US government shutdown will delay Social Security 2026 COLA announcement

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: Reuters

October 7, 2025 11:38 AM EDT Updated 2 hours ago


WASHINGTON, Oct 7 (Reuters) - Millions of U.S. retirees and other Social Security recipients will have to wait for a while to learn how big their checks will be in 2026 as the ongoing partial government shutdown is set to delay the release of September's consumer inflation data.

The Social Security Administration would have used the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers data from the third quarter of 2024 to the third quarter of 2025 to determine the annual cost-of-living adjustment for Social Security and Supplemental Security Income benefits for next year.

The programs benefit older Americans who have retired from their jobs as well as the disabled and certain widows, widowers and children. The COLA announcement - a widely anticipated event each October among the households relying on those payments - is typically made shortly after the Bureau of Labor Statistics releases September's CPI report.

But the shutdown, triggered by a lapse in government funding amid a political standoff between Republicans and Democrats in Washington, has halted the collection and publication of key economic data, including the closely watched employment report for September that was scheduled for release last Friday. September's CPI report is due October 15. Even if Congress reaches a deal to reopen the government, a delay is still likely due to the time required for BLS to process the data.

Read more: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-government-shutdown-will-delay-social-security-2026-cola-announcement-2025-10-07/

[Klarkashton]

1. The key economic data was being held up before

This shutdown. This is just an excuse.

[yellow dahlia]

3. Right. There is no head of BLS, due to the grifter.

[alwaysinasnit]

2. It would not surprise me if there is no COLA at all, but there would be Part B premium increases.

[LudwigPastorius]

4. Even if there were no COLA to Social Security,...

I'd expect a "special economic impact" check with Trump's picture on it sent out to everyone next year to try to buy GOP votes.

[alwaysinasnit]

6. Perhaps not, as tsf told his supporters before the election - (paraphrasing) Just vote for me this

one time and you will never have to vote again.

[niyad]

5. It was indicated several weeks ago, and posted here on DU, that it was

going to be a pittance. .around 2.5%. For someone who receives 1k/month, that is about 83 cents a day. Be still, my heart.

[synni]

8. I don't consider it a pittance

I'm on SSI, and I could really use that extra $24 per month.

[niyad]

10. I am very glad that it will help. But to insult us by saying that cost of living

has ONLY gone up 2.5% is bullshit and insulting our intelligence. With one exception, every single one of my expenses (which are admittedly few) has gone up a minimum of 10-15%.

[Vinca]

7. The amount is usually so small it's nothing to get excited over anyway.

[Tree Lady]

15. It balances out for me with

Medicare increase. I may get $20 if lucky. This is what happens if you have low paying jobs and stay home 7 yrs with kids, I did under the table babysitting. So my SS is very low,we live off husbands pension from state.

[Vinca]

16. If your husband gets Social Security you should be able to get a little added to yours just because he's

on and you were at home with the kids. I forget what it's called, but when we signed up we saw an SS agent in person (this was years ago) and she added it on. It all helps.

[Tree Lady]

17. My hubby worked for a state job

Where they didn't take out SS so he only gets a few hundred a month from other jobs in his life. From what I remember you get a choice of your SS or half of husband's which ever is greater. Mine is more than half of his. He has monthly pension from main job.

[Vinca]

18. Well that sucks.

[LtTx]

9. Medicare is going up...

from 185.00 to 206.50. So hopefully any COLA will cover this increase.

[niyad]

11. See post 5.

[Rebl2]

13. Doubtful

[PSPS]

12. "delay the release of September's consumer inflation data" thus allow further cooking of the stats.

[damifino10]

14. Bogus index is not the true number

Liars figure and figures lie. Cherry picking numbers to not put forth the real dollar amounts is truly sad.