As of October 2025, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), commonly known as “food stamps,” is facing several significant changes.
These changes to the Assistance Program stem primarily from two sources: the annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) and the implementation of new work requirements recently legislated.
Here’s a breakdown of the changes and which groups are most affected.
1. What Are the Changes to the SNAP Food Assistance Program?
The most relevant changes to the food assistance program can be divided into two categories:
A. Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) (Effective October 1, 2025)
As every year, SNAP benefits are adjusted to reflect inflation. For fiscal year 2026 (which began on October 1, 2025), there is a slight increase in maximum benefits due to the 2.5% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA).
- Example: A one-person household may see a maximum increase of approximately $6 (from $292 to $298).
- Impact: While it is an increase, many beneficiaries and advocates argue that this raise is minimal and does not offset the real cost of food, especially after the end of pandemic emergency allotments (which ended in 2023) and persistent inflation.
B. New Work Requirements (Progressive Implementation)
This is the most drastic change and stems from recent federal legislation (such as the Fiscal Responsibility Act). Work requirements for “Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents” (ABAWDs) are being tightened.
- Age Expansion: Previously, strict work requirements (working or participating in a training program for 80 hours a month) applied to individuals aged 18 to 49. This age range is being progressively expanded.
- Currently, the age limit has been raised to 54 years.
- The law plans to expand it to 64 years in later phases.
- New Exemptions: The same legislation introduced new exemptions for certain groups that were previously subject to these requirements, including:
- Veterans.
- People experiencing homelessness.
- Youth aged 18 to 24 who have been in the foster care system.
2. Who Is Most Adversely Affected by These Changes?
The groups most negatively affected are those who lose benefits or face new barriers to accessing them.
1. Low-Income Older Adults (Especially Those Aged 50 to 54) This is, perhaps, the group most harmed by the new work requirements.
- Why: Individuals in this age range (50-54) who do not have documented disabilities or minor children in their care must now comply with the 80-hour monthly work or training requirement.
- The Reality: Many in this group face significant employment barriers, such as chronic health issues that do not yet qualify as an “official” disability, lack of transportation, or age discrimination in the job market. If they cannot document 80 hours of work, they lose their benefits after three months.
2. All Beneficiaries (Impact of the End of Pandemic Aid) Although the end of “emergency allotments” occurred in 2023, its effects remain the primary “reduction” in benefits that families feel in 2024 and 2025. The small COLA adjustment does not compensate for the loss of those additional funds, resulting in a significant net reduction in purchasing power for food.
3. Parents with Teenage Children (Ages 14-17) Recent laws have adjusted exemptions for parents. Previously, having a child under 18 exempted the caregiver from work requirements. Now, in many cases, this exemption only applies if the child is under 14. Parents of teenagers (ages 14-17) may be required to meet work requirements they did not have before.
4. Some Legal Immigrants Changes have been reported that tighten residency and eligibility rules for certain legal immigrants, which could exclude groups that previously qualified.
5. Beneficiaries in General (Threat of Government Shutdown) Currently (October 2025), there is an immediate concern that if Congress does not approve federal funding and a “government shutdown” occurs, SNAP funds could run out. While November benefits might be covered, a prolonged shutdown puts future payments at risk, affecting the 42 million Americans who rely on the program.
