Social Security Is Improving Our National 800 Number and Reducing Call Wait Times
Reading Time: 2 MinutesLast Updated: November 18, 2024
Social Security launched a national 800 number in October 1988. Today, our agents answer more than 28 million phone calls a year. Our new telephone platform makes it even easier to connect with us.
Why use our 800 number?
For more than 35 years, our toll-free number has been an easy way to contact Social Security without the need to travel to a local office. Our national 800 number – 1-800-772-1213 – allows you to access information and services with just a phone call, saving you time and money. It is especially helpful if you live in a rural or remote area, have limited mobility or transportation issues, or juggle a busy schedule.
For many people, the fastest and most convenient way to conduct business with us is online at www.ssa.gov. If you cannot or prefer not to use our online services, our enhanced telephone system offers new features that allow us to better serve you – whether you’re calling to update your personal record, check on the status of an application or appeal, or request a replacement Social Security card.
Our improved Call Back Assist feature saves your place in line without you having to wait on hold to speak with a representative. That means you can go about your day until a representative returns your call.
Our 800 number offers services in English and Spanish and interpreters in more than 200 languages and dialects. Our free interpreter services ensure most callers can access information and services in the language they prefer.
We also continue to offer teletypewriter (TTY) services for people who are deaf, hard-of-hearing, or have difficulty using a traditional phone.
Wait times on our national 800 number are longer than we would like, mainly because of hiring and staffing challenges. We’re worked hard to reduce wait times and have cut the average wait nearly in half – from 24 to 13 minutes. We’re putting into place new technology and business practices so we can shorten wait times even more and improve the customer experience. By the end of fiscal year 2025, our goal is to answer our 800 number calls within an average of 12 minutes.
Reducing call wait times is one of Commissioner Martin O’Malley’s top priorities, and he’s committed to providing the public with prompt and reliable service. Our new phone platform is a major step forward. To learn more about our efforts, visit our 800 number performance webpage.
When can you call Social Security?
To speak with a Social Security representative, please call 1-800-772-1213, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. The best times to call are early in the morning, later in the week, and later in the month when wait times tend to be shorter.
Our automated telephone services are available 24 hours a day and do not require you to wait to speak with a representative. You can request the status of a claim, a benefit verification letter, an SSA-1099 tax summary, and more. You can also listen to informational messages about a variety of topics.
Please let others know about improvements to our national 800 number and share on social media.
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H. S.
Sad to see citizens struggling to connect with SSA knowing SSA recently spent millions of dollars migrating to a new call center solution. The transition to this new call center solution was done without any competition from solution providers. This new call center solution bills per minute of usage so the extreme hold times described actually increase the costs to service citizens and sadly have not improved service. Interestingly SSA hasn’t published their Avg. Speed to Answer data since July https://www.ssa.gov/open/data/800-number-average-speed-to-answer.html
The Agency is keeping citizens in the dark and failing to deliver on their promise to improve service.
Angshuman d.
“This is an excellent post! I really appreciate how you broke down [specific aspect of the post], especially [detail]. It’s insightful and aligns with what I’ve observed in [related field or personal experience]. One question I had was about [specific point or question], as I’d love to hear your perspective on that. Thanks for sharing such valuable information!”
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Isaiah N.
I’ve called over 30 times today I use to always get the option to receive a call back now no option I see other people commenting saying the same thing it’s extremely frustrating
Dawn M.
Apparently not all areas have call back. I am calling later in week, a Friday, and end of month, my estimate time on hold is 120 minutes!!!!!! Unacceptable.
Cynthia B.
I am confused. You say the wait times are shorter, but they are not. I stopped trying to call you guys and here is what happened. I was sitting in the Que estimated wait time 40min. Suddenly someone breaks into my call, she states “I have an amazing offer for seniors”, she was talking so fast I could not get her to shut up. Finally I yelled into the phone PLEASE WOILD YOU JUST SHUT UP FOR A MINUTE!!!! She must have needed to breathe as I finally had a break. I rapidly spoke, “I am on hold for a SSI representative”. She hung up on me, which completely bounced me out of the Que. as much as I can I use the web site. And when I can’t get what I need, I set my morning alarm, and go to my local office, one hour before doors open with my coffee in hand. In the winter months this is not a pleasant experience. I just want to say, that technology stinks. When I am dealing with SSI issues I really do want to talk to someone with skin. I really hope you just find ways to get us to real people faster. Unfortunately hackers are just a part of what we now have to deal with.
