Welcome to West Virginia Lifeline Free Government Smartphones and Free Government Cell Phones Page!
West Virginia is the 7th most poverty-stricken state in the nation. U.S. Census Bureau of statistics counted a 17.9% poverty rate in West Virginia in 2016. Very likely, a proportionate number of West Virginians barely made it out of this list. Many talks about what can be done to improve the sad poverty statistics that have been in negative numbers since the last recession. Some economists suggest that help to working families in the state should come from earned income tax credits. Nevertheless, there are thousands of unemployed Americans in Virginia who need other types of assistance. They can apply for free government smartphones and cell phones from the West Virginia Lifeline program.
Lifeline Free Government Cell Phones Program in West Virginia
Plentiful mobile carriers are ready to supply a free phone with hundreds of free minutes and texts to eligible West Virginians. Given this, it is advised to read about all the features, plans, and phones of various West Virginia Lifeline companies before enrollment in the program.
- Access Wireless
- American Assistance
- Assurance Wireless
- Cintex Wireless
- EnTouch Wireless
- Life Wireless
- Q Link Wireless
- Safelink Wireless
- StandUp Wireless
- Tag Mobile
- Tempo Communications
- Terracom Wireless
Who is eligible for free government smartphones and free government cell phones in West Virginia?
You are probably eligible for a free phone from the government if you are a participant in any of the following government-paid programs:
- Medicaid
- Food Stamps/ Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
- Veterans Pension and Survivor’s Benefit
- Section 8/ Federal Public Housing Assistance
- Tribal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
- Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance (BIA)
- Tribal Head Start (only those households meeting its income qualifying standard)
- Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR).
You can also qualify based on the household income rule: your household income has to be lower or at the level of 135% of Federal Poverty Guidelines for West Virginia. For 2022 this number is shown in the table below.
| Household size (number of people) | Eligible annual income per household |
|---|---|
| 1 | $17,388 |
| 2 | $23,517 |
| 3 | $29,646 |
| 4 | $35,775 |
| 5 | $41,904 |
| 6 | $48,033 |
| 7 | $54,162 |
| 8 | $60,291 |
| For each additional person, add | $6,129 |
Click here to learn how you can enroll in the West Virginia Lifeline free government smartphones and free government cell phones program.