As debt ceiling negotiations occur between congressional Republicans and the White House, one area causing concerns for low-income households is the fate of work requirements for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits.
For several years, able-bodied recipients of SNAP benefits between 18 and 49 years old have had to work at least 20 hours a week if they did not have dependents. However, House Republicans want to see stricter work requirements for older recipients to prove that they work or are looking for work at least part-time to get those benefits.
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House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) said work requirements for social benefit programs are a red line for him. Under the Limit, Save, Grow Act of 2023 passed by the House at the end of April, tighter restrictions would be applied to SNAP, Medicaid, and other federal programs.
Under the GOP's plan, work requirements would increase the age limit and the amount of hours needed to work to receive benefits — a change that most Democrats believe goes too far and some Republicans think does not go far enough.
For SNAP benefits, the age limit would be increased to 55. Because of this, 900,000 people in the United States aged 50 to 55 are at risk of losing SNAP, according to the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities.
Right now, recipients ages 18 or over and under 50 can only receive three months of SNAP benefits every three years unless they work or are involved in a work or training program for at least 20 hours per week. Some people are exempt, including those who live with children, recipients who are physically or mentally unfit for work, people who are pregnant, and anyone else who is determined to qualify for an exemption. However, the GOP’s bill will make it harder for states to provide SNAP benefits to those with unique circumstances.
Right now, the number of states' exemptions are tied to their caseloads and can roll over into the next year. Under McCarthy's bill, however, states would not let states carry over unused exemptions.
For programs such as Medicaid, recipients would need to work 80 hours a month to keep receiving federal assistance. The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program would also be affected by stricter requirements, causing almost 540,000 families to lose their cash benefits.
McCarthy has drawn a red line at work requirements, and President Joe Biden has indicated that he may be open to changes as June 1, the date the U.S. is expected to default on its loans, approaches.
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SNAP benefits are calculated based on household income and size. The recipient's household income generally must be at or below 130% of the poverty line. In fiscal 2023, the poverty line used to calculate SNAP benefits is $1,920 a month.
An average monthly SNAP benefit for a household of three is $577, with a maximum of $740. An average payment for a household of eight is $1,150, with a maximum of $1,691. Any household higher than eight can be calculated by adding a maximum of $211 per additional person.