SSI Payment Calendar Shock: October And December Bring Double Cheques – But January 2026 Brings Nothing

Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is a monthly benefit for Americans with limited income or resources who are 65 or older, blind, or have a qualifying disability. Even children with a qualifying disability can be eligible to receive monthly SSI payments. You can apply for SSI online or in person at the local Social Security office. Adults who are eligible for SSI typically do not earn more than $2,019 (£1,499) in monthly wages.

The maximum monthly SSI payment for eligible individuals for 2025 is $967 (£718), while eligible couples can receive $1,450 (£1,076), according to the Social Security Administration (SSA).

October 2025 SSI payments are scheduled to arrive this week, and the first round of disability cheques is expected to begin next week.

According to the agency, SSI beneficiaries can expect their October payment today, 1st October. In case you did not receive your payment on the expected date, the SSA recommends waiting three additional mailing days before contacting the agency. Most payments arrive on time as 99% of beneficiaries receive them electronically.

The next SSI payment will be made on 31st October, as 1st November is a Saturday. The SSA does not issue payments on weekends and federal holidays. In such cases, SSI benefits arrive early. The current payment schedule means there will be no payment made in November. According to the SSA payment calendar, SSI recipients will also receive two cheques in December. It means that the January SSI cheque will arrive earlier, and there will be no payments in January.

Overall, SSI cheques for the remainder of the year will be sent out on 1st October, 31st October (payment for November), 1st December, and 31st December (payment for January 2026). Every year, the SSA publishes the annual payment schedule to help beneficiaries plan their finances and budgets in advance.

Meanwhile, the regular Social Security retirement benefits for October 2025 will be sent out starting next week. Recipients with birth dates between the first and 10th of the month will receive their Social Security benefits on 8th October.

Those with birth dates between the 11th and the 20th of the month will receive their cheques on 15th October. Lastly, those born between the 21st and the last day of the month will receive their payments on 22nd October.

The SSA has also released the SSI payment schedule for the year 2026. The payment dates are slightly different from usual in Q1 2026. The first days of February and March fall on Sundays, implying that payments for these months will be sent out on the last day of the previous month: February 2026 SSI payment will arrive on 30th January, 2026, while the March payment is expected on Friday, 27th February, 2026.

Social Security beneficiaries should note that, starting this month, they will be required to set up a direct deposit with their bank accounts or use a Direct Express card to receive payments due to a regulatory overhaul. US President Donald Trump signed an executive order in March to end the issuance of paper cheques by the federal government, with the compliance deadline being 30th September.