U.S. — The average monthly SNAP benefit is $344 per household. President Donald Trump signed legislation that included changes to SNAP work requirements.

The new SNAP law requires individuals aged 55 to 64 and those with children aged 14 to 17 to work, volunteer, or attend school to receive benefits. Individuals aged 65 and older, those with children younger than 14, and those with health limitations remain exempt from SNAP work requirements.

Homeless individuals are no longer exempt from SNAP work requirements under the new law. LaDiamond Lopez lost her SNAP benefits in January 2026.

Lopez has two children, ages 3 and 9. She said she was approved at the end of May but that officials were asking for more documents.

Bezio reported that implementing the federally mandated changes triggered unprecedented call volumes and administrative hurdles, including additional verification requirements, creating real barriers for applicants. Rachel Sheffield, a research fellow, suggested the data could indicate economic improvement. She said that if people are leaving the welfare rolls because they are working and moving forward, that would be a step forward.

Timeline

SNAP enrollment reached a recent peak of 43.3 million in October 2024.

The Congressional Budget Office projected in February that SNAP enrollment would fall below 34 million by 2036. Arizona SNAP enrollment dropped by 55% from April 2025 to April 2026.

More than 400,000 fewer people received SNAP benefits in Arizona in April 2026 compared to April 2025. SNAP enrollment declined by more than 20% in Georgia, Louisiana, Nevada, and Florida over a 12-month period.

SNAP enrollment in the U.S. fell from 42.2 million in May 2025 to 36.6 million in May 2026. The 12-month decline in SNAP enrollment exceeded 13%.

The new work requirements applied to approximately 1.2 million SNAP recipients aged 55 to 64 nationwide. States were required to report compliance data to the U.S. Department of Agriculture every quarter. USDA guidance issued in December 2025 clarified that participation in job training programs could satisfy the work requirement. In February 2026, the Government Accountability Office found that 28 states had fully implemented the new rules, while 12 states were partially compliant and 10 states faced federal review. Advocacy groups reported a 30% increase in benefit denial appeals in the first quarter of 2026 compared to the same period in 2025. The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities estimated that work requirement expansions reduced SNAP participation by 5.6 million people from 2025 to 2026. Monthly SNAP expenditures decreased from $6.2 billion in May 2025 to $5.1 billion in May 2026. The White House stated in March 2026 that the reforms aimed to promote self-sufficiency. The Department of Agriculture confirmed that states could apply for waivers in cases of high unemployment. No waivers were granted to states in 2025 or 2026 under the revised policy.

Why It Matters

The reduction in enrollment affects millions of households that rely on federal food assistance. The average monthly benefit of $344 per household represents a portion of income for low-income families.

The Congressional Budget Office projection indicates further declines, with enrollment expected to fall below 34 million by 2036. This trajectory follows the implementation of new work requirements for specific age groups and parents of teenagers.