By Sam Larsen, Owner, Social Security Disability Advisors.
Most people who call us have already been told no at least once. By then they are somewhere in what I call the hearing gap: the long stretch between a denial letter and a judge's decision, where the wait is longest and where many people give up.
This report puts that gap on the record, stage by stage. Every figure comes from the Social Security Administration, its Inspector General, the Government Accountability Office, federal regulations or published research, and every one links to the original source so you can check it yourself.
Key findings
Judges approved 57.5% of the disability decisions they issued at SSA hearing offices from September 2025 through August 2026. Stat 27
Only 18% to 21% of SSDI disabled-worker applicants were awarded benefits at the first decision, for applications filed 2014 through 2023. Stat 7
Reconsideration approved 13.9% of medical decisions on 2021 SSDI applications. Stat 12
40.2% of adults denied SSI at the first level in 2022 appealed; the rest stopped there. Stat 14
349,461 cases were pending at SSA's 158 hearing offices as of August 28, 2026. Stat 18
In August 2026, the average wait from hearing request to hearing held ranged from 7.0 to 12.0 months, depending on the office. Stat 21
Individual judges' approval rates ranged from 6% to 95% in fiscal year 2023. Stat 29
Only 4% of claimants opted out of a video hearing in fiscal year 2025. Stat 33
28.0% of SSDI disabled-worker awards in 2024 went to people aged 55 to 59, the largest of any age group. Stat 39
Representative fees are capped at the lesser of 25% of past-due benefits or $9,200. Stat 58
Contents
Stage 1
Most applicants are not approved at the first decision, and the first decision alone takes months.
In calendar year 2025, Social Security field offices received 1,930,414 applications for disabled-worker (SSDI) benefits, according to the Social Security Administration's Office of the Chief Actuary.
What it means: Close to two million people asked for SSDI in a single year. Many are deciding alone whether a denial letter is the end of the road.
Who: Applications for SSDI disabled-worker benefits (excludes disabled child's and disabled widow(er)'s benefits; SSI-only claims not included)
Cite this stat
In calendar year 2025, Social Security field offices received 1,930,414 applications for disabled-worker (SSDI) benefits, according to the Social Security Administration's Office of the Chief Actuary. Source: Social Security Administration, Office of the Chief Actuary, Selected Data from Social Security's Disability Program: Disabled worker beneficiary statistics by calendar year, quarter, and month, September 2026. Via Social Security Disability Advisors, The Hearing Gap Report 2026: https://disabilityadvisors.com/social-security-disability-statistics#stat-1
At the end of fiscal year 2025, 885 thousand initial disability claims were pending, according to the Social Security Administration's FY 2025 workload and outcome measures.
What it means: A backlog this size means the first decision can take most of a year. Keeping medical treatment documented during that wait matters later.
Data period: Fiscal year 2025 (Oct 2024 to Sep 2025), end-of-year pending
Who: Initial SSDI and SSI disability claims pending at state Disability Determination Services (national)
Cite this stat
At the end of fiscal year 2025, 885 thousand initial disability claims were pending, according to the Social Security Administration's FY 2025 workload and outcome measures. Source: Social Security Administration, Workload and Outcome Measures, FY 2025 Actuals, 2025. Via Social Security Disability Advisors, The Hearing Gap Report 2026: https://disabilityadvisors.com/social-security-disability-statistics#stat-2
In fiscal year 2025, the average processing time for initial disability claims was 226 days, according to the Social Security Administration's FY 2025 workload and outcome measures.
What it means: Plan for months, not weeks, before a first answer. This is an average; your state agency may be faster or slower.
Who: Initial SSDI and SSI disability claims decided in FY 2025 (national average)
Cite this stat
In fiscal year 2025, the average processing time for initial disability claims was 226 days, according to the Social Security Administration's FY 2025 workload and outcome measures. Source: Social Security Administration, Workload and Outcome Measures, FY 2025 Actuals, 2025. Via Social Security Disability Advisors, The Hearing Gap Report 2026: https://disabilityadvisors.com/social-security-disability-statistics#stat-3
In June 2024, the initial disability claims backlog reached an all-time high of over 1.26 million pending claims, and SSA reported reducing it by 32 percent to 862,000 by the time of its June 2026 budget testimony, according to SSA Commissioner Frank Bisignano's written statement to the House Ways and Means Committee.
What it means: The backlog has come down from its peak, but it is still large. Dates matter here: these are different points in time, not one trend line.
Who: Initial SSDI and SSI disability claims pending at state Disability Determination Services (national)
Cite this stat
In June 2024, the initial disability claims backlog reached an all-time high of over 1.26 million pending claims, and SSA reported reducing it by 32 percent to 862,000 by the time of its June 2026 budget testimony, according to SSA Commissioner Frank Bisignano's written statement to the House Ways and Means Committee. Source: Social Security Administration (Commissioner's testimony, hosted by House Ways and Means Committee), Statement for the Record of Frank J. Bisignano, Commissioner, Social Security Administration, before the House Committee on Ways and Means, Subcommittee on Social Security and Subcommittee on Work & Welfare, June 10, 2026, June 2026. Via Social Security Disability Advisors, The Hearing Gap Report 2026: https://disabilityadvisors.com/social-security-disability-statistics#stat-4
SSA reported that the average processing time for initial disability claims fell 21 percent, from 233 days in May 2024 to 184 days in May 2026, according to SSA Commissioner Frank Bisignano's written statement to the House Ways and Means Committee.
What it means: Faster than in 2024, but still about six months for a first decision. Averages hide wide variation by state.
Data period: May 2024 and May 2026 (monthly values)
Who: Initial SSDI and SSI disability claims (national, monthly)
Cite this stat
SSA reported that the average processing time for initial disability claims fell 21 percent, from 233 days in May 2024 to 184 days in May 2026, according to SSA Commissioner Frank Bisignano's written statement to the House Ways and Means Committee. Source: Social Security Administration (Commissioner's testimony, hosted by House Ways and Means Committee), Statement of Frank J. Bisignano, Commissioner, Social Security Administration, on the FY 2027 Budget, hearing of June 10, 2026, June 2026. Via Social Security Disability Advisors, The Hearing Gap Report 2026: https://disabilityadvisors.com/social-security-disability-statistics#stat-5
For SSDI applications filed in 2021, state agencies allowed 36.1 percent of medical decisions at the initial level, according to the Social Security Administration's Annual Statistical Report on the SSDI Program, 2024.
What it means: About a third of medical decisions were approvals at the first level. The rate covers medical decisions only, so technical denials are not included.
Data period: Applications filed in calendar year 2021; data current through June 2024
Who: SSDI applications (Social Security-only and concurrent SSDI/SSI; all disabled beneficiaries; excludes SSI-only) filed in 2021, medical decisions at the initial level
Sample: 1,271,512 initial medical decisions
Cite this stat
For SSDI applications filed in 2021, state agencies allowed 36.1 percent of medical decisions at the initial level, according to the Social Security Administration's Annual Statistical Report on the SSDI Program, 2024. Source: Social Security Administration, Office of Retirement and Disability Policy, Annual Statistical Report on the Social Security Disability Insurance Program, 2024, Outcomes of Applications for Disability Benefits, December 2025. Via Social Security Disability Advisors, The Hearing Gap Report 2026: https://disabilityadvisors.com/social-security-disability-statistics#stat-6
For disabled-worker applications filed from 2014 through 2023, the share of applicants awarded benefits at the initial claims level ranged from 18 percent to 21 percent, while the share of claims ultimately denied (final outcome after all levels) averaged 68 percent, according to the Social Security Administration's Annual Statistical Report on the SSDI Program, 2024.
What it means: Roughly one in five applicants is approved at the first decision. The 68% is the final outcome after all appeals, a different measure from the initial rate.