TRM
It’s on December,2024 and I am.on hold now for 2 1/2 hours. The worst of the worst as a community agency! Way to may people looking for work for you to ever think this is acceptable at all.
Employ more people in peak season? Do something instead of allowing this to continue at this crazy slow pace!
C
Called to update a job change. Told me 50 minute wait. Almost two hours on hold and still nothing. Why can’t we just update this online? Why do they have to make everything so difficult??? I don’t wanna talk to a person to have to update my wage changes. PUT IT ON THE WEBSITE. Wasting my day because I have to be on hold w these people
MajJohn
I began working for SSA almost 50 years ago. Back in the day I’d stress out if my employees did not provide A+ service. I take from all the comments I’ve read that the service is much worse now. The problem is with every automated advance they cut staff saying that the automation should result in fewer employees being able to do more. We used to never turn down a walk-in. If they were in the building before closing, we took care of them, working OT if we had to. Allas, those days are long gone. Glad I’m retired.
AK
The website may be helpful for some things, but old timers don’t want a website. They want someone to hold their hand and do it for them. I would love to do everything via the website, but what I’m asking to do can’t be done online. Why not?
Utkarsh G.
“This was such an insightful post! I never thought about it from this perspective before. Thanks for sharing!”
MajJohn
What perspective, that service is terrible?
Leila S.
I find consider this article to be grossly negligent. The author is claiming that usual wait times are 24 minutes, and they hope to cut it down to just 13 minutes. How about they first work on ACTUALLY getting the wait times down to 24 minutes. I’d be satisfied with even that. I called just about a month ago and waited TWO HOURS to speak to someone and have a 2 MINUTE phone conversation.
Getting ahold of anyone in SS, is a joke. As a disabled American, who suddenly became disabled and unable to work, getting any sort of government assistance has been a complete nightmare. It’s made me feel alone, hopeless, and helpless. It’s been nearly a YEAR since I applied, and my application is still at step 2. Yes, you read that correctly, step TWO!!! I can’t get ahold of anyone at my local office, so I called this national number. I did get ahold of someone, but only after waiting for two hours! I finally spoke to a real person, but unfortunately, she wasn’t able to assist me with my application. Oh, and I should also mention that I’m a single parent who requested my application be expedited and/or, I get qualified for advance payments. My family has suffered significantly due to the mismanagement of the hard-earned money I was forced to put into the ‘pot’. Money I will likely never see. I feel so lost 🙁
Yael
On the phone for 02:16 hours and still waiting…
T.Y.
Hi, Yael. Thank you for reading our blog. We are sorry that you are having trouble reaching someone by phone. Wait times to speak to a representative are typically shorter in the morning, later in the week, and later in the month. Our automated telephone services are available 24 hours a day and do not require you to wait to speak with a representative. For other ways to contact us, please visit our How Can We Help webpage. If your issue is time sensitive, you may want to visit your local Social Security office. To find the contact information of your local office, visit our office locator. We hope this helps.
Stephanie K.
Im not sure why Social Security thinks wait times have been reduced. Ive been sitting on the phone for over an hour just to get my disabled sister’s benefits established in a new state. There was no option to get a call back. Why lie? Being disabled is not an excuse to force people to take hours away from their days to have a simple communication. Im pretty sure they are going to force us to wait all day in a germ infested room anyways, which is what Im trying to avoid with her autoimmune issues. Dying trying to do a change of address form with social security sounds about right. Everyone else has the option to do this online.
Chris
2 and a half hours on hold for me – name change due to marriage and months later STILL no updated social security card.
According to the rep I have to drive 25 miles back into the city to reapply even though they confirmed receipt of my name change and updated it online.
Can’t request a card without an appt and physically going to the office. Since I never received the new card I have to bring ALL the same documents in again to prove who I was before they dropped the ball on sending out my new card.
Worse the rep couldn’t tell me if or when my new card was even sent! She said I should get informed delivery … I have informed delivery, nothing was sent to me by SSA.
Why bother following their process to update anything…definition of insanity, doing the same thing over and over expecting a different result!