What you get
Lifeline for survivors of domestic violence and trafficking
Independent site, not the FCC, USAC or a phone company. Lifeline applications are made only on the official National Verifier or through your state.
Choose where you live, the size of your household and its income: the calculator applies the wider survivor income test.
Survivor emergency support: income test
200% limit
$43,280
| Your income | $40,000 |
| Under the limit | Yes |
| Support | up to $9.25 for 6 months |
Also requires a line separation request under the Safe Connections Act.
Survivors of domestic violence, human trafficking and related crimes who face financial hardship can receive Lifeline emergency communications support for up to 6 months under the Safe Connections Act. The discount is $9.25 a month on phone, internet or bundled service, or $34.25 on qualifying Tribal lands, according to USAC. The income test is wider than the usual one: 200% of the federal poverty guidelines instead of 135%, which in 2026 means $31,920 for one person, $43,280 for two and $54,640 for three in the 48 states. Survivors also qualify through WIC, free or reduced-price school lunch or breakfast, a Community Eligibility Provision school, a Federal Pell Grant in the current award year, or any regular Lifeline route. Two pieces of paper are central: proof of a line separation request from the phone company, and the application itself, filed online or by mail with the National Verifier. After the 6 months, the survivor can move to standard Lifeline if eligible.
Rules and figures read by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · Method
Who the law covers
The Safe Connections Act of 2022 did two things for survivors. It made it easier to separate a phone line from a shared plan held by an abuser, and it created emergency communications support through Lifeline, defined in 47 CFR 54.400. The FCC Lifeline page describes the beneficiaries as survivors of domestic violence or human trafficking, and USAC adds related crimes. The support is limited to survivors in financial hardship, a term the rules define precisely.
The financial hardship test, in figures
A survivor’s household meets the test if it qualifies for regular Lifeline, or if its gross income is at or below 200% of the federal poverty guidelines, or if one member receives WIC, has been approved for free or reduced-price school lunch or breakfast, attends a school or district using the Community Eligibility Provision, or received a Federal Pell Grant in the current award year. The income ceiling is the one most people check first:
| Household | Survivor limit (200%) | Regular Lifeline limit (135%) | Extra room |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $31,920 | $21,546 | $10,374 |
| 2 people | $43,280 | $29,214 | $14,066 |
| 3 people | $54,640 | $36,882 | $17,758 |
| 4 people | $66,000 | $44,550 | $21,450 |
| 5 people | $77,360 | $52,218 | $25,142 |
| 6 people | $88,720 | $59,886 | $28,834 |
A survivor in a household of three earning $50,000 a year is over the regular limit of $36,882 but under the survivor limit of $54,640, so the emergency support is open even though standard Lifeline is not. Alaska and Hawaii have higher figures, which the calculator at the top applies when you choose them.
The documents behind the application
The process starts with the phone company. Under the USAC summary of the rules, the survivor submits a line separation request and gives the company one or more documents establishing survivor status: an affidavit signed by a licensed medical or mental health care provider, a licensed social worker, a victim services provider, a military equivalent or a court employee, or a police report, charging documents, a protective or restraining order or another official record. The company must then hand over written proof that the request was made, naming the survivor.
That proof goes with the Lifeline application. Every survivor must be confirmed through the National Verifier, under 47 CFR 54.410, including in states that otherwise run their own process. The application can be completed online, with documents uploaded, or on a paper form mailed to the Lifeline Support Center. Once approved, the survivor signs up with a participating Lifeline company to receive the discount.
What the Lifeline discount is worth
Discount per month
$9.25
| Over 12 months | $111 |
| Standard part | $9.25 |
| Tribal lands extra | $0 |
The discount comes off the bill of the company you choose; it is never paid to you in cash.
After the emergency period
The support lasts up to 6 months: $55.50 in total at the standard rate. As the end approaches, the National Verifier checks whether the survivor qualifies for standard Lifeline, which pays up to $9.25 on qualifying internet or bundled service or $5.25 on voice-only service. A survivor whose continued eligibility cannot be confirmed is de-enrolled, under 47 CFR 54.405, within 5 business days. The eligibility page shows the regular routes, and the household worksheet page explains how a survivor sharing an address with another subscriber proves a separate household.