VA breaks record: over 3 million disability claims processed as payouts top $207 billion

Department of Veterans Affairs announced it has processed more than 3 million disability claims in fiscal year 2026, surpassing the previous record of 3.001 million set in 2025. In a Sept. 22 statement , the department said it had already awarded more than $207 billion in compensation and pension benefits to veterans and survivors. The VA also said the claims backlog has fallen by more than 70%, while the average time needed to complete a disability claim decision has dropped from about 20 weeks to about 11 weeks. “Putting Veterans first means making VA benefits faster, better and more convenient, and under President Trump, that’s exactly what we’re doing,” said VA Secretary Doug Collins.

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