You may be able to qualify for a free phone if you receive Social Security. However, there are income requirements that must be met. In general, your income must be less than 135% of the Federal poverty guidelines. You can also qualify by participating in certain low-income government programs, such as SSI, SNAP, food stamps, or free school lunches. Even though you might receive Social Security retirement benefits, this does not mean that you will automatically qualify for a free cell phone. Remember how Social Security works — you receive retirement benefits based on your lifetime earnings record and not because you have a low income.