Recipients of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits are now subject to new work requirements in order to be eligible, under rules that took effect Sunday.
The changes are among those included in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act that passed last year. Several states had already implemented the new requirements, and others will phase them in over the coming months.
The new requirements also stipulate that people who do not meet the criteria can collect SNAP benefits for no more than three months in any three-year period. Because of that, some states are giving recipients until May 1 to meet the eligibility requirements, which are as follows:
In order to qualify for the federally funded program, able-bodied people aged 18 through 64 without dependents must now either work or attend an approved work-training program or perform community service at least 80 hours per month in order to receive SNAP benefits. Previously the upper end of the age bracket was 54.
In addition, parents with dependent children aged 14 or older are also subject to the new work requirements, down from the previous minimum age of 18.
Veterans, people under age 25 who recently left foster care, and homeless people are also no longer exempt from the work requirements.
The bill also shifted more financial responsibility for SNAP administration to states.
Some states, such as Illinois, have set up an online screening service for recipients to determine for themselves if they are still eligible to receive SNAP benefits.
Millions expected to lose benefits
According to the Congressional Budget Office, the new work requirements are expected to reduce federal spending by about $69 billion over the next 10 years, and to reduce the average monthly number of SNAP recipients by about 2.4 million. Nearly 42 million Americans currently receive SNAP benefits.
Some anti-hunger groups have expressed concern that the work requirements will kick people off the program who actually need it.
“Millions of people will unnecessarily be kicked off the rolls,” Joel Berg, CEO of the nonprofit Hunger Free America, told ABC News. “They will lose the food they need, and sometimes family members need.”
The United States Department of Agriculture, which administers the benefits through the Food and Nutrition Service, maintains that the new requirements are necessary to reduce waste, fraud and abuse.
“The American dream is not being on [a] food stamp program,” said Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins in a Fox Business interview last week, noting that SNAP is intended to be temporary bridge to self-sufficiency. “That should be a hand up, not a handout."
The new work requirements also come as several states have implemented restrictions on the types of foods that SNAP recipients are able to purchase. The restrictions vary by state but generally include candy and other sugary snacks and sweetened beverages.
As previously reported, several states were forced to delay distribution of SNAP benefits during the government shutdown last November.
Members help make our journalism possible. Become a CSP member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.