an intense series of Administrative, staffing and policy changes The Social Security Administration, implemented at the beginning of the second Trump administration, has made it much more difficult to obtain the disability benefits that millions of Americans rely on to make ends meet.
Agency More than 7,100 jobs cut – more than 13% of its workforce and its The biggest employee cut so far. it closed six of its 10 regional offices, More services moved online and expanded the use of automated and artificial intelligence systems on its public phone lines.
Some rules changed and then changed again. For example, Social Security officials Announced in March 2025 People will no longer be able to apply for benefits only over the phone Reverse course after one month.
We are social work professors here California State University, Sacramento, binghamton university in New York and University of Wisconsin–Madison Who study these programs. And we have each found independently This was even before 2025 It’s hard to get disability benefits.
Now, we have found that this process has become even more difficult.
missing metrics
In June 2025, the agency Key customer service metrics removedSuch as phone wait times and disability claim processing times, from its website. This data provided important transparency to the public about the agency’s performance.
In the absence of information about the impacts of many of the ongoing changes, we launched a project to study how they are affecting access to disability benefits. we interviewed benefits representatives – Lawyers, social workers, and other types of advocates who help applicants and beneficiaries navigate Social Security systems.
We conducted in-depth interviews with 52 attorneys at 32 nonprofits, such as legal aid agencies and disability organizations. These organizations collectively assist more than 8,000 people each year.
We are referring to these advocates by pseudonyms to maintain their confidentiality. Many insisted that neither they nor their employers be identified for fear of retribution by the Trump administration.
We published our findings In collaboration with two national disability advocacy organizations Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund and this American Association of People with DisabilitiesIn March 2026. We took the step of publishing with these organizations before submitting our work to academic journals because we wanted to share these findings with the public as quickly as possible.
16 crore people get this benefit
The Social Security Administration is a federal agency that runs some of the nation’s largest Social Security programs, which include benefits for more than 60 crores retired employees, as well as Survivor benefits for spouses of workers who have died And their children who are under 18 years of age.
Additionally, the agency offers two types of disability benefits in total: 16 million people.
supplemental Security IncomeOr SSI, is a public assistance program for low-income older adults and disabled people under the age of 65. In 2026, it Offers up to US$994 One person is getting benefit every month.
social security disability insuranceOr SSDI, provides a limited pension for people who have worked long enough to qualify and now have disabilities that prevent them from working anymore. Payment varies depending on one’s previous salary, but The monthly average in 2026 is approximately $1,634.
To receive any benefits, Americans must meet The Social Security Administration’s strict definition of disabilityWhich considers health status, previous education and employment, and age to determine whether a physical or mental disability renders someone unable to work.
There is no time limit on how long you can receive SSI benefits. But the eligibility of children and adults under 65 is assessed periodically Strict rules of the program have to be followed. For example, they cannot have more than $2,000 in assets at any time while receiving benefits, must submit their pay stubs monthly for any earned income, and report any changes in their living situation, marital status, or bank accounts.
Despite this, the Trump administration made no formal changes to the eligibility criteria for SSI or SSDI. Considering proposals that could be narrower eligibility rules and potentially exclude millions of people who qualify for these benefits today or The size of benefit payments was reduced For many people with disabilities. But when the Urban Institute, a non-partisan research center, analyzed state-level data from the first half of 2025, it found that 7% fewer claims submitted for disability benefits to the Social Security Administration compared to the same period a year earlier. We learned more about these changes during our interviews. We heard that with reduced staffing, the agency had fewer people available to answer phone calls, leading to longer wait times. Customer service protocols also changed so that phone calls could be made social Security Administration They were redirected to field offices where callers did not dial, where staff could not help them. Other benefits reps encountered AI chatbots that didn’t answer their questions, or they found employees with specialized knowledge was reassigned To do other work. “I have a lot of cases that are stuck in purgatory because they don’t have enough staff to do the job,” said Jane, a paralegal we interviewed at Social Security’s Kansas City region. “They don’t have enough staff to answer the phone and tell me what’s going on.” Another source of friction emerged over visits to Social Security Administration field offices. The agency has more than 1,200 regional offices All over the country where people can get services. Shortly before Trump takes office in 2025, the agency began moving from walk-in services to essential appointments. But The Social Security Administration promised in 2024 that it “will not turn people away” if they can’t or don’t want to make an appointment. And yet benefits representatives told us in 2025 that many regional offices require appointments, and people are turned away if they arrive without them. This was especially frustrating because it was now difficult to make those appointments over the phone, said Freddy, a benefits representative in the Denver area. “Now, we can’t reach anyone at Social Security,” she told us. “We are unable to make appointments.” By May 2026, there are 10 offices in nine states either open by appointment only Or will remain closed to the public until further notice. The pressure from the Social Security Administration to do business online led to the assumption that everyone could easily use digital platforms. But the same is not true for many low-income disabled people who have or are applying for SSI and SSDI benefits. As Michael, an Atlanta-area attorney, explained, it’s not reasonable to assume that “someone who is 20 but homebound” or “someone who is 70 and has memory loss” can handle the online application process. Another challenge is from the Trump administration crack down on immigrationwhich has now extended to those who are authorized to reside in the United States. Many immigrants who receive disability benefits, or who support their relatives with SSI and SSDI benefits, are no longer sure it is safe for them to visit Social Security offices. Those fears were reinforced in February 2026, as reports emerged that some Social Security workers were Asked to share appointment data With Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. Several benefits experts told us they no longer know how to advise such clients about the potential risks of interacting with the Social Security Administration, including whether it is safe to visit regional offices or whether the agency might share their information with immigration officials. Staff reductions mean that the problem-solvers that advocacy once employed have taken with them years of expertise. Reaching the agency’s remaining staff members was more difficult than ever. Some were less familiar with the intricacies of Social Security Administration policies and procedures than their senior colleagues who left. As disability benefits have become more difficult to obtain, many people are suffering. We have heard of many cases of terminally ill clients dying before receiving the benefits they were entitled to. For example, Anne, an attorney in the agency’s Philadelphia region, described the case of a homeless, seriously ill client who could not proceed because Social Security Administration staff told her they could not locate paperwork she had submitted three years earlier. “This woman is dying,” said Anne. “All you have to do is press a little button to turn it on, and you’re telling me you can’t do that.” Miranda, a Philadelphia-area attorney, said that in the past, she has advocated for clients on complex legal issues. During the second Trump administration, this has changed. Now, her clients may find they need an attorney “to make sure something gets off someone’s desk and then gets faxed into the system.” Faxing is rarely necessary for most everyday business transactions. Commonly used during the disability benefits application process. “It’s taking up more of my time to do the same amount of work, which means we’re not able to take on as many cases,” said Megan, a paralegal in the Boston area. Our The report includes recommendations To improve how the Social Security Administration responds to applications for disability benefits. In our view, the agency should staff enough people to handle all applications and appeals in a timely and accurate manner while protecting data privacy and access for all applicants, including immigrant families. We also believe that agency leaders would be wise to seriously listen to the feedback of professional benefits representatives who help people with disabilities apply for SSI and SSDI benefits, such as those we interviewed, and their clients. Katie SavinAssistant Professor of Social Work, California State University, Sacramento; cali fridayAssistant Professor of Social Work, University of Wisconsin–MadisonAnd Matthew BorusAssistant Professor of Social Work, Binghamton University, State University of New York This article is republished from Conversation Under Creative Commons license. read the original article.
Facing long wait times and chatbots
field office disappointment
Barriers online and in person
die waiting
suggesting possible improvements
