As an example, a military retiree who receives $2,500 in retired pay will see a COLA increase of about $70 a month. For a veteran receiving $1,500 per month in benefits, the increase would be about $42 in 2026.

This has been a unique year, with Social Security's cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) reveal delayed by nine days due to the federal government shutdown. Social Security benefits will climb by 2.8% in 2026, which marks the fifth consecutive year that recipients have received at least a 2.5% year-over-year increase.

Americans are worried about the cost of basic needs including healthcare, food, housing and energy, a Reuters/Ipsos poll found, suggesting those concerns could be critical in next year’s midterm elections that will determine control of the U.

The better than expected inflation data will help the chancellor and Bank of England, but there are challenges to overcome on tackling price growth in the long term.

For much of 2025, Oct. 15 was hailed as the most important day of the year for Social Security. That's because it was the date when the Social Security Administration (SSA) was scheduled to announce a 2026 cost-of-living adjustment, or COLA.

The DWP have not announced any continuation of the Cost of Living Payment scheme that ran between 2022 and 2024. The final payment should have been made to eligible households between 6 February and 22 February 2024.

Methodologies for determining cost of living vary, but often account for grocery items, housing, utilities, transportation, health care, etc.