After a disruptive U.S. government shutdown, federal SNAP food assistance is once again flowing to low-income households. However, many participants will soon need to comply with new work requirements that could complicate their access to benefits.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) provides monthly aid averaging around $190 per person to approximately 42 million individuals nationwide. Earlier this month, many recipients experienced disruptions and missed their benefits while the Trump administration battled in court over funding during the shutdown.
The benefits are available nationwide again
The chaotic environment at the beginning of November meant that some states were able to replenish SNAP electronic benefit cards using their own funds or federal dollars mandated by court orders, while others were not, leading to long lines at food charities.
Once the government reopened on November 12, states rushed to distribute benefits, and by mid-week, all states had either loaded November's benefits onto recipients' cards or were in the process of doing so. December benefits should follow the usual schedule for participants.
Work requirements affect SNAP recipients
A comprehensive tax and spending bill signed into law in July has expanded work requirements for many adult SNAP recipients. Moving forward, all participants must work, volunteer, or engage in job training for at least 80 hours a month, with those failing to comply facing limits of just three months of benefits within a three-year timeframe.
Previously, these mandates applied only to adults aged 18-54 without dependents; now, they're extending to those 55-64 and to parents of children older than 13, along with the removal of exemptions for veterans, homeless individuals, and young adults moving out of foster care. The Trump administration temporarily waived these work requirements in November, but they will be in full effect by December.
The new restrictions are anticipated to decrease the average monthly SNAP participation by around 2.4 million individuals over the next decade, as suggested by the Congressional Budget Office.
Concerns about SNAP's integrity
In the aftermath of the shutdown, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, who oversees SNAP, expressed doubts regarding the program, pointing to allegations of fraud that include deceased individuals receiving benefits and duplicate claims.
Rollins proposed that all current SNAP recipients should reapply, though it remains unclear if he referred to new requirements or the existing periodic certification checks wherein households must report income every four to six months and undergo full annual recertification.
A USDA spokesperson confirmed that standard recertification processes are designed to curb fraud while not clarifying Rollins's statements further, highlighting the ongoing efforts to enhance the program's integrity.