Who: SSDI disabled-worker applicants, by year of application 2014-2023
Cite this stat
For disabled-worker applications filed from 2014 through 2023, the share of applicants awarded benefits at the initial claims level ranged from 18 percent to 21 percent, while the share of claims ultimately denied (final outcome after all levels) averaged 68 percent, according to the Social Security Administration's Annual Statistical Report on the SSDI Program, 2024. Source: Social Security Administration, Office of Retirement and Disability Policy, Annual Statistical Report on the Social Security Disability Insurance Program, 2024, Outcomes of Applications for Disability Benefits, December 2025. Via Social Security Disability Advisors, The Hearing Gap Report 2026: https://disabilityadvisors.com/social-security-disability-statistics#stat-7
Of SSI disability claims filed by adults in 2023, 77.2 percent were denied at the initial level and 22.8 percent were allowed, according to the 2026 SSI Annual Report single-year tables.
What it means: For adults applying for SSI, more than three out of four were denied at the first decision. A denial at this stage is the normal outcome, not a final verdict.
Data period: Claims filed in calendar year 2023; data as of June 2025 (DDS level)
Who: SSI disabled-adult claims filed in calendar year 2023
Sample: 1,000,337 claims filed
Cite this stat
Of SSI disability claims filed by adults in 2023, 77.2 percent were denied at the initial level and 22.8 percent were allowed, according to the 2026 SSI Annual Report single-year tables. Source: Social Security Administration, Office of the Chief Actuary, Single-Year Tables Consistent With the 2026 SSI Annual Report, Table V.C1 (Initial decisions), July 2026. Via Social Security Disability Advisors, The Hearing Gap Report 2026: https://disabilityadvisors.com/social-security-disability-statistics#stat-8
For SSI disability applications filed in 2021, state agencies allowed 30.6 percent of initial medical decisions for applicants aged 18 to 64, compared with 51.6 percent for children under 18, according to the Social Security Administration's SSI Annual Statistical Report, 2024.
What it means: Adults applying for SSI were approved at a much lower rate than children. These are medical decisions only, on 2021 applications.
Data period: Applications filed in calendar year 2021; data current through June 2024
Who: SSI (including concurrent SSI/SSDI) disability applications filed in 2021, initial medical decisions, by age
Sample: 872,634 initial medical decisions (ages 18-64)
Cite this stat
For SSI disability applications filed in 2021, state agencies allowed 30.6 percent of initial medical decisions for applicants aged 18 to 64, compared with 51.6 percent for children under 18, according to the Social Security Administration's SSI Annual Statistical Report, 2024. Source: Social Security Administration, Office of Retirement and Disability Policy, SSI Annual Statistical Report, 2024, Outcomes of Applications for Disability Benefits, December 2025. Via Social Security Disability Advisors, The Hearing Gap Report 2026: https://disabilityadvisors.com/social-security-disability-statistics#stat-9
Stage 2
Reconsideration rarely reverses a denial, and many denied claimants never appeal.
In fiscal year 2025, the average processing time for disability reconsiderations was 241 days, and 370 thousand reconsiderations were pending at year end, according to the Social Security Administration's FY 2025 workload and outcome measures.
What it means: Reconsideration adds roughly eight more months on average before the next answer. That is time a claimant can use to fill gaps in medical records.
Who: SSDI and SSI disability reconsideration requests (national)
Cite this stat
In fiscal year 2025, the average processing time for disability reconsiderations was 241 days, and 370 thousand reconsiderations were pending at year end, according to the Social Security Administration's FY 2025 workload and outcome measures. Source: Social Security Administration, Workload and Outcome Measures, FY 2025 Actuals, 2025. Via Social Security Disability Advisors, The Hearing Gap Report 2026: https://disabilityadvisors.com/social-security-disability-statistics#stat-10
In August 2026, the average processing time for disability reconsiderations was 212 days and about 302 thousand reconsiderations were pending, down from 239 days and over 372 thousand in August 2025, according to the Social Security Administration's performance dashboard.
What it means: Reconsideration has sped up compared with a year earlier. It is still a long wait for a step that rarely changes the result.
Data period: August 2025 and August 2026 (monthly)
Who: SSDI and SSI disability reconsiderations (national, monthly)
Cite this stat
In August 2026, the average processing time for disability reconsiderations was 212 days and about 302 thousand reconsiderations were pending, down from 239 days and over 372 thousand in August 2025, according to the Social Security Administration's performance dashboard. Source: Social Security Administration, SSA Performance: disability decision and reconsideration time, October 2026. Via Social Security Disability Advisors, The Hearing Gap Report 2026: https://disabilityadvisors.com/social-security-disability-statistics#stat-11
For SSDI applications filed in 2021, 13.9 percent of medical decisions at the reconsideration level were allowances, according to the Social Security Administration's Annual Statistical Report on the SSDI Program, 2024.
What it means: Reconsideration approves a small share of medical decisions. For most people, the hearing is the next real chance.
Data period: Applications filed in calendar year 2021; data current through June 2024
Who: SSDI applications (Social Security-only and concurrent; all disabled beneficiaries) filed in 2021, medical decisions at reconsideration
Sample: 416,264 reconsideration medical decisions
Cite this stat
For SSDI applications filed in 2021, 13.9 percent of medical decisions at the reconsideration level were allowances, according to the Social Security Administration's Annual Statistical Report on the SSDI Program, 2024. Source: Social Security Administration, Office of Retirement and Disability Policy, Annual Statistical Report on the Social Security Disability Insurance Program, 2024, Outcomes of Applications for Disability Benefits, December 2025. Via Social Security Disability Advisors, The Hearing Gap Report 2026: https://disabilityadvisors.com/social-security-disability-statistics#stat-12
For SSI disability claims filed by adults in 2021, 10.2 percent of reconsideration decisions were allowances, and 68.9 percent of those denied at reconsideration appealed to the next level, according to the 2026 SSI Annual Report single-year tables.
What it means: Few reconsiderations are approvals, yet most people denied at reconsideration did appeal again. These figures are for SSI adult claims only.
Data period: Claims filed in calendar year 2021; data as of June/July 2025
Who: SSI disabled-adult claims filed in calendar year 2021 that reached reconsideration
Cite this stat
For SSI disability claims filed by adults in 2021, 10.2 percent of reconsideration decisions were allowances, and 68.9 percent of those denied at reconsideration appealed to the next level, according to the 2026 SSI Annual Report single-year tables. Source: Social Security Administration, Office of the Chief Actuary, Single-Year Tables Consistent With the 2026 SSI Annual Report, Table V.C1 (Reconsiderations), July 2026. Via Social Security Disability Advisors, The Hearing Gap Report 2026: https://disabilityadvisors.com/social-security-disability-statistics#stat-13
Of SSI disabled-adult claims filed in 2022 that were denied at the initial level, 40.2 percent were appealed to the next level, according to the 2026 SSI Annual Report single-year tables.
What it means: Fewer than half of adults denied SSI at the first level appealed. Those who stop here never reach the hearing stage, where approval is more common.
Data period: Claims filed in calendar year 2022; data as of June 2025
Who: SSI disabled-adult claims filed in calendar year 2022 denied at the initial level
Sample: 742,874 initial denials
Cite this stat
Of SSI disabled-adult claims filed in 2022 that were denied at the initial level, 40.2 percent were appealed to the next level, according to the 2026 SSI Annual Report single-year tables. Source: Social Security Administration, Office of the Chief Actuary, Single-Year Tables Consistent With the 2026 SSI Annual Report, Table V.C1 (Initial decisions), July 2026. Via Social Security Disability Advisors, The Hearing Gap Report 2026: https://disabilityadvisors.com/social-security-disability-statistics#stat-14
Under federal regulations, a request for reconsideration of an initial Social Security disability determination must be filed within 60 days after the date the claimant receives the notice, and the notice is presumed received 5 days after the date on it unless the claimant shows otherwise; SSA will extend the deadline for good cause (20 CFR 404.909 and 404.901 for SSDI; 20 CFR 416.1409 and 416.1401 for SSI).
What it means: The 60-day appeal clock starts with the notice, so the date on the letter matters. Late appeals are only accepted for good cause.
