The number of Americans receiving SNAP benefits is above 41 million, or 13% of the total population.
When the COVID-19 pandemic broke out in 2020, the number of people receiving SNAP benefits sharply surged. It was 35.7 million in 2019 and increased to over 40 million in 2020.
SNAP Benefits vs. Social Security Payments
The federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as SNAP, provides food assistance to low-income households, elderly individuals, and people with disabilities.
The majority of participants almost two-thirds belong to households with kids. But not everyone who qualifies receives SNAP benefits. Those who get food stamp subsidies nonetheless struggle to cover acceptable food costs in addition to housing and other essential living costs.
Receivers are prompted to look for alternative means of achieving their goals by this issue. Other participants who are found qualified for the program can also claim disability payments.
A benefit known as Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, is given to you and specific members of your family if you are insured, which indicates that you have worked long enough and paid Social Security taxes, and are therefore eligible. SSDI compensation must be requested directly from Social Security.
Food stamps are available to SSDI recipients who meet the requirements for SNAP benefits. However, if your income and resources are very high, you will not be eligible for SNAP benefits even if you receive SSDI disability and do not earn too much for SSDI.
However, SNAP does have some unique guidelines for people with disabilities that may make it simpler for them to be eligible for food stamps. Even if you are already receiving SSDI benefits, you must apply for food stamps by contacting your state’s SNAP office.
The state SNAP office should be contacted by phone, in person, or online by those who qualify for disability assistance. When submitting an application, you must include several documents, including your resume, a description of your medical issues, and personal information about you.
After that, the state agency decides whether to find a disability. Informing them of its choice, the state will mail a letter. The average time for an initial decision is three to six months.
Can a Person with Disability Apply for SNAP Benefits?
An individual with a disability may also be eligible for SNAP benefits because the program will not count all of your income if you qualify as a handicapped person, allowing you to subtract specific expenses and making it simpler to qualify for food stamps. If you are receiving SSDI, the SNAP program will already consider you to be disabled.
People may also be able to use reimbursed out-of-pocket medical expenses to help them pass the net income criteria and qualify for SNAP medical aid thanks to the SNAP excess medical expense deduction provision.
Due to the possibility of a higher SNAP payment, the deduction may be sizeable. You typically need to meet both the gross income and the net income after taxes and deductions to be eligible for food stamp payments.
However, you only need to satisfy the net income threshold if you are disabled and receiving SSDI. For 2022, countable assets must total $3,750 or less, and the net monthly income limit must be equal to or less than 100% of the poverty level.
A two-person household can have a net income cap of $1,452, whereas an individual must have a net income of $1,074 or less. Even if you are receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI), you may still be qualified to get SNAP help to buy food.
Low-income individuals with disabilities who qualify for SSI get monthly benefits from the Social Security Administration. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) runs a distinct program from SNAP that issues food stamps.
Food stamp eligibility for SSI is also determined by income and resources. However, there is a distinct income cap for recipients of SSI.
A SNAP application form and information can be obtained at your neighborhood Social Security office if you are applying for or receiving SSI. According to reports, food stamp eligibility is common among SSI beneficiaries.
READ MORE: SNAP Benefits: How Can I Pass The Interview When I Apply for the Program?
Increased SNAP Payments
The cost-of-living adjustment (COLA), which reflects the high inflation, led to an increase in SNAP payments. The new maximum SNAP benefit is $281, and participants will receive an additional $211 for each additional family member.
Deductions and income eligibility requirements have both increased. The maximum gross monthly income for a household of three has increased to $2,495. The COLA rate led to an increase in SSDI compensation as well. A disabled worker’s average monthly SSDI benefit will range from $1,364 to $1,483.
The maximum government payout for an SSI beneficiary will increase from $841 to $914 per month with the 2023 COLA. The maximum monthly benefit for a married couple who are both SSI-eligible will rise to $1,371 from $1,261 this year.
READ MORE: SNAP Benefits Increase in Oregon for More Than 400,000 Eligible Recipients in December
