public assistance

American  

[puhb-lik uh-sis-tuhns] / ˈpʌb lɪk əˈsɪs təns /

noun

1. government aid to poor, disabled, or aged people or to dependent children, as financial assistance or food stamps.

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public assistance British  

noun

1. payment given to individuals by government agencies on the basis of need

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Other Word Forms

• public-assistance adjective

Etymology

Origin of public assistance

First recorded in 1900–05

Example Sentences

Tax revenue has grown steadily in recent years but has failed to keep up with ballooning costs in areas including the city’s rental-voucher program and public assistance.

From The Wall Street Journal

Much of the evidence circulating online about Haredi dependence on public assistance comes from reporting I helped produce as founder of the activist organization Yaffed.

From The Wall Street Journal

Meanwhile, low-income households that are eligible for public assistance with their home heating bills may not get that help until late December — after cold-weather demand begins.

From MarketWatch

As a community college student and single parent receiving public assistance, she is also eligible for additional support including meal vouchers and grocery gift cards.

From Los Angeles Times

According to the National Association of Counties, 40 percent of home health aides live in low-income neighborhoods and rely on some form of public assistance; 30 percent of them are on Medicaid themselves.

From Salon