Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients will get a small boost in their monthly benefits starting in October. This is part of the program’s yearly cost-of-living adjustments.
These changes are meant to help SNAP recipients keep up with rising costs of living.
For many SNAP recipients, even small changes can have big effects because SNAP is a lifeline for millions of Americans, especially those who have trouble paying for basic things like food.
There are also some big changes happening in SNAP rules, mainly in the eligibility requirements that affect people and families.
Changes to benefits eligibility
One big change is that the age limit for people who are considered “able-bodied adults without dependents” (ABAWD) is being raised. People up to the age of 52 used to fit into this group, but now that age has been raised to 54.
This change is part of the Fiscal Responsibility Act, which also changed the rules for SNAP and helped keep the debt cap from rising until 2025.
The political backlash that led to Kevin McCarthy being fired as Republican Speaker of the House was linked to this legislative choice as well.
Because of this new policy, ABAWDs must now meet stricter job or training standards in order to keep their SNAP benefits. People in this group must show that they work at least 80 hours a month or are enrolled in an educational or training program in order to apply.
It is planned that these conditions will stay in place until 2030 so that some recipients can become financially independent.
SNAP benefits increase
The small raise in SNAP benefits will only give most households a few extra dollars a month.
People who live in places like Hawaii, Alaska, the Virgin Islands, and Guam, where food costs are much higher, will have to make bigger changes. The goal of these bigger allotments is to help people in these areas deal with the higher cost of groceries.
According to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), the most a family of four will get each month will go up from $973 to $975 starting October 1. This is true for all 48 contiguous states and Washington, D.C.
You can get up to $292 for one person, $536 for two, $768 for three, $975 for four, $1,158 for five, $1,390 for six, $1,536 for seven, and $1,756 for eight people living in the same house. The amount given goes up by $220 for every extra person.
The biggest gain for a family of four is between $1,258 and $1,953 in Alaska, $1,437 in Guam, and $1,254 in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
This is because the cost of living is higher in those places. In Hawaii, on the other hand, the most a family of four can get will be cut to $1,723.
Along with these boosts in benefits, the income requirements for getting them have also been changed.
In particular, the most a family of four can earn each month has gone up from $2,500 in Fiscal Year 2024 to $2,600 in Fiscal Year 2025. This change is meant to help more families who are having trouble with money get the help they need.
New rules for SNAP show that people are trying to find a mix between social support programs and being responsible with money. Benefits need to be changed to reflect the cost of living in order to help low-income families deal with rising prices.
At the same time, the standards that ABAWDs have to work and get training are meant to help them become more independent and less dependent on government help over time.
But these new rules also come with problems, especially for people who have trouble getting to work because they can not get to public transportation, have disabilities that do not qualify for waivers, or are caretakers whose duties are not officially recognized.
The strategy is based on the idea that everyone can easily find jobs and training programs, which may not always match up with what many SNAP recipients actually experience.
Also see:-SNAP 2025 COLA Update November Payment Schedule Reveals Benefits Ranging from $1,756 to $3,516
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