would mail to me.
An hour on the phone for nothing! What a joke! Getting the address of a shelter unblocked would be nice but I don’t know how to do it. The operators that you talk at these companies can’t do much except fill an application out over the phone. They are of very little help. The system is really broken. Four months trying to get a phone!
Free Government Cell Phones says
Here’s how you go about getting a phone when you live in a group home, Bob:
http://www.usac.org/_res/documents/LI/training/2012/2012-li-dc-household-worksheet.pdf
This is a common problem and the USAC is very experienced at helping people in your situation.
Amanda Rivera says
Hi, my name is Amanda Rivera. I am currently in a Hope for Youth Shelter and i was wondering if I qualify for an assurance phone. If so, what would i need to do ?
Free Government Cell Phones says
Are you 18, Amanda? The rules of the program say you need to be 18 or older to qualify. Go back over the article above to learn more.
Jeannie Bateman says
Does a person in a nursing home qualify for a free phone
Free Government Cell Phones says
They don’t qualify because they’re in a nursing home, but they may qualify for other reasons, Jeannie. Here’s a list of all the ways you can qualify:
https://www.freegovernmentcellphones.net/basics/qualify
Jeremy Dickenson says
Im in a group home can you help show me what to do to get a free Phone I’m having troubles doing this I need help maybe doing the hole thing I need a one per house Work sheet thank you
Free Government Cell Phones says
First, go through the list of free government cell phone companies in California. You can find that list here:
https://www.freegovernmentcellphones.net/states
Go through the list to find the plan that fits your needs best — the most minutes, most texts, data plan, etc. Then contact the company you choose to ask for that “one-per-household work sheet.” Good luck, Jeremy.
Janelle says
if you filled out the application wrong how long will it take to make a correction? Or will that be impossible if you apply online?
Free Government Cell Phones says
Contact your service provider’s customer service team by phone (if possible) or do an online chat. If you can’t correct the mistake, you should be able to apply again.
Mary says
I am inquiring about the free government cell phone for a few of our residents that live in our assisted living facility. Would more than 1 person in our assisted living facility qualify, and if so, how would I go about helping them get qualified? Thanks
edward jp says
you need to get some kind of government assistance AND be below 15k income for single….
Larry Like says
My wife is in a nursing home and she has filed for Medicaid. I’m pretty sure she will be approved. Will she be eligible for a free cell phone and 250 minutes a month so that her family can keep in better contact with her if approved.