Data period: Current rule (accessed October 14, 2026)
Who: All SSDI and SSI claimants with an initial determination
Cite this stat
Under federal regulations, a request for reconsideration of an initial Social Security disability determination must be filed within 60 days after the date the claimant receives the notice, and the notice is presumed received 5 days after the date on it unless the claimant shows otherwise; SSA will extend the deadline for good cause (20 CFR 404.909 and 404.901 for SSDI; 20 CFR 416.1409 and 416.1401 for SSI). Source: Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR, Office of the Federal Register), 20 CFR 404.909 'How to request reconsideration'; 20 CFR 404.901 Definitions; 20 CFR 416.1409; 20 CFR 416.1401 Definitions, October 2026. Via Social Security Disability Advisors, The Hearing Gap Report 2026: https://disabilityadvisors.com/social-security-disability-statistics#stat-15
Stage 3
The hearing is where the wait is longest: hundreds of thousands of cases, most of a year per case.
At the end of fiscal year 2025, 281 thousand hearings were pending at the Social Security Administration's hearing level, according to SSA's FY 2027 budget justification.
What it means: This is how many people were waiting on a hearing at one point in time. It is a snapshot, not a yearly total.
Who: Hearing requests pending at SSA's hearing level (Office of Hearings Operations), nationwide
Cite this stat
At the end of fiscal year 2025, 281 thousand hearings were pending at the Social Security Administration's hearing level, according to SSA's FY 2027 budget justification. Source: Social Security Administration, Social Security Administration Budget Overview for Fiscal Year 2027 (FY 2027 Congressional Justification), Publication No. 22-017, April 2026. Via Social Security Disability Advisors, The Hearing Gap Report 2026: https://disabilityadvisors.com/social-security-disability-statistics#stat-16
SSA's FY 2027 budget justification projected pending hearings rising from 281 thousand at the end of fiscal year 2025 (actual) to 349 thousand at the end of fiscal year 2026 (FY 2026 enacted-level estimate, not an actual count), and to 323 thousand in fiscal year 2027 under the President's Budget.
What it means: This was a projection made in April 2026, not a count. SSA expected the hearing backlog to grow during fiscal year 2026.
Who: Hearing requests pending at SSA's hearing level, nationwide
Cite this stat
SSA's FY 2027 budget justification projected pending hearings rising from 281 thousand at the end of fiscal year 2025 (actual) to 349 thousand at the end of fiscal year 2026 (FY 2026 enacted-level estimate, not an actual count), and to 323 thousand in fiscal year 2027 under the President's Budget. Source: Social Security Administration, Social Security Administration Budget Overview for Fiscal Year 2027 (FY 2027 Congressional Justification), Publication No. 22-017, April 2026. Via Social Security Disability Advisors, The Hearing Gap Report 2026: https://disabilityadvisors.com/social-security-disability-statistics#stat-17
As of August 28, 2026, 349,461 cases were pending across SSA's 158 hearing offices, based on Disability Advisors' sum of the office-level figures in SSA's FY 2026 Hearing Office Workload Data (the Special Review Cadre, which is not a hearing office, is excluded).
What it means: This is our addition of SSA's office-level figures, not a number SSA publishes as a total. It shows the backlog at the latest date in SSA's data.
Data period: FY 2026 through 08/28/2026 (cases pending at end of period)
Who: Cases pending at SSA's 158 hearing offices (excludes the Special Review Cadre and National Hearing Centers, which the workload file does not list)
Sample: 159 office rows
Our analysis of SSA data
Cite this stat
As of August 28, 2026, 349,461 cases were pending across SSA's 158 hearing offices, based on Disability Advisors' sum of the office-level figures in SSA's FY 2026 Hearing Office Workload Data (the Special Review Cadre, which is not a hearing office, is excluded). Source: Social Security Administration, Office of Hearings Operations, Hearing Office Workload Data (FY 2026), September 2026. Via Social Security Disability Advisors, The Hearing Gap Report 2026: https://disabilityadvisors.com/social-security-disability-statistics#stat-18
Who: Hearing-level decisions issued by SSA in FY 2025
Cite this stat
In fiscal year 2025, the average processing time for a hearing decision was 284 days, according to SSA's FY 2027 budget justification. Source: Social Security Administration, Social Security Administration Budget Overview for Fiscal Year 2027 (FY 2027 Congressional Justification), Publication No. 22-017, April 2026. Via Social Security Disability Advisors, The Hearing Gap Report 2026: https://disabilityadvisors.com/social-security-disability-statistics#stat-19
In fiscal year 2025, SSA received about 414,000 hearing requests and completed about 395,000 hearings, according to SSA's FY 2027 budget justification.
What it means: SSA took in more hearing requests than it finished, which is how a backlog grows.
In fiscal year 2025, SSA received about 414,000 hearing requests and completed about 395,000 hearings, according to SSA's FY 2027 budget justification. Source: Social Security Administration, Social Security Administration Budget Overview for Fiscal Year 2027 (FY 2027 Congressional Justification), Publication No. 22-017, April 2026. Via Social Security Disability Advisors, The Hearing Gap Report 2026: https://disabilityadvisors.com/social-security-disability-statistics#stat-20
In August 2026, the average time from hearing request to hearing held ranged from 7.0 months to 12.0 months across SSA's hearing offices, according to SSA's Average Wait Time Until Hearing Held Report.
What it means: Where your case is heard changes how long you wait. Most offices fell between 7 and 9 months in August 2026.
Who: SSA hearing offices (158 offices; the Special Review Cadre, at 24.5 months, is not a hearing office)
Sample: 159 rows
Cite this stat
In August 2026, the average time from hearing request to hearing held ranged from 7.0 months to 12.0 months across SSA's hearing offices, according to SSA's Average Wait Time Until Hearing Held Report. Source: Social Security Administration, Office of Hearings Operations, Average Wait Time Until Hearing Held Report, August 2026. Via Social Security Disability Advisors, The Hearing Gap Report 2026: https://disabilityadvisors.com/social-security-disability-statistics#stat-21
In fiscal year 2026 through August 28, 2026, the average processing time for hearing decisions ranged from 220 days (Jackson, MS) to 347 days (Phoenix North) across SSA's hearing offices, according to SSA's Hearing Office Workload Data.
What it means: Processing time varies by office by more than four months. Office averages do not predict any one case.
Data period: FY 2026, 09/27/2025 through 08/28/2026
Who: SSA hearing offices (excludes the Special Review Cadre at 688 days)
Sample: 158 hearing offices
Cite this stat
In fiscal year 2026 through August 28, 2026, the average processing time for hearing decisions ranged from 220 days (Jackson, MS) to 347 days (Phoenix North) across SSA's hearing offices, according to SSA's Hearing Office Workload Data. Source: Social Security Administration, Office of Hearings Operations, Hearing Office Workload Data (FY 2026), August 2026. Via Social Security Disability Advisors, The Hearing Gap Report 2026: https://disabilityadvisors.com/social-security-disability-statistics#stat-22
Pending disability appeals at the hearing level grew through fiscal year 2016 to over 1.1 million cases, then fell 6 percent in fiscal year 2017 to just over 1 million, according to GAO testimony in 2018.
What it means: The current hearing backlog is far below its 2016 peak. This is an older figure kept for context.
Who: Claimants awaiting an ALJ hearing decision on disability benefits
Older study
Cite this stat
Pending disability appeals at the hearing level grew through fiscal year 2016 to over 1.1 million cases, then fell 6 percent in fiscal year 2017 to just over 1 million, according to GAO testimony in 2018. Source: U.S. Government Accountability Office, SSA Disability Programs: Better Metrics and Evaluation Needed to Inform Decision-Making (GAO-18-677T), testimony of Elizabeth Curda before the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Social Security, July 2018. Via Social Security Disability Advisors, The Hearing Gap Report 2026: https://disabilityadvisors.com/social-security-disability-statistics#stat-23
Average processing time for disability hearing decisions peaked at 605 days, about a year and eight months, in fiscal year 2017, according to GAO testimony in 2018.
What it means: Waits were much longer in 2017 than today. This older figure shows how far the hearing wait has come down.
