Social Security Callers Endure Long Wait Times, Sometimes Days, for Assistance
October 31, 2025
Social Security Callers Waiting Hours, Or Sometimes Days, for Help
Seniors and individuals with disabilities attempting to reach the Social Security Administration (SSA) are facing significant challenges. Many report enduring endless loops of music, frustratingly long wait times, ineffective automated messages, and prolonged intervals between their requests and actual callbacks. This troubling situation is highlighted in a new report from the Washington Post.
The SSA asserts that it has made strides in improving call wait times, particularly after reallocating more staff to handle the 1-800 number in July. However, interviews with nearly three dozen callers reveal a starkly different reality. One beneficiary, who called to report income, struggled through multiple unhelpful interactions with an AI chatbot before finally reaching a human representative. Another caller, seeking back pay, spent an astonishing 20 hours on the phone trying to get assistance. In a particularly frustrating instance, a caller remained on hold despite an estimated wait time of over 120 minutes, only to have the call dropped after an hour. This individual ultimately had to call the SSA multiple times a day for five consecutive days before being offered a callback option.
Even when beneficiaries manage to request a callback, the wait can extend for hours, days, or even weeks due to chronic understaffing. According to SSA data, the agency recorded 19.3 million callbacks this year, a significant increase from 6.8 million the previous year when the callback feature was first introduced. Alarmingly, many beneficiaries who have already waited on hold for hours receive a “polite disconnect” message, indicating that the line is too busy, abruptly ending their call. This disheartening experience occurred for over 3.3 million of the 76.4 million calls made between January and September this year.
“Older Americans shouldn’t have to worry about having to turn to unreliable AI chatbots or jumping through hoops to get their important Social Security questions and concerns addressed by an SSA worker. It’s time for Congress to demand full staffing at the agency,” stated Robert Roach, Jr., President of the Alliance.
October 31, 2025
Social Security Callers Waiting Hours, Or Sometimes Days, for Help
Seniors and individuals with disabilities attempting to reach the Social Security Administration (SSA) are facing significant challenges. Many report enduring endless loops of music, frustratingly long wait times, ineffective automated messages, and prolonged intervals between their requests and actual callbacks. This troubling situation is highlighted in a new report from the Washington Post.
The SSA asserts that it has made strides in improving call wait times, particularly after reallocating more staff to handle the 1-800 number in July. However, interviews with nearly three dozen callers reveal a starkly different reality. One beneficiary, who called to report income, struggled through multiple unhelpful interactions with an AI chatbot before finally reaching a human representative. Another caller, seeking back pay, spent an astonishing 20 hours on the phone trying to get assistance. In a particularly frustrating instance, a caller remained on hold despite an estimated wait time of over 120 minutes, only to have the call dropped after an hour. This individual ultimately had to call the SSA multiple times a day for five consecutive days before being offered a callback option.
Even when beneficiaries manage to request a callback, the wait can extend for hours, days, or even weeks due to chronic understaffing. According to SSA data, the agency recorded 19.3 million callbacks this year, a significant increase from 6.8 million the previous year when the callback feature was first introduced. Alarmingly, many beneficiaries who have already waited on hold for hours receive a “polite disconnect” message, indicating that the line is too busy, abruptly ending their call. This disheartening experience occurred for over 3.3 million of the 76.4 million calls made between January and September this year.
“Older Americans shouldn’t have to worry about having to turn to unreliable AI chatbots or jumping through hoops to get their important Social Security questions and concerns addressed by an SSA worker. It’s time for Congress to demand full staffing at the agency,” stated Robert Roach, Jr., President of the Alliance.
