Washington, D.C. — The Social Security Administration (SSA) has lost more than 6,600 staff members in states across the country in less than a year, threatening its ability to serve the nearly 75 million Americans who rely on Social Security benefits, according to a new analysis from the Center for American Progress. CAP’s analysis includes the number of staff lost in each state.
The SSA has experienced the largest one-year staffing drop in its history. These losses have made it harder for older adults, people with disabilities, and families to access in-person help, resolve claims, and get timely answers about their benefits. CAP’s analysis examines state-level staffing declines that are fueling SSA office closures and reducing in-person access, especially in rural communities.
“Fulfilling the solemn promise of Social Security requires investing in and supporting the agency that makes those benefits possible, not draining it of essential talent and capacity,” said Molly Weston Williamson, senior fellow at CAP and author of the analysis. “Without the experienced, trained staff the agency needs, claimants, including older adults and disabled people, are paying the price.”
CAP’s analysis finds:
- SSA staffing fell by 6,645 employees between January and November 2025, a drop of more than 11 percent. The SSA has since relied on temporary staffing work-arounds. After staffing on the national 1-800 hotline fell by 13 percent, the agency reassigned field office staff to answer phones, pulling them away from in-person and casework duties.
- Thirty-three states lost at least 10 percent of SSA staff in fiscal year 2025 compared with the previous year.
- Some SSA field offices lost one-quarter or more of their staff, and some rural offices have closed entirely. Internal documents obtained by NextGov show that the SSA aims to cut field office visits by 50 percent in fiscal year 2026.
- Sixty-five percent of SSA employees surveyed said service quality declined over the past year, and 70 percent said service speed declined. The SSA has also changed how it reports call wait times, making delays harder to track.
Read the analysis: “The Social Security Administration Is Bleeding Staff” by Molly Weston Williamson.
For more information or to speak with an expert, contact Christian Unkenholz at [email protected].