Average processing time for disability hearing decisions peaked at 605 days, about a year and eight months, in fiscal year 2017, according to GAO testimony in 2018. Source: U.S. Government Accountability Office, SSA Disability Programs: Better Metrics and Evaluation Needed to Inform Decision-Making (GAO-18-677T), testimony of Elizabeth Curda before the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Social Security, July 2018. Via Social Security Disability Advisors, The Hearing Gap Report 2026: https://disabilityadvisors.com/social-security-disability-statistics#stat-24
In March 2016, about 7,400 claims in SSA's pending hearings backlog (0.7 percent of pending hearings) belonged to claimants who had died before a decision; their average age at death was 50 and their average wait had been 403 days, according to the SSA Office of the Inspector General.
What it means: Some claimants died while their hearing was still pending. This is an older, point-in-time count, and the report does not show that waiting caused the deaths.
Data period: Snapshot of pending hearings as of March 10, 2016
Who: Claimants with hearing requests pending as of March 10, 2016
Older study
Cite this stat
In March 2016, about 7,400 claims in SSA's pending hearings backlog (0.7 percent of pending hearings) belonged to claimants who had died before a decision; their average age at death was 50 and their average wait had been 403 days, according to the SSA Office of the Inspector General. Source: Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, Characteristics of Claimants in the Social Security Administration's Pending Hearings Backlog (A-05-16-50207), September 2016. Via Social Security Disability Advisors, The Hearing Gap Report 2026: https://disabilityadvisors.com/social-security-disability-statistics#stat-25
In fiscal year 2023, SSA had 1,088 administrative law judges, down from 1,315 in fiscal year 2020, with an average of 266 hearings pending per judge, according to SSA's Annual Statistical Supplement, 2024.
What it means: Fewer judges with more cases each helps explain long waits at the hearing level.
In fiscal year 2023, SSA had 1,088 administrative law judges, down from 1,315 in fiscal year 2020, with an average of 266 hearings pending per judge, according to SSA's Annual Statistical Supplement, 2024. Source: Social Security Administration, Office of Retirement and Disability Policy, Annual Statistical Supplement, 2024, Table 2.F8: Workload of SSA's Administrative Law Judges, fiscal years 2020-2023, December 2024. Via Social Security Disability Advisors, The Hearing Gap Report 2026: https://disabilityadvisors.com/social-security-disability-statistics#stat-26
Stage 4
The hearing is the stage where more claims are approved, and who decides the case matters.
From September 27, 2025 through August 28, 2026, administrative law judges at SSA's 163 hearing offices and National Hearing Centers issued 315,718 decisions, and 181,680 of them (57.5%) were awards, based on Disability Advisors' sum of SSA's ALJ Disposition Data for fiscal year 2026.
What it means: Across all offices in the latest SSA data, judges approved a little more than half of the decisions they issued. Office rates vary widely around this figure.
Source: ALJ Disposition Data FY 2026, Social Security Administration, Office of Hearings Operations, September 2026.
Data period: September 27, 2025 through August 28, 2026
Who: Decisions (excluding dismissals) by ALJs at 163 hearing offices and National Hearing Centers; excludes two internal SSA units (National Adjudication Team, Special Review Cadre)
Sample: 315,718 decisions
Our analysis of SSA data
Cite this stat
From September 27, 2025 through August 28, 2026, administrative law judges at SSA's 163 hearing offices and National Hearing Centers issued 315,718 decisions, and 181,680 of them (57.5%) were awards, based on Disability Advisors' sum of SSA's ALJ Disposition Data for fiscal year 2026. Source: Social Security Administration, Office of Hearings Operations, ALJ Disposition Data FY 2026, September 2026. Via Social Security Disability Advisors, The Hearing Gap Report 2026: https://disabilityadvisors.com/social-security-disability-statistics#stat-27
In fiscal year 2023, administrative law judges who each issued more than 200 dispositions allowed 57 percent of their cases on average, according to the SSA Office of the Inspector General.
What it means: On average, judges approved a little over half of their cases. This is an average across judges, not a national rate weighted by claims.
Who: SSA administrative law judges (ALJs) with more than 200 dispositions in FY 2023 (1,062 ALJs)
Sample: 1,062 ALJs; 269,885 decisions
Cite this stat
In fiscal year 2023, administrative law judges who each issued more than 200 dispositions allowed 57 percent of their cases on average, according to the SSA Office of the Inspector General. Source: SSA Office of the Inspector General, Administrative Law Judges with the Highest and Lowest Allowance Rates (Report 032404), September 2025. Via Social Security Disability Advisors, The Hearing Gap Report 2026: https://disabilityadvisors.com/social-security-disability-statistics#stat-28
In fiscal year 2023, individual administrative law judges' allowance rates ranged from a low of 6 percent to a high of 95 percent, according to the SSA Office of the Inspector General.
What it means: Judges differ widely. The same claim can face very different odds depending on who hears it.
Who: SSA ALJs who each issued more than 200 dispositions in FY 2023
Sample: 1,062 ALJs
Cite this stat
In fiscal year 2023, individual administrative law judges' allowance rates ranged from a low of 6 percent to a high of 95 percent, according to the SSA Office of the Inspector General. Source: SSA Office of the Inspector General, Administrative Law Judges with the Highest and Lowest Allowance Rates (Report 032404), September 2025. Via Social Security Disability Advisors, The Hearing Gap Report 2026: https://disabilityadvisors.com/social-security-disability-statistics#stat-29
In fiscal year 2023, one administrative law judge with a 91 percent allowance rate worked in the same hearing office as a judge with a 21 percent allowance rate, according to the SSA Office of the Inspector General.
What it means: Two judges in the same office had very different approval rates. Assignment is not something a claimant controls; preparation is.
Who: Two SSA ALJs in the same hearing office, FY 2023
Cite this stat
In fiscal year 2023, one administrative law judge with a 91 percent allowance rate worked in the same hearing office as a judge with a 21 percent allowance rate, according to the SSA Office of the Inspector General. Source: SSA Office of the Inspector General, Administrative Law Judges with the Highest and Lowest Allowance Rates (Report 032404), September 2025. Via Social Security Disability Advisors, The Hearing Gap Report 2026: https://disabilityadvisors.com/social-security-disability-statistics#stat-30
For fiscal years 2007 through 2015, the estimated allowance rate for a typical claim could vary by as much as 46 percentage points depending on which administrative law judge heard it, after accounting for claim and claimant characteristics, according to the U.S. Government Accountability Office.
What it means: GAO found large differences between judges even after accounting for the type of claim. This is an older study, still widely cited.
Who: Adult claims decided by SSA ALJs, FY 2007-2015
Sample: About 3.3 million ALJ decisions
Older study
Cite this stat
For fiscal years 2007 through 2015, the estimated allowance rate for a typical claim could vary by as much as 46 percentage points depending on which administrative law judge heard it, after accounting for claim and claimant characteristics, according to the U.S. Government Accountability Office. Source: U.S. Government Accountability Office, Social Security Disability: Additional Measures and Evaluation Needed to Enhance Accuracy and Consistency of Hearings Decisions (GAO-18-37), December 2017. Via Social Security Disability Advisors, The Hearing Gap Report 2026: https://disabilityadvisors.com/social-security-disability-statistics#stat-31
For disability applications filed in 2020 that received a medical decision at the hearing level or above, 53.1 percent were allowances, according to SSA's Annual Statistical Report on the Social Security Disability Insurance Program, 2024.
What it means: About half of medical decisions at the hearing level and above were approvals for 2020 applications. Recent years can change as pending claims are decided.
