Will You Get Your Social Security Check if the Federal Government Shuts Down? What to Know

A potential government shutdown is on the horizon unless lawmakers can come to an agreement by Sept. 30, when the federal fiscal year ends and funding runs out. With a possible Oct. 1 shutdown days away, you’re likely wondering how that could affect you if you receive Social Security payments or other government benefits.

Currently, the House and Senate are working on short-term proposals to extend the government funding beyond the Sept. 30 deadline, but leaders for the two chambers have not yet agreed on an approach.

We’ll explain below what could happen to Social Security benefits if there’s a government shutdown. For more, here’s how much you could expect to receive for 2024 payments.

Will I get my Social Security check if there’s a government shutdown?

Anticipating a shutdown, Chad M. Poist, the administration’s deputy commissioner of budget, finance, and management, set out the agency’s contingency plan (PDF). While he anticipated the administration would furlough 53,000 of its 60,000 employees and cease activities not directly related to the accurate and timely payment of benefits, he said the agency will “continue activities critical to our direct-service operations and those needed to ensure accurate and timely payment of benefits.”

What does that mean to you? If you’re one of the nearly 67 million Americans who receive Social Security benefits or are enrolled in other programs (see below), you’ll still get your monthly checks.

This includes Social Security benefits, Supplemental Security Income and Social Security Disability Insurance. Be aware that if you have any issues with your payments, it may be a while before you receive a response from the Social Security Administration.

See below for government benefits that could be affected by a shutdown.

Which other federal programs will not be affected by a government shutdown?

If you receive Medicaid or Medicare, you can also expect to receive those benefits on time. But if you have any issues, you may have to wait a bit to hear back if there’s a shutdown.

You could lose WIC and SNAP benefits

If you receive the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC), you could be at risk for losing assistance immediately if the government shuts down. That would affect nearly 7 million women and children, the White House said in a statement.

If you’re one of the 40 million Americans who receive the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), your benefits would still be available, but only for a limited time. If the government shutdown lasts beyond October, benefits could run out for families receiving SNAP benefits, The Hill reported.

To make sure your benefits arrive on time, here’s the Social Security payment schedule, when SSDI checks go out and when you can expect your SSI payment to arrive.