More SNAP recipients face work requirements: What to know
SNAP participants need to reapply, Sec. Rollins says
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said Friday that the Trump administration will require SNAP participants to reapply for benefits following the 43-day government shutdown. Politico's Grace Yarrow joins LiveNOW's Austin Westfall to discuss.
SNAP food benefits are flowing again after a lapse during the federal government shutdown.
But changes and uncertainty are still up ahead for some recipients, as new work requirements kick in next month.
Here’s what to know:
SNAP benefits
FILE - Sign at supermarket entrance with text reading We Welcome EBT customers and a SNAP logo in Lafayette, California, November 13, 2025. (Photo by Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images)
By the numbers:
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program provides monthly benefits — averaging around $190 per person — to about 42 million people nationwide.
The backstory:
For the first part of the month, the situation was chaotic after the federal government said SNAP would not be funded because of the government shutdown.
As soon as the government reopened on Nov. 12, many states rushed to get out benefits.
What's next:
Participants should receive December SNAP benefits according to their normal schedule – but be aware they may be under new work requirements.
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New SNAP work requirements
Big picture view:
The massive tax and spending bill signed into law in July by President Trump expanded requirements for many adult SNAP recipients.
More adult recipients will now be required to work, volunteer or participate in job training for at least 80 hours a month. Those who don’t meet that threshold can only receive benefits for three months in a three-year period.
The Trump administration waived the work requirements in November, but the three-month clock on work-free SNAP benefits will be in full force in December.
Dig deeper:
The work requirements previously applied to adults ages 18 through 54 who are physically and mentally able and don’t have dependents.
But Americans who are aged 55 through 64, and who have children ages 14 to 18, are now included in the requirements as well.
The new requirements also repeal work exemptions for homeless individuals, veterans and young adults aging out of foster care. And it limits the ability of states to waive work requirements in areas lacking jobs.
What they're saying:
The Trump administration has said these changes and new requirements are necessary to eliminate fraud and waste within the program.
By the numbers:
The new requirements are expected to reduce the average monthly number of SNAP recipients by about 2.4 million people over the next 10 years, according to the Congressional Budget Office.
Reapply for SNAP
What they're saying:
Last week, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said she plans to have everyone reapply for their SNAP benefits now that the government has reopened.
But it’s not clear whether Rollins was suggesting an additional requirement or referring to the current one that mandates people to periodically recertify their income and other information.
An Agriculture Department spokesperson didn't clarify but instead said in a statement that the standard recertification process for households is part of a plan to eliminate fraud, abuse and waste.
READ MORE: All SNAP recipients must reapply for benefits: What we know
What you can do:
SNAP recipients should review the new rules found on the USDA’s website, and also make sure that their qualification information is up-to-date.
The Source: Information in this article was taken from the USDA and from previous FOX Television Station reportings. Background information on SNAP and Trump’s spending bill was taken from The Associated Press. This story was reported from Detroit.