Data period: Applications filed in 2020; hearing-level-or-above decisions current through July 2024
Who: Medical decisions at the hearing level or above on 2020 disability applications (all disabled beneficiaries)
Sample: 277,549 medical decisions; 147,342 allowances
Cite this stat
For disability applications filed in 2020 that received a medical decision at the hearing level or above, 53.1 percent were allowances, according to SSA's Annual Statistical Report on the Social Security Disability Insurance Program, 2024. Source: Social Security Administration, Annual Statistical Report on the Social Security Disability Insurance Program, 2024, Section 4: Outcomes of Applications for Disability Benefits, September 2025. Via Social Security Disability Advisors, The Hearing Gap Report 2026: https://disabilityadvisors.com/social-security-disability-statistics#stat-32
In fiscal year 2025, claimants opted out of a video hearing in 15,185 of 413,778 hearing requests received, a 4 percent opt-out rate, according to SSA's Office of Hearings Operations public data.
What it means: Very few claimants opt out of video hearings. Remote hearings are now the norm, which means a representative does not need to be local.
In fiscal year 2025, claimants opted out of a video hearing in 15,185 of 413,778 hearing requests received, a 4 percent opt-out rate, according to SSA's Office of Hearings Operations public data. Source: Social Security Administration, Office of Hearings Operations, Video Hearing (VH) Opt-Out Numbers and Rates for Hearing Requests Received FY 2025 (A01). Via Social Security Disability Advisors, The Hearing Gap Report 2026: https://disabilityadvisors.com/social-security-disability-statistics#stat-33
As of December 2022, SSA had completed over 65,000 hearings by online video and 900,000 hearings by telephone since it began offering those options (telephone in March 2020, online video in December 2020), according to SSA's May 2023 proposed rule in the Federal Register.
What it means: Hundreds of thousands of hearings have been held by phone and video since 2020. Remote hearings are an established part of the process.
Who: SSA hearings held by telephone (from March 2020) and online video (from December 2020) through December 2022
Cite this stat
As of December 2022, SSA had completed over 65,000 hearings by online video and 900,000 hearings by telephone since it began offering those options (telephone in March 2020, online video in December 2020), according to SSA's May 2023 proposed rule in the Federal Register. Source: Social Security Administration (Federal Register), Setting the Manner of Appearance of Parties and Witnesses at Hearings (notice of proposed rulemaking), Docket SSA-2022-0013, May 2023. Via Social Security Disability Advisors, The Hearing Gap Report 2026: https://disabilityadvisors.com/social-security-disability-statistics#stat-34
For fiscal years 2007 through 2015, hearing claimants with a representative were allowed benefits at a rate 2.9 times higher than a typical claimant with no representative, according to the U.S. Government Accountability Office, which cautioned that representatives may tend to take cases they believe will be successful and that its analysis could not determine why.
What it means: Represented claimants were approved far more often, but GAO cautions this is an association. Representatives may choose stronger cases, so it does not prove representation caused the difference.
Who: Adult claimants with ALJ decisions, FY 2007-2015
Sample: About 3.3 million ALJ decisions (pooled)
Older study
Cite this stat
For fiscal years 2007 through 2015, hearing claimants with a representative were allowed benefits at a rate 2.9 times higher than a typical claimant with no representative, according to the U.S. Government Accountability Office, which cautioned that representatives may tend to take cases they believe will be successful and that its analysis could not determine why. Source: U.S. Government Accountability Office, Social Security Disability: Additional Measures and Evaluation Needed to Enhance Accuracy and Consistency of Hearings Decisions (GAO-18-37), December 2017. Via Social Security Disability Advisors, The Hearing Gap Report 2026: https://disabilityadvisors.com/social-security-disability-statistics#stat-35
Among SSDI applications filed from 2010 through 2014, representation at the initial stage by disability firms (attorneys and eligible non-attorney representatives) increased the probability of an initial award by 23 percentage points, from a mean of 32 percent, but produced no detectable change in the ultimate probability of award including appeals, according to a study by Hoynes, Maestas and Strand.
What it means: This study looked at the first application, not hearings. Representation raised first-level awards but did not change the final chance of an award once appeals were counted.
Who: SSDI applications filed 2010-2014, followed through 2018
Sample: 7,431,904 applications with an initial state DDS determination
Older study
Cite this stat
Among SSDI applications filed from 2010 through 2014, representation at the initial stage by disability firms (attorneys and eligible non-attorney representatives) increased the probability of an initial award by 23 percentage points, from a mean of 32 percent, but produced no detectable change in the ultimate probability of award including appeals, according to a study by Hoynes, Maestas and Strand. Source: National Bureau of Economic Research (Hoynes, Maestas, Strand), Legal Representation in Disability Claims (Hoynes, Maestas, Strand), NBER conference paper revised July 2021; issued as NBER Working Paper 29871 in March 2022, July 2021. Via Social Security Disability Advisors, The Hearing Gap Report 2026: https://disabilityadvisors.com/social-security-disability-statistics#stat-36
In fiscal year 2015, 13 percent of claimants at SSA hearings were represented by a non-attorney representative and 70 percent by an attorney, according to SSA's annual data on representation at hearings.
What it means: In 2015, most hearing claimants had an attorney and about one in eight had a non-attorney representative. SSA has not published this series since.
Who: Claimants at SSA Office of Hearings Operations hearings, FY 2015
Older study
Cite this stat
In fiscal year 2015, 13 percent of claimants at SSA hearings were represented by a non-attorney representative and 70 percent by an attorney, according to SSA's annual data on representation at hearings. Source: Social Security Administration, Annual Data for Representation at Social Security Hearings, May 2018. Via Social Security Disability Advisors, The Hearing Gap Report 2026: https://disabilityadvisors.com/social-security-disability-statistics#stat-37
Stage 5
After 50, SSA's own rules give age real weight, and most awards go to older workers.
For fiscal years 2007 through 2015, a 55-year-old claimant at an administrative law judge hearing was allowed benefits at a rate 4.3 times higher than a typical 35-year-old claimant, according to the U.S. Government Accountability Office, which said this was consistent with SSA's vocational guidelines for older claimants.
What it means: Age weighed heavily at hearings, which GAO said fits SSA's vocational rules for older claimants. This compares odds, not approval rates, and is an older study.
Who: Adult claimants with ALJ decisions, FY 2007-2015
Sample: About 3.3 million ALJ decisions (pooled)
Older study
Cite this stat
For fiscal years 2007 through 2015, a 55-year-old claimant at an administrative law judge hearing was allowed benefits at a rate 4.3 times higher than a typical 35-year-old claimant, according to the U.S. Government Accountability Office, which said this was consistent with SSA's vocational guidelines for older claimants. Source: U.S. Government Accountability Office, Social Security Disability: Additional Measures and Evaluation Needed to Enhance Accuracy and Consistency of Hearings Decisions (GAO-18-37), December 2017. Via Social Security Disability Advisors, The Hearing Gap Report 2026: https://disabilityadvisors.com/social-security-disability-statistics#stat-38
In 2024, 28.0 percent of the 594,749 SSDI disabled-worker awards went to people aged 55 to 59, the largest share of any age group, according to SSA's Annual Statistical Report on the Social Security Disability Insurance Program, 2024.
What it means: More awards went to people aged 55 to 59 than to any other age group.
Who: Disabled workers awarded SSDI benefits in 2024
Sample: 594,749 awards
Cite this stat
In 2024, 28.0 percent of the 594,749 SSDI disabled-worker awards went to people aged 55 to 59, the largest share of any age group, according to SSA's Annual Statistical Report on the Social Security Disability Insurance Program, 2024. Source: Social Security Administration, Annual Statistical Report on the Social Security Disability Insurance Program, 2024, Table 39, September 2025. Via Social Security Disability Advisors, The Hearing Gap Report 2026: https://disabilityadvisors.com/social-security-disability-statistics#stat-39
In 2024, the average age of disabled workers awarded SSDI benefits was 51.8, according to SSA's Annual Statistical Report on the Social Security Disability Insurance Program, 2024.
What it means: The typical person awarded SSDI is past 50. Disability benefits are, in practice, largely a program for older workers.
