The nation’s primary food assistance program, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), is undergoing its most significant transformation in decades. Enacted through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, a series of new rules beginning in November will fundamentally alter eligibility, benefits, and funding structures. With an estimated $187 billion in reduced funding through 2034, these changes are poised to impact millions of American households currently relying on the program to mitigate food insecurity.
The core of the overhaul involves a substantial expansion of work requirements. The age range for Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWDs) subject to work mandates has been expanded from 18-54 to 18-64. This means older adults up to age 64 will now need to demonstrate at least 80 hours of work or qualifying activity per month to maintain benefits beyond a short-term limit. While medical exemptions persist, the law removes categorical protections for several vulnerable groups, including certain homeless individuals, veterans, and youth aging out of foster care.
Further changes tighten eligibility and adjust benefit calculations. Access for immigrants has been restricted predominantly to U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents. Additionally, the Thrifty Food Plan—the basis for benefit amounts—will see its planned cost-of-living increases frozen until 2027. Future adjustments will be required to be cost-neutral, potentially causing benefit values to erode against real-world food inflation. A significant shift in administrative costs from the federal government to states may also lead to budgetary pressures and varied implementation across the country.
Proponents argue these reforms encourage workforce participation and ensure program integrity. However, critics warn that expanding work requirements in a fluctuating job market, combined with restricted eligibility and stagnant benefits, could exacerbate food hardship for countless families. As state agencies scramble to implement these complex changes, the nation watches to see how its foundational food safety net will fare under its new, leaner structure.
