Yes, SSDI payments increase automatically each year when the cost of living goes up

If you receive Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), your monthly payment grows each year when Social Security announces a Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA). This is not something you request or reapply for—it happens automatically. The adjustment is meant to help your benefits keep pace with inflation, so the money you receive buys roughly the same amount as it did the year before.

The COLA is calculated based on inflation data collected by the U.S. Department of Labor. Social Security announces the new percentage in October, and the increase takes effect the following January. In years when inflation is low or prices actually fall, there is no COLA—your payment stays the same. This has happened three times since 2000: in 2010, 2011, and 2016.

The dollar amount of your increase depends on your current payment. Someone receiving $1,200 per month and someone receiving $800 per month will both receive the same percentage increase, but the person with the higher payment gets more dollars added to their check.

Key Takeaways

  • SSDI payments automatically increase each January when Social Security announces a COLA, with no action required from you.
  • The COLA percentage is based on inflation data and is the same for all SSDI recipients that year, though the dollar amount varies by your current payment.
  • You will receive a notice in December showing your new payment amount, which takes effect January 1.
  • In years with no inflation or negative inflation, there is no COLA and your payment remains unchanged.

When the COLA takes effect and how you find out

Social Security mails a notice to your address in December each year, showing your new payment amount starting January 1. If you have set up direct deposit (which most people do), the increased amount appears in your bank account on the third day of January. If you receive a paper check, it arrives in early January with the new amount.

You do not need to do anything to receive the increase. It is applied to your account automatically. If you do not receive a notice by mid-December, you can check your payment amount by logging into your my Social Security account online, calling Social Security at 1-800-772-1213, or visiting a local Social Security office.

How the COLA percentage is calculated

Social Security uses the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W), which measures price changes for food, housing, transportation, medical care, and other goods and services. The agency compares the average CPI-W for the third quarter (July, August, September) of the current year to the average for the same three months of the previous year. The percentage increase becomes that year's COLA.

This means the COLA announced in October reflects inflation that has already happened over the past year. It is not a prediction of future inflation. If prices rise sharply in November or December, that will not affect the current year's COLA—it will be factored into next year's calculation.

The COLA applies to all Social Security benefits: SSDI, retirement benefits, and Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Survivors benefits also receive the same percentage increase.

Examples of recent COLA increases

The COLA has varied significantly in recent years depending on inflation rates. In 2023, the COLA was 8.7 percent—one of the largest increases in decades, reflecting high inflation in 2022. In 2024, the COLA was 3.2 percent. In 2025, it was 2.5 percent. These percentages show how the adjustment moves with actual inflation rather than staying fixed.

To find the COLA for any specific year, visit the Social Security Administration website or call 1-800-772-1213. The agency publishes historical COLA information going back decades, so you can see how your benefits have grown over time.

What happens if you also receive other benefits

If you receive both SSDI and Supplemental Security Income (SSI), both payments increase by the same COLA percentage. If you receive SSDI and a pension from work you did that was not covered by Social Security (such as certain government jobs), the Government Pension Offset may reduce your SSDI payment, but the COLA still applies to your SSDI portion.

If you are a family member receiving benefits based on your relative's SSDI record—such as a spouse or child—your payment also increases by the same COLA percentage each January.

COLA and your work incentives

If you are working while receiving SSDI and using work incentives like the Student Earned Income Exclusion or Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS), the COLA does not change how these programs work. Your SSDI payment still increases, and your work incentive rules remain the same. The COLA is separate from any earnings you report to Social Security.

If you are in a trial work period or extended may be able to access period, the COLA applies to your SSDI payment during those periods as well. The increase does not affect your trial work period status or the nine-month extended may be able to access period that follows.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I request a larger COLA increase if I think I need more money?

No. The COLA is set by law based on inflation data and is the same for all SSDI recipients that year. You cannot request a higher increase, and Social Security cannot give you one. If your expenses have increased beyond what the COLA covers, you may want to explore work incentives or other benefits you might be receiving.

What if I disagree with the COLA amount announced?

The COLA is calculated using a formula set by Congress and applied to inflation data collected by the Department of Labor. If you believe there is an error in how the COLA was calculated, you can contact Social Security, but the percentage itself cannot be changed for individual recipients. It applies uniformly to all beneficiaries.

Do I get the COLA if I am in a trial work period?

Yes. Your SSDI payment increases by the COLA each January regardless of whether you are working or in a trial work period. The COLA and your work incentives operate independently.

What if I was not receiving SSDI for the full year—do I get the full COLA?

Yes. If you started receiving SSDI partway through the year, you still receive the full COLA percentage on your payment starting the following January. The COLA applies to your current payment amount, whenever you started receiving benefits.