SNAP Benefits New Rule: The number of people receiving food assistance through the US Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) has fallen sharply. Around 5.5 million people stopped receiving the support between July 2025 and July 2026. This is a 13% drop and has brought the total number of beneficiaries down to 36.1 million, the lowest level in 17 years.
The decline has also affected children. The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) estimates that around 2 million fewer children may be receiving SNAP support. Its figures show that 1.5 million children lost access in the 28 states for which data was available. The nationwide number is expected to be close to 2 million.
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Why Are SNAP Beneficiaries Losing Assistance?
The decline comes after the US government passed budget law H.R. 1 in July 2025. The law brought several changes to SNAP, including stricter work rules and new responsibilities for state governments.
Under the expanded work requirements, certain adults must work or take part in approved training or work activities for at least 80 hours every month to keep their benefits. The rules now cover more people, including adults up to age 64 and some parents whose youngest child is 14 or older. People who don’t meet the requirements may lose their benefits after three months, unless they qualify for an exemption.
Paperwork is another challenge. Some people who still meet the income rules may lose assistance if they fail to provide documents on time. States are also being asked to pay a larger share of the program’s running costs. They may face additional costs if their payment error rates are too high. CBPP says these changes could make it harder for eligible families to keep receiving assistance.
New USDA Proposal Could Affect 6.3 Million People
Another change is now being considered by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). On November 10, 2026, it published a proposal to tighten the rules for automatic SNAP eligibility.
At present, some families can qualify for SNAP through their connection to state programs funded by Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). These benefits can include cash support as well as certain services or non-cash assistance. The new proposal would limit this automatic eligibility to households receiving qualifying TANF assistance.
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According to the USDA estimate reported by the Associated Press, around 6.3 million people could become ineligible by fiscal year 2029 if the proposal takes effect. This would be in addition to the 5.5 million-person decline already recorded.
The proposal hasn’t been approved yet. The government is accepting public comments until December 10, 2026. The change could take around two years to be fully implemented after approval.
SNAP Participation Falls Across Almost All States
CBPP data shows that participation dropped in every state except Alaska between July 2025 and July 2026. The organisation also noted that unemployment remained around 4% during this period, suggesting that fewer people needing food assistance isn’t the only reason behind the decline.
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