More than 6.4 million single LGBT adults and 324,000 same-sex couples will receive the full direct payout under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), according to a new analysis by the Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law. Even more single LGBT adults and same-sex couples with higher incomes will receive some amount of direct assistance, and those with children will receive an additional $500 per child.
On March 27, 2020, Congress passed the CARES Act to provide economic relief to people and businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Various parts of the CARES Act will positively impact a significant number of LGBT people, including the unemployed, those who are food insecure, parents, seniors, students, veterans, and American Indians,” said study author Christy Mallory, the state and local policy director at the Williams Institute.
Key Findings
- 292,000 LGBT adults filed for unemployment benefits last week. The CARES Act provides $600 in additional unemployment benefits per week.
- 826,000 LGBT people work in healthcare. The CARES Act provides support and resources for health care workers, including funding for protective equipment and critical media supplies.
- 9 million LGBT adults participate in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and 3.1 million LGBT adults experience food insecurity. The Cares Act provides additional funding for SNAP and assistance for food banks.
- 285,000 LGBT people are American Indian or Alaska Native and 63,000 LGBT people may live on reservations. The Cares Act provides funding to tribes for health care, education, and social service programs.
- 814,000 LGBT adults are age 65 and older. The Cares Act provides assistance with home and community-based services.
- 6 million LGBT people age 15 and older are students and 1.4 million LGBT adults have student loans. The act provides funding to schools to support students’ needs as well as student loan assistance.
- 601,000 LGBT people are veterans. The act provides funding for medical treatment at VA hospitals and assistance for veterans who are homeless and at-risk of homelessness.