If you receive SNAP benefits, you need to be aware of major changes that could affect your eligibility and benefit amounts. A big bill was just signed by President Trump, and it includes sweeping updates to work requirements, household calculations, and more.
Let’s break it down so you know what to expect.
New Work Requirements
One of the biggest changes in the bill is an expansion of SNAP’s work requirements.
Who will need to work?
Able-bodied adults between the ages of 18 and 65 will be required to meet work requirements unless they qualify for an exemption.
You may be exempt if you are:
- Pregnant
- Caring for a child under age 14
- Physically or mentally unable to work
- Identified as Indian, Urban Indian, or California Indian under specific legal definitions
Unfortunately, some important exemptions were removed in the Senate version of the bill. That means that homeless people, veterans, young adults aging out of foster care and married parents of dependent children will no longer be exempt.
When do SNAP work requirements take effect?
The bill did not specify a start time to these new changes. Some projections have said that they will start in 2026, but even Newsweek admits that these changes “could begin as soon as this year.”
Under the terms of the bill, Alaska and Hawaii will remain eligible for special waivers through December 31, 2028.
Changes to SNAP Benefit Amounts
Several provisions in the bill could reduce SNAP amounts for some households—especially large families.
Household Size Limits
Through a complex set of ratios, the bill effectively caps SNAP benefits at a maximum amount for households of 18 people. If your household has 19 or more people, you will not receive extra benefits for those additional members.
SUA Deduction Changes
The Standard Utility Allowance (SUA) will now only apply to households with an elderly or disabled family member. If you are under 60 and not disabled, your energy bills may no longer count toward your SNAP eligibility.
Also, third-party energy payments (like when someone pays your power bill for you) will only count for elderly or disabled households.
Internet Bill Deduction Removed
Internet expenses will no longer count as a shelter deduction for SNAP benefits. This change alone is expected to save the federal government $11 billion, per the New York Times.
New Rules for Immigrant Families
The bill tightens SNAP eligibility for immigrant and mixed-status families.
To qualify for SNAP, you must:
- Reside in the U.S., and
- Be a citizen or national, lawfully admitted alien, or meet specific legal qualifications
If a person in your household is ineligible, they won’t receive SNAP—but their income and assets will still count against your household, which could reduce your benefits.
Thrifty Food Plan Freeze
The bill locks in the 2021 USDA Thrifty Food Plan (TFP) as the baseline model for calculating SNAP. This preserves the $12–$16 monthly increases that most families received in 2021.
However, the TFP cannot be updated again until October 1, 2027—and even when it is, SNAP benefits cannot increase as a result.
State Cost Sharing
Another controversial new change involves shifting more of the cost of SNAP onto the states. The amount states must repay depends on how frequently they make SNAP overpayment errors.
- Under the original House version, states with high error rates could be penalized up to 25%.
- The Senate bill reduces this to 5–15%, depending on the error rate.
These changes are expected to begin between 2028 and 2030, depending on each state’s compliance. Additionally, the bill introduces a zero-tolerance policy for overpayments—meaning states may be held fully responsible for repaying any SNAP overages.
Relief Recap
If you currently receive SNAP, or you help others apply, it’s important to prepare for these upcoming changes. While some benefits will remain stable—like the 2021 TFP increase—many families could see a reduction in eligibility or benefit amounts, especially those with large households or who previously qualified for exemptions.
Ultimately, the only one getting relief under these new changes is the federal government. According to The New York Times, these SNAP changes are expected to save the federal government $195 billion over time.