SNAP Emergency Allotments: When Will They End and Why?

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) emergency allotments were launched at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. In this article, read and find out when they will end and why.

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) [Photo: Brookings]

According to Restrepo, from March 2020 to December 2022, a total of more than $2 billion has been issued due to the emergency allotments. Unfortunately, the United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service (USDA FNS) announced that in February, the SNAP emergency allotments will no longer continue. Due to the enactment of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023, the emergency allotments will no longer provide assistance.

Nonetheless, state governments are still authorized to issue additional benefits along with the regular SNAP payments. This is possible as long as a state’s emergency proclamation and the federal government’s Public Health Emergency is still effective.

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What Happens When Emergency Allotments End

According to Campisi, when the emergency allotments end in February, SNAP will issue benefits according to the regular eligibility criteria from before the COVID-19 pandemic began. This criteria include income, the size of a household, and the cost of housing. Fortunately, since October 2022, the cost of living adjustment (COLA) increased the amount of SNAP benefits, income threshold, and deductions. In addition, the Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Social Security Retirement, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (RSDI), and some Veterans Administration (VA) benefits were also increased by 8.7% on January 1. As a result, some beneficiaries may reduce or even give up their SNAP benefits.

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