SNAP benefits will restart, but will be half the normal payment and delayed [View all]

Source: NPR

The Trump administration says it will restart SNAP food benefits but it will pay out only half the amount people normally get.

The administration says it will use money from an Agriculture Department contingency fund. The $5 billion in that fund falls well short of the full cost of SNAP benefits — $8 billion — each month. In a court filing, officials said depleting that fund means "no funds will remain for new SNAP applicants certified in November, disaster assistance, or as a cushion against the potential catastrophic consequences of shutting down SNAP entirely."
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The administration warns there could be lengthy delays before benefits get into the hands of low-income families who depend on SNAP to put food on the table.
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Delays and 'a logistical nightmare'
A delay in benefits was expected regardless of the outcome of the court cases, because many beneficiaries have their cards recharged early in the month and the process of loading cards can take a week or more in many states.

Read more: https://www.npr.org/2025/11/03/nx-s1-5596121/snap-food-benefits-trump-government-shutdown