Who: Disabled workers awarded SSDI benefits in 2024
Sample: 594,749 awards
Cite this stat
In 2024, the average age of disabled workers awarded SSDI benefits was 51.8, according to SSA's Annual Statistical Report on the Social Security Disability Insurance Program, 2024. Source: Social Security Administration, Annual Statistical Report on the Social Security Disability Insurance Program, 2024, Table 39, September 2025. Via Social Security Disability Advisors, The Hearing Gap Report 2026: https://disabilityadvisors.com/social-security-disability-statistics#stat-40
Among final medical allowances to disabled workers who applied in 2023, 45.7 percent were based on medical and vocational factors considered together (the step where age, education and work history are weighed) rather than on meeting or equaling a listed impairment, according to SSA's Annual Statistical Report on the Social Security Disability Insurance Program, 2024.
What it means: Nearly half of approvals came from weighing age, education and work history, not from meeting a listed condition. This is where the age rules do their work.
Data period: Applications filed in 2023; data current through June 2024 (initial and reconsideration levels) and July 2024 (hearing level and above)
Who: Final medical allowances on 2023 disabled-worker applications
Sample: 318,887 allowances
Cite this stat
Among final medical allowances to disabled workers who applied in 2023, 45.7 percent were based on medical and vocational factors considered together (the step where age, education and work history are weighed) rather than on meeting or equaling a listed impairment, according to SSA's Annual Statistical Report on the Social Security Disability Insurance Program, 2024. Source: Social Security Administration, Annual Statistical Report on the Social Security Disability Insurance Program, 2024, Section 4: Outcomes of Applications for Disability Benefits, Table 64, December 2025. Via Social Security Disability Advisors, The Hearing Gap Report 2026: https://disabilityadvisors.com/social-security-disability-statistics#stat-41
Among final medical denials of disabled workers who applied in 2023, 35.3 percent were because SSA found the applicant able to do another type of work, according to SSA's Annual Statistical Report on the Social Security Disability Insurance Program, 2024.
What it means: About a third of medical denials said the person could do some other kind of work. That is the finding the age rules can change for older claimants.
Data period: Applications filed in 2023; data current through June 2024 (initial and reconsideration levels) and July 2024 (hearing level and above)
Who: Final medical denials on 2023 disabled-worker applications
Sample: 380,910 denials
Cite this stat
Among final medical denials of disabled workers who applied in 2023, 35.3 percent were because SSA found the applicant able to do another type of work, according to SSA's Annual Statistical Report on the Social Security Disability Insurance Program, 2024. Source: Social Security Administration, Annual Statistical Report on the Social Security Disability Insurance Program, 2024, Section 4: Outcomes of Applications for Disability Benefits, Table 65, December 2025. Via Social Security Disability Advisors, The Hearing Gap Report 2026: https://disabilityadvisors.com/social-security-disability-statistics#stat-42
Under SSA's regulations, applicants aged 50 to 54 are treated as 'closely approaching advanced age' and applicants 55 or older as of 'advanced age,' a category in which SSA considers that 'age significantly affects a person's ability to adjust to other work,' according to 20 CFR 404.1563.
What it means: At 50 and again at 55, SSA's rules treat age as making it harder to adjust to new work. Birthdays can matter in a disability case.
Who: SSDI applicants (parallel SSI rule at 20 CFR 416.963)
Cite this stat
Under SSA's regulations, applicants aged 50 to 54 are treated as 'closely approaching advanced age' and applicants 55 or older as of 'advanced age,' a category in which SSA considers that 'age significantly affects a person's ability to adjust to other work,' according to 20 CFR 404.1563. Source: Code of Federal Regulations (Social Security Administration), 20 CFR 404.1563, Your age as a vocational factor. Via Social Security Disability Advisors, The Hearing Gap Report 2026: https://disabilityadvisors.com/social-security-disability-statistics#stat-43
Stage 6
Appeals past the hearing exist, but they are slow and most do not change the outcome.
In fiscal year 2025, claimants filed 81,835 requests for Appeals Council review, equal to 35.41% of the 231,083 appealable hearing-level dispositions, according to SSA's annual Appeals Council data.
What it means: About a third of eligible hearing decisions were appealed to the Appeals Council.
Who: Appealable hearing-level dispositions (unfavorable, partially favorable, and dismissals) in FY 2025
Sample: 231,083 appealable dispositions
Cite this stat
In fiscal year 2025, claimants filed 81,835 requests for Appeals Council review, equal to 35.41% of the 231,083 appealable hearing-level dispositions, according to SSA's annual Appeals Council data. Source: Social Security Administration, Office of Hearings Operations, A02: Appeals to the AC as a Percentage of Appealable Hearing Level Dispositions, FY 2010 to FY 2025, 2025. Via Social Security Disability Advisors, The Hearing Gap Report 2026: https://disabilityadvisors.com/social-security-disability-statistics#stat-44
Who: Appeals Council request-for-review dispositions, FY 2025
Sample: 84,045 dispositions
Cite this stat
In fiscal year 2025, the Appeals Council granted review in 14,144 of 84,045 request-for-review dispositions, or 16.83%, according to SSA. Source: Social Security Administration, Office of Hearings Operations, A03: AC Grant Review Actions as a Percentage of All AC Dispositions, FY 2010 to FY 2025, 2025. Via Social Security Disability Advisors, The Hearing Gap Report 2026: https://disabilityadvisors.com/social-security-disability-statistics#stat-45
In fiscal year 2025, the Appeals Council sent 13,062 of 84,045 request-for-review dispositions back to the hearing level, a remand rate of 15.54%, according to SSA.
What it means: A remand sends the case back to a judge for another look, which means more waiting, not an award.
Who: Appeals Council request-for-review dispositions, FY 2025
Sample: 84,045 dispositions
Cite this stat
In fiscal year 2025, the Appeals Council sent 13,062 of 84,045 request-for-review dispositions back to the hearing level, a remand rate of 15.54%, according to SSA. Source: Social Security Administration, Office of Hearings Operations, A04: AC Remands as a Percentage of All AC Dispositions, FY 2010 to FY 2025, 2025. Via Social Security Disability Advisors, The Hearing Gap Report 2026: https://disabilityadvisors.com/social-security-disability-statistics#stat-46
In fiscal year 2026 through June 26, 2026, the Appeals Council received 67,377 requests for review and issued 70,170 dispositions, and 42,380 requests were pending at the end of that period, according to SSA.
What it means: The Appeals Council had tens of thousands of requests waiting in mid-2026.
Data period: FY 2026 through the period ending 06/26/2026 (October 2025 through June 2026 reporting months)
Who: Appeals Council requests for review, FY 2026 to date
Cite this stat
In fiscal year 2026 through June 26, 2026, the Appeals Council received 67,377 requests for review and issued 70,170 dispositions, and 42,380 requests were pending at the end of that period, according to SSA. Source: Social Security Administration, Office of Hearings Operations, Appeals Council Requests for Review FY 2026 (Through 3rd Quarter), July 2026. Via Social Security Disability Advisors, The Hearing Gap Report 2026: https://disabilityadvisors.com/social-security-disability-statistics#stat-47
In fiscal year 2025, 15,098 new court cases were filed, equal to 22.28% of the 67,755 Appeals Council request-for-review dispositions that could be appealed to court, according to SSA.
What it means: About one in five cases that could go to federal court did. Court is the last step, after every SSA level.
Who: Appealable Appeals Council request-for-review dispositions, FY 2025
Sample: 67,755 appealable AC dispositions
Cite this stat
In fiscal year 2025, 15,098 new court cases were filed, equal to 22.28% of the 67,755 Appeals Council request-for-review dispositions that could be appealed to court, according to SSA. Source: Social Security Administration, Office of Hearings Operations, A05: Appeals to Court as a Percentage of Appealable AC Dispositions, FY 2010 to FY 2025, 2025. Via Social Security Disability Advisors, The Hearing Gap Report 2026: https://disabilityadvisors.com/social-security-disability-statistics#stat-48
In fiscal year 2025, federal courts remanded 9,457 cases to SSA's Appeals Council for further action, while 15,098 new court cases were filed, according to SSA.
What it means: Federal courts sent thousands of cases back to SSA for another decision. A remand restarts part of the process; it is not an award.
