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Social Security performance

We serve more than 300 million Americans who have an active Social Security number, including more than 75 million people who receive Social Security benefits.  We are committed to meeting people where they want to be served. The most convenient way for customers to access our services is by using your personal my Social Security account, which provides immediate access to important information and tools, putting you in control of your time.  You can use your personal my Social Security account 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. 

The green bars represent successful online transactions. The blue bars represent calls received on our National 800 Number.  The orange bars represent calls received by our field offices across the nation.  The red bars represent individuals that visit our field offices. Customers are increasingly choosing online and telephone options, which are 96.3 percent of our year-to-date customer contacts.  Year to date through May, our online transactions increased by over 8 percent compared to the same time last year.

Service channels at a glance - May 2026

Our most recent monthly performance results for each service channel are available in the boxes above.  We are improving performance across all our service channels. Compared to service levels in May 2025, we estimate our reduction in wait times through May 2026 is saving the public 14.2 million hours.  Below are the time savings by service channel.

  • Online Services: saves customers 7.6 million hours
  • National 800 Number: saves customers 4.9 million hours
  • Field Offices: saves customers that call and visit 1.7 hours

Online metrics

Since December 2025, more than 275,000 customers who filed their Medicare claims online have had their cases fully processed digitally, which accelerates benefit payments by reducing decision times to as quickly as 1 business day. 

The public's preference for digital self-service has grown. With your personal my Social Security account, you can quickly access important information and resources whenever you need them.  

Year to date (October through May)

Phone metrics

With improved answer rates and a faster speed of answer, we have already served 5.9 million more callers this fiscal year compared to prior years, an increase of over 29 percent, expanding access and delivering more timely service when it matters most.

Our self-service options help callers complete the following transactions quickly and conveniently without speaking to an agent:

  • Verify your benefits (rental/leasing process, buying a car, seeking other government benefits)
  • Check the status of a pending claim
  • Change your address
  • Request your 1099 tax form
  • Request a replacement Medicare card
  • Request information and forms
  • Obtain an answer to over 100 frequently asked questions

Phone self-service options help us serve more callers and provide faster service.

Year to date (October through May)

    Remote Media URL
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National 800 Number callers have a shorter average wait time to speak with an agent. Our average speed of answer in May 2025 was 11 minutes and our answer rate was 67 percent. In March 2026, the National 800 Number average speed of answer was 5 minutes and our answer rate was nearly 89 percent.

Customers experience a busy signal when all agents are assisting other callers. Since February 2026, the National 800 Number busy rate has decreased to as low as 0 percent, meaning over 13.9 million customers who needed to speak to an agent were able to do so. 

In-person / field office metrics

For nearly 20 million visitors, we reduced the FY 2026 average combined field office wait time to just under 21 minutes, a 31 percent improvement from FY 2024, improving service speed for millions of visitors each month.

Regardless of why you visit an SSA office, we are committed to serving you as quickly as possible.

  • Very few services require you to visit a field office.  We encourage you to go online to reduce your wait time and avoid a trip to the office.
  • If you must come into a field office, make an appointment. Customers with an appointment wait on average about 6 minutes.

Actual wait times may vary across the country in local offices. Wait time data below may not represent the experience of every individual customer.

The blue bars in the chart above represent the average time a customer waits in our field offices without an appointment. The orange bars represent the average time a customer waits in our offices with an appointment. The green bars represent the combined customer in-office wait time. If you do need to visit us in-person, your wait time will be less if you schedule an appointment.

While callers are receiving faster service, at the same time, processing time for retirement and survivors claims is improving. We process most claims within 14 days if benefits are due immediately or before your benefits start.

The black line in the chart above represents the percentage of retirement and survivor claims processed timely by month. The blue bars represent the total number of retirement and survivor claims processed by month. 

Disability determination processing time

Disability claimants are receiving faster service and fewer people are waiting for their initial disability claim decision.  We are issuing initial disability claims decisions on average 42 days faster than May 2025. 

The blue bars show the number of initial disability claims pending at the Disability Determination Services by month. The black line depicts the average number of days it takes to process initial disability claims by month. We are improving the time it takes to complete initial disability claim decisions and remain committed to reducing our processing time. 

The blue bars show the number of disability reconsiderations pending at the Disability Determination Services by month. The black line depicts the average number of days it takes to process disability reconsiderations by month. We are improving the time it takes to complete disability reconsideration decisions and remain committed to reducing our processing time. 

Hearings processing time

Hearings claimants continue to receive faster service and are waiting on average less than 9 months for a decision, compared to over 9 months in May 2025. 

If you disagree with the reconsideration determination, you may request a hearing before an administrative law judge. One of our key goals is to lower the average processing time for hearings to 270 days. The following charts highlight our significant progress in meeting our processing time goal and how customers are choosing to conduct their hearing.

The blue bars show the number of hearings pending by month. The black line depicts the average number of days it takes to process hearing requests by month. We are working to improve the time it takes to issue a hearing decision. 

Claimants who appeal their decision increasingly prefer the convenience of a virtual hearing.

The chart above shows how individuals chose to hold their hearing in fiscal years 2019 through 2025 and year to date (October through May 2026) this fiscal year. The orange bars in the chart above show the percentage of hearings held by agency video. The blue bars show the percentage of hearings held in-person. The green bars show the percentage of hearings held via virtual options (audio or online video).

The chart above shows how individuals chose to hold their hearing by month. The orange bars show the percentage of hearings held by agency video. The blue bars show the percentage of hearings held in person. The green bars show the percentage of hearings held via virtual options (audio or online video).  We remain committed to providing excellent customer service for individuals that request to hold a hearing using any of our options.

Last updated on June 9, 2026