Key Takeaways:
- Service Upgrades: The Social Security Administration (SSA) has announced significant improvements to its services for 2025, detailed in an update to Congress.
- Reduced Wait Times: Americans can expect shorter wait times by phone and in-person, with the average phone wait dropping from 28 to 15 minutes.
- Disability Backlog Cut: The agency has successfully reduced its disability claims backlog by over 25%, bringing pending cases to a level not seen since 2022.
- Enhanced Online Access: The my Social Security online portal is now available 24/7, eliminating a previous weekly downtime of 29 hours.
The Social Security Administration is rolling out a series of major upgrades aimed at improving customer experience, reducing backlogs, and speeding up payments, according to a recent update sent to Congress by Social Security Commissioner Frank Bisignano.
These changes, implemented during Fiscal Year 2025, address several long-standing issues, providing welcome news for the millions of Americans who rely on the agency’s services.
Faster Payments and 24/7 Online Access
A key highlight of the update is the agency’s efficiency in distributing benefits. The SSA successfully sent over 3.1 million backpayments, totaling more than $17 billion, to beneficiaries eligible under the new Social Security Fairness Act. This task was completed five months ahead of schedule.
Commissioner Bisignano also pointed to a critical technological improvement. Previously, the my Social Security online portal was subject to a “scheduled downtime of 29 hours a week.”
“As a result of the quick actions taken by my leadership team this past summer, Americans now have 24/7 access to their Social Security information online,” Bisignano wrote.
Slashing Wait Times for Customer Service
For those who need to contact the SSA directly, customer service wait times have been dramatically reduced. The average speed to answer a phone call has been cut nearly in half, dropping from 28 minutes in Fiscal Year 2024 to just 15 minutes in 2025. This was achieved while serving 65% more callers.
In-person service has also seen improvements. The average wait time in a field office has decreased by almost 27%, from 30 minutes last year to 22 minutes. Visitors with a scheduled appointment now wait only about six minutes on average.
Tackling the Disability Claims Backlog
One of the most significant achievements outlined is the reduction of the disability claims backlog. The number of pending cases, which hit a record high of over 1.26 million in June 2024, has been cut by more than 25% to 865,000.
“I am proud to share that we have reduced the backlog this year… to a level that hasn’t been seen since 2022,” Bisignano stated.
Furthermore, the average processing time for initial disability claims has fallen by 13%, from 240 days in January 2025 to 209 days. These improvements signal a more efficient system for some of the nation’s most vulnerable applicants.
Image Referance: https://www.newsweek.com/social-security-issues-update-on-2025-changes-11092633