Important SNAP Changes for May 2025: Are You Still Eligible?

SNAP benefits, which help low-income families buy healthy food, will undergo changes to ensure they receive the necessary support during rising food prices.

SNAP Changes for May 2025: Every year the rules for getting SNAP benefits are updated. This includes changes to who can get help, how much they can get, and how the money is given. SNAP, or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, helps people with low income buy healthy food using an EBT card. These benefits can be used in stores that are part of the program.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), through its Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), updates these benefits based on something called the Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA). These changes help make sure families get the support they need when prices go up. The newest changes started in October 2024 and will last until October 2025.

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Changes in Work Requirements and Eligibility

In 2025, one of the biggest changes is for a group called “able-bodied adults without dependents,” or ABAWDs. These are people without children who are healthy enough to work. Last year, people in this group were between 18 and 50 years old and had to work at least 80 hours a month to get SNAP.

But now, the age limit has gone up. In 2025, the age goes up to 52, and it will later go up to 54. That means more people will need to meet work requirements. At the same time, some new groups are now free from these work rules.

Also, people can still apply if their income is low enough. If your monthly income is less than 130% of the federal poverty level, then you may still qualify for help.

SNAP Benefit Amounts Have Increased

For 2025, the maximum benefit amounts have gone up in most places. These higher benefits help families keep up with rising prices. In 48 states and in Washington, D.C., the highest amount a family can get is $975.

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In places like Alaska, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Guam, the amounts are different. For example, in Hawaii, the max for a family of four is now $1,723, and in Alaska it’s $1,258.

But the minimum benefit hasn’t changed. In most states and D.C., the least you can get is still $23 a month. How much a family actually gets depends on their net income, which means income after deductions.

Also, the COLA increase for Social Security and SSI benefits was 2.5% this year. This is important because it can affect how much SNAP help some people can get.

Household size 1: $292
Household size 2: $536
Household size 3: $768
Household size 4: $975
Household size 5: $1,158
Household size 6: $1,390
Household size 7: $1,536
Household size 8: $1,756

Each additional person: $220

Farheen Ashraf

Farheen Ashraf is a History graduate. She writes on a variety of topics, including business, entertainment, laws, poetry, stories, travel, and more. Her passion for writing has led her to explore a variety of genres.