Cuts are coming — Here’s what it means for families
I need to tell you something important, and honestly, it’s not good news. If you or someone you know depends on SNAP benefits — what most of us call food stamps — changes are on the way that could mean smaller payments or even losing those benefits altogether. Millions of households across the U.S. will be affected, and the timing couldn’t be worse, with grocery prices still high and budgets already stretched thin.
Let’s break down what’s happening and who’s going to feel the biggest impact.
What is changing with SNAP?
The changes come from the Republicans’ new tax and spending law, often referred to as their “big, beautiful” bill. According to government estimates, about 2.4 million people — roughly 6% of all SNAP participants — could be kicked out of the program each month because of stricter rules.
But that’s not the end of it. Another analysis suggests that over 22 million families could see their monthly food stamp benefits cut. That means less money each month to buy food, which, for families already scraping by, is a serious problem.
Stricter work requirements
One of the biggest changes is around work requirements. Before, only people between the ages of 18 and 54 without kids at home had to prove they were working at least 20 hours a week, volunteering, or in school to get SNAP.
Now, that age range has been pushed up to 64 years old. Even veterans, people experiencing homelessness, and young adults who have aged out of foster care — groups that used to be exempt — now have to meet the work requirement.
And here’s the tough part: if someone can’t meet these rules, they can only get food stamps for three months in a three-year period. That’s basically being cut off.
Think about what that means for someone who’s homeless and struggling to find a steady job, or for a veteran trying to get back on their feet. These are people already facing uphill battles, and now it’s going to be even harder.
Smaller SNAP payments for millions
Even if you don’t lose SNAP completely, many families are still going to see cuts in their monthly benefits. That’s because of new rules about how benefits are calculated.
For example, households used to be able to deduct utility expenses — like heat, electricity, and internet — when figuring out how much aid they’d qualify for. Now, internet bills no longer count.
That might not sound like a big deal, but it really adds up. Experts say about 65% of SNAP households will lose an average of $10 a month. For a family struggling to stretch every dollar, $10 is the difference between having enough milk and bread for the week — or not.
Why this matters now
This couldn’t be coming at a worse time. Food prices are still rising, and Census data shows poverty rates are ticking upward, especially for seniors and Black Americans. SNAP has long been one of the most important safety nets in this country — it even lifted 3.6 million people out of poverty last year.
Now, with these cuts, experts warn that food insecurity could get much worse. And to make matters more complicated, the U.S. Department of Agriculture just announced that it will no longer publish its yearly food security report, which has been the main way the government tracks hunger in America.
Critics say ending the report makes it harder to hold lawmakers accountable for the consequences of these changes.
States could struggle too
It’s not just families that are being squeezed — states are also going to face new financial pressures. Right now, states and the federal government split the cost of running SNAP. But starting in 2027, states will have to pay 75% of the costs, up from 50%.
That’s a huge increase, and some experts worry certain states might not be able to handle it. In the worst-case scenario, some states could even decide not to participate in SNAP at all.
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