(SRN NEWS/AP/97.5 GLORY FM) – The Social Security Administration is hoping to cut visits to its field offices – such as the one in Gainesville – in half next year, a move that advocates for the agency fear signals more closures are coming.
Field offices have long been community-based branches that serve as the public face of the SSA, which provide in-person help for people applying for retirement and disability benefits, getting Social Security cards and other important services.
A November internal field office operating plan shared with The Associated Press outlines a proposed target of 50% fewer field office visitors in fiscal year 2026 compared to fiscal year 2025, or no more than 15 million field office visits by members of the public. Agency field offices saw more than 31.6 million field office visits from SSA recipients from Oct. 1, 2024, to Sept. 30, 2025, according to the agency document.
Barton Mackey, a Social Security spokesperson, said “field offices are, and will always remain, our front-line, providing in-person services to the approximately 75 million Americans who receive monthly payments and more than 330 million Americans with Social Security numbers, which the Commissioner has reiterated countless times since his confirmation.”
“The Social Security Administration under President Trump’s leadership is serving more Americans than ever before at quicker speeds, and meeting customers where they want to be served,” Mackey said. “Through technology improvements and modernization, more Americans are choosing to easily and quickly manage their benefits online or over the phone.”
Nextgov/FCW first reported on the agency’s plan to reduce field office foot traffic.
At least 7,000 SSA workers have been laid off from the agency this year as the Trump administration has proposed a number of plans to streamline services at the SSA.
In March, after outcry from lawmakers and the public, SSA leadership partially backtracked on a plan that would require all new and existing beneficiaries who are unable to use the agency’s online portal to travel to a Social Security field office to verify their identity.
EARLIER STORY. POSTED MARCH 27: Gainesville Social Security office will apparently remain open
Several field offices in rural areas of the U.S. have already closed this year because of a lack of staffing.
The Social Security website lists several office closures as well as offices that are only able to assist by phone until further notice. The agency says the closures are not permanent, rather, the offices are closed due to maintenance or facilities issues that the agency is working to resolve, the agency says.