Who: Federal court cases involving SSA claims, FY 2025
Cite this stat
In fiscal year 2025, federal courts remanded 9,457 cases to SSA's Appeals Council for further action, while 15,098 new court cases were filed, according to SSA. Source: Social Security Administration, Office of Hearings Operations, A06: Court Remands and New Court Cases Filed, FY 2010 to FY 2025, 2025. Via Social Security Disability Advisors, The Hearing Gap Report 2026: https://disabilityadvisors.com/social-security-disability-statistics#stat-49
Stage 7
What benefits pay, how back pay is counted, and what representation costs, set by SSA rules.
In August 2026, disabled workers receiving Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) were paid an average monthly benefit of $1,635.90, according to the Social Security Administration's Monthly Statistical Snapshot.
What it means: This is what the average disabled worker was paid per month in August 2026. Individual benefits depend on past earnings.
Who: Disabled-worker beneficiaries (SSDI), excluding spouses and children
Sample: 6,975 thousand disabled workers
Cite this stat
In August 2026, disabled workers receiving Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) were paid an average monthly benefit of $1,635.90, according to the Social Security Administration's Monthly Statistical Snapshot. Source: Social Security Administration, Office of Research, Evaluation, and Statistics, Monthly Statistical Snapshot, August 2026, September 2026. Via Social Security Disability Advisors, The Hearing Gap Report 2026: https://disabilityadvisors.com/social-security-disability-statistics#stat-50
In August 2026, 6,975 thousand disabled workers were receiving SSDI benefits, along with 87 thousand spouses and 893 thousand children of disabled workers, according to the Social Security Administration's Monthly Statistical Snapshot.
What it means: Close to seven million disabled workers were receiving SSDI, plus spouses and children.
Who: SSDI beneficiaries (disabled workers, spouses and children of disabled workers)
Cite this stat
In August 2026, 6,975 thousand disabled workers were receiving SSDI benefits, along with 87 thousand spouses and 893 thousand children of disabled workers, according to the Social Security Administration's Monthly Statistical Snapshot. Source: Social Security Administration, Office of Research, Evaluation, and Statistics, Monthly Statistical Snapshot, August 2026, September 2026. Via Social Security Disability Advisors, The Hearing Gap Report 2026: https://disabilityadvisors.com/social-security-disability-statistics#stat-51
In August 2026, the average monthly Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payment was $738.73 across 7,306 thousand recipients of all ages, and $786.79 for the 3,779 thousand recipients aged 18 to 64, according to the Social Security Administration's Monthly Statistical Snapshot.
What it means: The average SSI payment is lower than SSDI, and the all-ages figure includes people who qualify by age, not only disability.
Who: All SSI recipients (includes aged, blind and disabled recipients); subgroup aged 18-64
Sample: 7,306 thousand recipients
Cite this stat
In August 2026, the average monthly Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payment was $738.73 across 7,306 thousand recipients of all ages, and $786.79 for the 3,779 thousand recipients aged 18 to 64, according to the Social Security Administration's Monthly Statistical Snapshot. Source: Social Security Administration, Office of Research, Evaluation, and Statistics, Monthly Statistical Snapshot, August 2026, September 2026. Via Social Security Disability Advisors, The Hearing Gap Report 2026: https://disabilityadvisors.com/social-security-disability-statistics#stat-52
For 2026, the monthly substantial gainful activity (SGA) amount is $1,690 for non-blind individuals and $2,830 for statutorily blind individuals, according to the Social Security Administration.
What it means: Earning more than this amount from work in 2026 generally counts as substantial work. It is one of the first questions SSA asks.
Who: Disability applicants and beneficiaries (non-blind SGA amount applies to both Social Security disability and SSI; the higher blind amount applies to Social Security disability only)
Cite this stat
For 2026, the monthly substantial gainful activity (SGA) amount is $1,690 for non-blind individuals and $2,830 for statutorily blind individuals, according to the Social Security Administration. Source: Social Security Administration, Office of the Chief Actuary, Substantial Gainful Activity; 2026 Social Security Changes fact sheet, October 2025. Via Social Security Disability Advisors, The Hearing Gap Report 2026: https://disabilityadvisors.com/social-security-disability-statistics#stat-53
For 2026, the maximum monthly federal SSI payment is $994 for an eligible individual and $1,491 for an eligible individual with an eligible spouse, according to the Social Security Administration.
What it means: This is the maximum federal SSI payment for 2026. Other income and state supplements can change what a person actually receives.
Who: SSI recipients (federal benefit rate, before state supplements and income deductions)
Cite this stat
For 2026, the maximum monthly federal SSI payment is $994 for an eligible individual and $1,491 for an eligible individual with an eligible spouse, according to the Social Security Administration. Source: Social Security Administration, Office of the Chief Actuary, SSI Federal Payment Amounts; 2026 Social Security Changes fact sheet, October 2025. Via Social Security Disability Advisors, The Hearing Gap Report 2026: https://disabilityadvisors.com/social-security-disability-statistics#stat-54
Under Social Security rules, SSDI benefits for workers and widows usually cannot begin until 5 months after the established onset of disability, so benefits begin with the sixth full month after the disability began; the waiting period does not apply to a worker whose disability results from ALS and who is approved on or after July 23, 2020, according to the Social Security Administration.
What it means: SSDI has a built-in five-month wait after disability begins, so back pay never starts on day one.
Who: SSDI disabled workers and disabled widow(er)s
Cite this stat
Under Social Security rules, SSDI benefits for workers and widows usually cannot begin until 5 months after the established onset of disability, so benefits begin with the sixth full month after the disability began; the waiting period does not apply to a worker whose disability results from ALS and who is approved on or after July 23, 2020, according to the Social Security Administration. Source: Social Security Administration, Disability Evaluation Under Social Security (Blue Book), Part I: General Information. Via Social Security Disability Advisors, The Hearing Gap Report 2026: https://disabilityadvisors.com/social-security-disability-statistics#stat-55
Under Social Security rules, the first 24 months of disability benefit entitlement are a waiting period before Medicare coverage begins, and months from a previous period of disability may count toward it in some cases (for example, within 60 months after an earlier period of disability benefits ended), according to the Social Security Administration.
What it means: Medicare does not start with SSDI. There is a 24-month wait after benefits begin, with some exceptions.
Under Social Security rules, the first 24 months of disability benefit entitlement are a waiting period before Medicare coverage begins, and months from a previous period of disability may count toward it in some cases (for example, within 60 months after an earlier period of disability benefits ended), according to the Social Security Administration. Source: Social Security Administration, Medicare (Work Incentives / disability research page). Via Social Security Disability Advisors, The Hearing Gap Report 2026: https://disabilityadvisors.com/social-security-disability-statistics#stat-56
Under SSA's operating rules, the 5-month SSDI waiting period can begin no earlier than 17 months before the month an application is filed, and entitlement begins with the first full month after the waiting period, according to the Social Security Administration's Program Operations Manual System.
What it means: SSDI back pay can reach back before the application date, but only so far. Filing promptly protects benefits.
Data period: Current rule (effective 03/02/2011 to present)
Who: SSDI applicants (retroactive / back benefits)
Cite this stat
Under SSA's operating rules, the 5-month SSDI waiting period can begin no earlier than 17 months before the month an application is filed, and entitlement begins with the first full month after the waiting period, according to the Social Security Administration's Program Operations Manual System. Source: Social Security Administration, POMS DI 10105.070 Waiting Period for Disability Insurance Benefits (DIB), March 2011. Via Social Security Disability Advisors, The Hearing Gap Report 2026: https://disabilityadvisors.com/social-security-disability-statistics#stat-57
Since November 30, 2024, the maximum fee a representative can be paid under the fee agreement process is the lesser of 25 percent of past-due benefits or $9,200, according to the Social Security Administration and the Federal Register.
What it means: Representative fees are capped and come out of past-due benefits, approved by SSA. No fee is set above this limit under the fee agreement process.
