AARP Pushes for Crucial Funding for Social Security Customer Service

AARP is calling on federal lawmakers to approve critical funding for the Social Security Administration if Congress fails to pass a 2025 fiscal year budget by the end of this month.

The White House this week asked Congress to ensure Social Security has the funding it needs for next year. The move was part of a broader request for short-term funding that would keep the government operating until a final budget deal is reached.

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Unlike Social Security benefit payments, which are mandatory federal spending, administrative spending — which includes customer service — is subject to the annual federal appropriations process. Federal funding expires on Sept. 30, the end of the current fiscal year.

Without the requested funding in place, Social Security would “likely reduce the hours field offices are open to the public and would need to close field offices over time, extending wait times for seniors and individuals with disabilities,” according to the federal Office of Management and Budget, which made the request.

AARP in August called on the Biden administration to take steps to ensure Social Security is funded if budget talks stall. On Sept. 6, we wrote to House and Senate lawmakers urging them to do the same.

“Social Security is a lifeline to millions of older Americans and their families, and ensuring that the Social Security Administration (SSA) has the resources it needs to effectively serve them is vital,” wrote Bill Sweeney, AARP senior vice president for government affairs.

Understaffing means longer wait times

We're trying to prevent a repeat of last year, when monthslong delays to congressional spending bills forced a hiring freeze and hampered the agency’s ability to address a flood of customer service complaints. AARP has been a vocal critic of record-high hold times for people calling Social Security's national 800 number for help in recent years, and delays of months or even years on disability claims.   

In 2022, AARP and its members successfully fought for a significant boost in funding for the SSA to address a customer service crisis after field offices closed for two years during the pandemic. SSA officials have said major improvements would take time. 

Sweeney said recent investments are beginning to pay dividends. Hold times are slowly coming down, and the SSA indicated it is working to bring down processing times for claims as well. But Sweeney warned that the lack of temporary funding could derail any progress if Congress fails to pass a budget before the start of the new fiscal year. 

Last year, when full-year appropriation bills were not passed until halfway through the fiscal year, the administration could not fill open positions. This resulted in “a 27-year low in staffing levels,” Sweeney wrote, “even as the number of beneficiaries continues to increase.”

“An understaffed agency means longer wait times and more frustration for your constituents, who cannot get the services they need and have already paid for through a lifetime of hard work,” he noted.

Keep up with AARP’s coverage of Social Security, and use AARP’s Social Security Calculator to find out how to maximize your benefits.