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# receiving public assistance

phrase (verb phrase; receive, receives, received, receiving public assistance)

«receiving public assistance» in the English dictionary: in the primary school — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## In the primary school

Source: Mova's pupils' dictionary. Licence: [Elamur Cosmic License](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/docs/LICENSE/). Reviewed: the dictionary the pupils of Mova's primary school read; its examples quote the lessons and public-domain tales. Ships with Mova.

### Meaning

1. (euphemism, official, US) living on money or help from the government because a person or family is poor; on welfare.
2. literally, getting any kind of help from public services.

### In the lessons

Used in US official forms, news and social work to avoid the blunt "on welfare" or "on benefits", which can sound like a judgment; formal. In the UK people say "on benefits" or "claiming benefits".

### Examples

- The form asked whether anyone in the household was receiving public assistance.
- About one family in ten on our street is receiving public assistance.
- She was receiving public assistance while she finished her training.
- The report counted children in homes receiving public assistance.
- "He's on welfare," Uncle Jim said; Aunt May corrected him: "He's receiving public assistance."
- People receiving public assistance can get free school meals.
- The law changed the rules for those receiving public assistance.

### Note

Stands for the plain words "on welfare" or "on benefits". Polite and formal; in casual talk it can sound stiff. In maths problems it may give a number of families or an amount of money paid by the government.