Data period: Favorable decisions issued on or after November 30, 2024
Who: Claimant representatives (attorney and non-attorney) paid under SSA's fee agreement process
Cite this stat
Since November 30, 2024, the maximum fee a representative can be paid under the fee agreement process is the lesser of 25 percent of past-due benefits or $9,200, according to the Social Security Administration and the Federal Register. Source: Social Security Administration; Federal Register, Fee Agreements (ssa.gov/representation); Maximum Dollar Limit in the Fee Agreement Process; Partial Rescission, 90 FR 19241, May 2025. Via Social Security Disability Advisors, The Hearing Gap Report 2026: https://disabilityadvisors.com/social-security-disability-statistics#stat-58
In calendar years 2018 through 2022, SSA made approximately $6.5 billion in direct payments to claimant representatives (about $5.4 billion from Social Security (OASDI) past-due benefits, nearly all withheld from past-due disability benefits, and about $1.1 billion from SSI), with roughly 297,000 to 391,000 OASDI payments per year, according to the SSA Office of the Inspector General, which notes it did not audit the OASDI figures.
What it means: SSA paid representatives billions over five years, nearly all from disability back pay. OIG notes it did not audit the figures.
Who: Direct fee payments by SSA to claimant representatives (OASDI and SSI)
Cite this stat
In calendar years 2018 through 2022, SSA made approximately $6.5 billion in direct payments to claimant representatives (about $5.4 billion from Social Security (OASDI) past-due benefits, nearly all withheld from past-due disability benefits, and about $1.1 billion from SSI), with roughly 297,000 to 391,000 OASDI payments per year, according to the SSA Office of the Inspector General, which notes it did not audit the OASDI figures. Source: Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, Summary of Direct Payments to Claimant Representatives (Report No. 062318), July 2023. Via Social Security Disability Advisors, The Hearing Gap Report 2026: https://disabilityadvisors.com/social-security-disability-statistics#stat-59
How we built this report
This report includes 59 statistics. 58 come from government sources (46 from the Social Security Administration, 5 from SSA's Office of the Inspector General, 5 from the U.S. Government Accountability Office and 2 from the Code of Federal Regulations, which together cover rules stated in regulation) and 1 from a National Bureau of Economic Research study. None of the 59 come from a publisher that sells a related product. Two (Stats 18 and 27) are Disability Advisors' own sums of SSA's published office-level tables; they are labeled "Our analysis of SSA data" and the calculation is described in the statistic.
Primary sources only. Every source page was opened and read; no number was taken from a roundup, blog, news story or a competitor's site.
Two-pass verification. After research, a separate reviewer reopened every source and checked the figure, who it describes, the time period, the sample size and that no sentence claims more than the source shows. That pass corrected wording or citations on 28 statistics and removed none for wrong figures; we then cut several weaker or overlapping statistics.
Labels. "Older study" marks sources published before 2023, kept because they are still widely cited. "Our analysis of SSA data" marks our sums of SSA tables. "Vendor research" would mark publishers that sell a related product; none qualified.
Disagreements. Where sources measure similar things differently (for example SSA's hearing-level allowance rate by application year versus our sum of judge decisions in a fiscal year), both figures are shown with their sources and never averaged.
Wording. Projections are labeled as projections, associations are not described as causes, and representation findings keep the caveats their authors give.
Disclosure. Social Security Disability Advisors represents claimants in Social Security disability cases, so it has a stake in this topic. Its representatives are non-attorney representatives. No statistic on this page describes the firm's own results.
Claims we left out
"About 70% of initial disability claims are denied"
No SSA source states this as a single figure. SSA's 68% is the share ultimately denied after all appeal levels, a different measure (see Stat 7).
"Claimants with a representative are about 3 times more likely to win"
Traces to GAO's 2.9 times figure, which compares odds and which GAO says may reflect representatives choosing stronger cases. Included only with those caveats (Stat 35).
About 110,000 people died and about 48,000 filed for bankruptcy while awaiting a final appeals decision (GAO-20-641)
Widely cited, but we could not open the GAO report during research or verification, so it is left out until checked against the original.
"About 30,000 people died in fiscal 2023 waiting for disability decisions"
Found only in news and advocacy articles; no primary source located.
SSDI approval rates by age group (for example, "55 and older are approved X%")
SSA's outcome tables do not break approval rates out by age. We report award shares by age and GAO's odds comparison instead.
"SSDI back pay covers up to 12 months before you apply"
SSA's rule is stated in terms of the waiting period starting up to 17 months before filing (Stat 57). The 12-month figure is derived, not stated by SSA.
"Medicare starts 29 months after disability onset"
This adds the 5-month and 24-month waiting periods together; SSA does not state it as one figure (Stats 55 and 56).
Approval rates for video vs. telephone vs. in-person hearings
SSA stated in 2024 that this data is not available due to systems reporting limitations.
Average representative fee per case
No SSA or Inspector General source we read publishes an average; computing one from monthly rows would be our estimate.
Court remand rate as a percentage
SSA does not publish one, and dividing remands by court dispositions mixes different groups of cases. We report the raw counts (Stats 48 and 49).
Use and cite this data
Free to use with a link back. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
Full citation
Social Security Disability Advisors. The Hearing Gap Report 2026: Social Security disability statistics. October 14, 2026. https://disabilityadvisors.com/social-security-disability-statistics
Every statistic has its own link (for example, #stat-1), and the full dataset is available as a CSV download.
Frequently asked questions
What percentage of Social Security disability claims are approved at a hearing?
57.5% of the decisions issued by SSA's administrative law judges were awards from September 27, 2025 through August 28, 2026, based on our sum of SSA's ALJ Disposition Data (Stat 27). SSA's own Annual Statistical Report puts the allowance rate at 53.1% of medical decisions at the hearing level and above for applications filed in 2020 (Stat 32). The two figures measure different things and both are shown.
How long does it take to get a Social Security disability hearing?
7.0 to 12.0 months on average from hearing request to hearing held in August 2026, depending on the hearing office, according to SSA's Average Wait Time Until Hearing Held Report (Stat 21). SSA's average processing time for a hearing decision was 284 days in fiscal year 2025 (Stat 19).
What percentage of initial disability claims are denied?
Only 18% to 21% of SSDI disabled-worker applicants were awarded benefits at the initial level for applications filed 2014 through 2023, according to SSA's Annual Statistical Report on the SSDI Program, 2024 (Stat 7). For adults applying for SSI in 2023, 77.2% were denied at the initial level, according to SSA's 2026 SSI Annual Report tables (Stat 8).
How many people are waiting for a Social Security disability hearing?
281 thousand hearings were pending at the end of fiscal year 2025, according to SSA's FY 2027 budget justification (Stat 16). As of August 28, 2026, 349,461 cases were pending across SSA's 158 hearing offices, based on our sum of SSA's Hearing Office Workload Data (Stat 18).
Does age affect Social Security disability approval?
Yes. Under 20 CFR 404.1563, SSA treats ages 50 to 54 as closely approaching advanced age and 55 and older as advanced age (Stat 43). GAO found that for fiscal years 2007 through 2015, a 55-year-old at a hearing was allowed at a rate 4.3 times higher than a typical 35-year-old, a comparison of odds (Stat 38).
How long do I have to appeal a Social Security disability denial?
60 days from the date you receive the notice, which is presumed to be 5 days after the date on it, under 20 CFR 404.909 and 404.901 (and 416.1409 and 416.1401 for SSI). SSA can extend the deadline for good cause (Stat 15).
How much does a Social Security disability representative cost?
The maximum fee under SSA's fee agreement process is the lesser of 25% of past-due benefits or $9,200, for favorable decisions on or after November 30, 2024, according to SSA and the Federal Register (Stat 58).
What is the average SSDI payment?
$1,635.90 per month for disabled workers in August 2026, according to SSA's Monthly Statistical Snapshot (Stat 50).
About the author
Sam Larsen
Owner, Social Security Disability Advisors
Sam Larsen is the owner of Social Security Disability Advisors, a firm founded in 2001 that handles Social Security disability claims and nothing else. Its advisors represent claimants before the Social Security Administration at every level of the SSDI and SSI process.
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