Benefit programs for Washington seniors

VA Aid and Attendance (A&A) and Housebound benefits are monthly payments added to a qualifying veteran's or survivor's VA pension. You cannot get both at the same time. Aid and Attendance is for those who need another person's help with daily activities, are bedridden, are in a nursing home because of a disability, or have severely limited eyesight. Housebound is for those who spend most of their time at home because of a permanent disability.

Last checked Jun 1, 2026

VA Survivors Pension offers monthly tax-free payments to qualified unmarried surviving spouses and unmarried dependent children of wartime veterans, subject to income and net worth limits set by Congress. May be supplemented by Aid and Attendance or Housebound benefits if the survivor needs help with daily activities or is housebound.

Last checked Jun 1, 2026

ESAP is a simpler way to get Basic Food for households where every member is 60 or older or an adult with a disability and no one has earned income. It is not a separate benefit. Your Basic Food amount is the same, but two things change. First, you are approved for 36 months instead of 12. Second, you do not have to do a renewal interview or the usual mid-period check-ins during that time. ESAP is decided only when you first apply and when you renew. A household already on Basic Food cannot switch into ESAP in the middle of a certification period. Reporting is lighter too: you only have to report if your household income goes over 130% of the federal poverty level or if you have large gambling or lottery winnings. If your household stops qualifying for ESAP during the period, for example a member who is not elderly or disabled moves in, or someone starts earning wages, you keep Basic Food for the rest of the 36 months but go back to the regular check-ins. The state's benefit system sets the ESAP status automatically.

Last checked Jun 17, 2026

Extra Help, also called the Part D Low-Income Subsidy, lowers what a Medicare beneficiary pays for prescription drug coverage. It can cover the Part D premium, the deductible, and the per-prescription copays, and it removes the Part D late-enrollment penalty and opens a special enrollment window to change plans. Recent federal changes folded the old partial subsidy into the full subsidy, so most people who qualify now receive the full benefit. People already enrolled in Medicaid, Supplemental Security Income, or a Medicare Savings Program are deemed automatically eligible and do not need to file a separate Extra Help application.

Last checked Jun 1, 2026

Medicare Savings Programs are Medicaid-funded and run by Washington. They help people who have Medicare pay their Part A premium, their Part B premium, or both, and (for the QMB tier) their out-of-pocket costs too. Washington sets aside the first $20 of unearned income, which is income not from working, and, unlike many states, uses no asset test, so you are not asked to prove your bank balances or other resources. There are four tiers, each with its own income limit and benefits. If you are in a Medicare Savings Program, you are also signed up automatically for Extra Help (the Low-Income Subsidy) that lowers Medicare Part D drug costs.

Last checked Jun 17, 2026

A property tax relief program run by county assessors and overseen by the Washington Department of Revenue. The program does two things. It lowers the property taxes you pay on your main home, both the regular and the excess levies, and it freezes your home's taxable value at its level in your first qualifying year, so future taxes are figured on the frozen value instead of the rising market value. It runs on a rolling two-year cycle. You must meet all the requirements by December 31 of the assessment year to get relief in the following tax year. Starting with tax year 2025, the home can include one accessory dwelling unit (a second small home on the property, sometimes called a mother-in-law unit). Only the home and up to one acre of land qualify, or more if local zoning requires it.

Last checked Sep 1, 2025

Basic Food combines two food programs run by the state in Washington: the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the state-funded Food Assistance Program, which serves legal immigrants who meet all the SNAP rules except the federal ones about immigration status. Approved households get monthly benefits on a Washington Quest EBT card to buy approved groceries. The benefit amount depends on household size, income, and allowable deductions, including a standard deduction, a 20% deduction on earned income, dependent care, child support you are legally required to pay, medical expenses over $35 a month for elderly or disabled members, and part of your housing costs. You must complete an interview, in person or by phone. Most households are approved for 12 months with a check-in at month 6. Households in urgent need can get same-day benefits. People on SNAP can also volunteer for Basic Food Employment and Training for help with job search, training, and education. Getting Basic Food does not count against a non-citizen under the public charge rule. Undocumented immigrants and people fleeing felony charges are not eligible.

Last checked Jan 1, 2026

The Working Families Tax Credit is a state tax credit run by the Department of Revenue. Because it is refundable, you can get money back even if you owe no state tax. Individuals and families may receive up to $1,330 back per year if they meet rules similar to the federal Earned Income Tax Credit. You can apply for the current tax year and for the past tax years 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025. The Department of Revenue sometimes mails letters to let residents know they may qualify for past refunds. You can get your refund by direct deposit, paper check, or prepaid debit card, and you do not need a bank account.

Last checked Jan 1, 2026

Washington's Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program is run by the Department of Commerce through a network of community action agencies and local partners. Eligible households can receive a one-time heating (and now cooling) grant paid directly to the energy provider, help repairing or replacing an unsafe or broken heating or cooling unit, and a referral to Commerce's Weatherization Program for energy-efficiency upgrades. Your heat source does not matter. Electric, gas, propane, oil, coal, and wood all qualify. Commerce does not decide who is eligible or schedule appointments. The local LIHEAP provider does that. State law also requires investor-owned electric utilities to offer low-income energy assistance programs and funding, and Commerce reports on the statewide picture every two years. Commerce is also looking at a statewide monthly low-income energy bill assistance program.

Last checked Jun 17, 2026