Critics called the 2.8% increase in Social Security benefits for 2026 inadequate to keep up with soaring costs of food, housing and health care.
The Social Security Administration’s Friday announcement of a 2.8% bump in benefits next year was immediately blasted by critics — who called the increase inadequate to keep up with soaring costs of food, housing and health care.
The SSA said the adjustment, known as the cost-of-living adjustment, or COLA, will raise average monthly payments to Social Security recipients by about $56 starting in January.
The hike applies to retirement, disability and supplemental income checks for roughly 71 million Americans.
The outcry was immediate. Senior groups said the increase was too small to offset real-world inflation pressures and accused Washington of ignoring retirees’ financial struggles.
“The 2026 COLA is going to hurt for seniors,” said Shannon Benton, executive director of the nonpartisan Senior Citizens League.
