Americans 50-Plus Overwhelmingly Support Increasing Funding for Customer Service at Social Security

Americans and leaders at Social Security report worsening customer service at the agency, including long call wait times and longer waits to determine eligibility for disability benefits. These challenges are largely driven by the increase of Social Security’s customer base, which has grown by more than 16 percent over the past decade.

While Congress has appropriated more dollars in absolute terms to cover the agency’s administrative costs in the past, the amount has been insufficient to cover inflation or the growth in demand for services.

AARP research fielded in November 2024 found that an overwhelming majority of older Americans support “increasing funding for customer service and other administrative functions at Social Security.” In fact, more than four in five (85 percent) Americans 50-plus, across political parties, support increased funding (Democrats, 92 percent; Independents, 82 percent; Republicans, 80 percent).

Methodology

Interviews were conducted between November 14 and 18, 2024, among 1,010 U.S. adults age 50-plus in the Foresight 50+ Omnibus. Funded and operated by NORC at the University of Chicago, Foresight 50+ is a probability-based panel designed to be representative of the U.S. household population age 50 or older. Interviews were conducted online and via phone. All data are weighted by age, sex, education, race/ethnicity, region, and AARP membership.

For more information, please contact Bryan Miller at bmmiller@aarp.org. For media inquiries, please contact External Relations at media@aarp.org.