BALTIMORE, MD — After years of complaints about endless hold times and clogged field offices, a new independent audit suggests the Social Security Administration pulled off a dramatic — and largely unnoticed — customer service rebound in 2025.
A report released by the SSA Office of the Inspector General confirms that the agency’s publicly reported telephone performance data was accurate and that customer service on its national 800-number improved substantially over the past fiscal year. The audit credits a combination of technology upgrades and staffing changes for reversing trends that had frustrated millions of beneficiaries.
The findings validate a sharp reduction in wait times that unfolded over just a few months. Average hold times on Social Security’s main phone line dropped from roughly 30 minutes early in 2025 to about seven minutes by September, even as call volume surged. According to the audit, the agency handled 65 percent more calls than the year before while still answering them faster.
SSA Commissioner Frank J. Bisignano framed the results as proof that the agency’s internal overhaul is working. “We are serving more Americans at significantly faster speeds than ever before,” Bisignano said, arguing that the audit undercuts claims that the agency’s performance data could not be trusted. He added that despite political criticism, SSA leadership intends to keep pushing improvements across phone, online, and in-person services.
The audit itself stemmed from skepticism at the highest levels. During a July meeting with Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Bisignano and senior SSA staff presented data showing rapid gains in phone service performance. Warren questioned the numbers, leading both sides to agree on an independent review by the Inspector General. That review ultimately confirmed not only the accuracy of the reported metrics, but also the scale of the improvement.
Beyond the phones, the audit points to broader operational gains. Field office wait times dropped by nearly 30 percent compared to the previous fiscal year, with visitors who have appointments waiting an average of just six minutes. The backlog of initial disability claims fell by one-third from its June 2024 peak, reversing a trend that had reached historic highs.
Technology played a central role in the turnaround. Expanded self-service options and system upgrades allowed Americans to access their “my Social Security” accounts around the clock, eliminating nearly 29 hours per week of scheduled website downtime that had previously limited access.
Taken together, the audit paints a picture of an agency that quietly reversed some of its most persistent service failures in less than a year. While debates over Social Security’s future remain politically charged, the Inspector General’s findings suggest that, at least operationally, the agency entered 2026 in far better shape than it began 2025.
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