President Trump follows through on threat and begins cutting federal jobs
President Donald Trump’s administration made good on its threat to lay off thousands of federal employees, with government agencies issuing “retrenchment” notices heading into the weekend.
As the government shutdown approaches its second week, several federal agencies, including the Social Security Administration (SSA), are still affected by furloughs and unable to operate as usual.
Thousands of SSA employees have been furloughed and services available to the agency have been limited during the closure.
However, despite the loss of federal funding, Social Security and Supplemental Security income payments continue as usual. These benefit programs are not dependent on Congressional approval, so continued conflict among lawmakers will not affect Social Security payments.
However, other areas overseen by SSA have been affected, such as the impact of cost-of-living adjustments on benefits. Here’s what you need to know:
Will Social Security payments continue during a government shutdown?
Yes, Social Security payments, including Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and retirement, disability, and survivor benefits, will continue during the government shutdown.
Social Security benefit programs are considered mandatory expenditures by law and are therefore not affected by the expiration of appropriations. Payments will continue to be made regularly during the shutdown.
Social Security Payment Schedule for October
According to the SSA payment calendar, Social Security recipients born between the 11th and 20th of their birth month are scheduled to receive their monthly benefits on Wednesday, October 15th.
See the full 2025 payment calendar.
Will Social Security offices remain open during the closure?
Social Security offices will remain open during the closure, but only some services will be available. According to SSA, the following services will continue to be available:
- Applying for benefits
- Request for appeal
- Change address or direct debit information
- Acceptance of death notification
- Check or change citizenship status
- Reissuance of lost or misplaced Social Security payments
- Issuance of important payments
- Change representative payee
- Procedures for changing residence status or income (SSI recipients only)
- Issuance of a new or replacement Social Security card
The following social security services are: do not have Available during shutdown:
- Medicare card replacement
- Issuance of income certificate
- Update or correct revenue records
Announcement of 2026 cost of living adjustment may be delayed
The Social Security Administration was expected to release the 2026 cost of living adjustment (COLA) on October 15, but that seems unlikely if the shutdown continues.
SSA will base its annual COLA on the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ September inflation report, which was originally scheduled to be released on October 15.
But amid the shutdown, nearly all of the department’s employees were furloughed. According to the BLS shutdown plan, scheduled releases of BLS economic indicators, including September’s Consumer Inflation Report, “will likely be delayed if the shutdown is prolonged.”
The release of the BLS’s September Inflation Report has been postponed to 8:30 a.m. Friday, October 24.
Melina Khan is USA TODAY’s national trends reporter. Contact her at melina.khan@usatoday.com.
Adora Lee, Fernando Cervantes Jr.; Susan Tomper, Detroit Free Press
