How will Federal Government shutdown impact your Social Security? Here's what's still running and what’s delayed

The US government shutdown approaches its two-week mark, and millions of Americans are experiencing disruptions in federal services. However, Social Security payments remain unaffected, providing a vital lifeline for retirees, individuals with disabilities, and low-income seniors.

Despite the ongoing shutdown, Social Security benefits, including Supplemental Security Income (SSI), retirement, disability, and survivor benefits, continue to be distributed on schedule. These programs are classified as mandatory spending under federal law, meaning they are exempt from annual appropriations and are not affected by the lapse in funding. The Social Security Administration (SSA) has confirmed that payments will proceed as usual.

The furlough of thousands of SSA employees has reduced the agency’s capacity to deliver its normal services during the shutdown.


Beneficiaries born between the 11th and 20th of the month are scheduled to receive their monthly payments on Wednesday, October 15, 2025, according to the SSA's payment calendar. This schedule is unaffected by the shutdown.

SSA office operations during the shutdown

According to the USA Today website, while Social Security offices remain open, the services available have been significantly reduced due to furloughs and limited staffing. According to the SSA, the following services are still operational:

• Applying for benefits
  
• Requesting an appeal
  
• Changing address or direct deposit information
  
• Reporting a death
  
• Verifying or changing citizenship status
  
• Replacing a lost or missing Social Security payment
  
• Issuing a critical payment
  
• Changing a representative payee
  
• Processing changes in living arrangements or income (for SSI recipients)
  
• Issuing new or replacement Social Security cards
  

However, several services are currently unavailable:

• Replacing a Medicare card
  
• Issuing proof of income letters
  
• Updating or correcting earnings records
  

Potential delay in 2026 cost-of-living adjustment announcement

The SSA was expected to announce the 2026 cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) on October 15. However, the shutdown has led to the furlough of nearly all Bureau of Labor Statistics employees, who are responsible for compiling the inflation data used to determine COLA. As a result, the release of the September inflation report, which is crucial for calculating the COLA, is likely to be delayed. The Bureau of Labor Statistics has indicated that scheduled economic data releases, including the inflation report, "will likely be delayed if the lapse is prolonged."

For the majority of Social Security recipients, the shutdown has not caused any immediate financial hardship. Payments continue as scheduled, and essential services are still available. However, the delay in the COLA announcement may affect beneficiaries' financial planning for the upcoming year, as they await information on potential adjustments to their benefits.

Beneficiaries are encouraged to monitor official SSA communications for updates on service availability and any changes to the COLA announcement timeline.