SNAP Website Disruption: November Benefits for 42M Recipients Impacted Amid Government Shutdown

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as food stamps, helps nearly 42 million Americans, or 12.3% of the population with no or low income or assets, buy essential groceries. The programme, run by the USDA Food and Nutrition Service, offers monthly benefits, which are uploaded to electronic benefit transfer (EBT) cards for use at authorised retailers and online stores to purchase food.

The programme is known to have had one of the strongest anti-poverty effects on any US benefits scheme. The scheme kept over 6.6 million, including 3 million children, above the poverty line before the pandemic. The SNAP benefits are particularly crucial during the holiday season, when food banks are the busiest.

Recently, the USDA website displayed a message stating that it will not be updated during the funding lapse due to the 'Radical Left Democrat shutdown.'

'President Trump has made it clear he wants to keep the government open and support those who feed, fuel, and clothe the American people,' according to the website.

Updates on SNAP benefits will not be published due to the ongoing government shutdown, which means recipients might not know about any potential changes to the programme in the next few weeks. The website also does not offer information about November payments.

However, the acting head of SNAP, Ronald Ward, reportedly wrote in a letter to state health officials that the programme 'has funding available for benefits and operations through the month of October.'

'If the current lapse in appropriations continues, there will be insufficient funds to pay full November SNAP benefits for approximately 42 million individuals across the Nation,' he added.

Several government agencies effectively shut down starting 1st October after congressional leaders failed to agree on federal funding allocations for the fiscal year 2026. Without an end in sight, the shutdown is likely to continue further into October.

Ward also emphasised developing a 'contingency plan' if operations halt ahead of sending November benefits files to vendors.

'Considering the operational issues and constraints that exist in automated systems, and in the interest of preserving maximum flexibility, we are forced to direct States to hold their November issuance files and delay transmission to State EBT vendors until further notice,' according to the letter.

The Trump administration already warned states that there will be 'insufficient funds' to pay full SNAP benefits if the ongoing government shutdown extends past October, according to Axios.

State health officials across the country, including in North Carolina, Wisconsin, and Minnesota, are already warning recipients about the possible inadequacy of funds for November.

'We are working to get a better understanding of exactly what that disruption will mean for North Carolina,' according to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.

According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, the maximum monthly SNAP benefit expected for fiscal 2026 is $546 (£406) for a household of two and $994 (£739) for a household of four. The amount goes up to $1,183 (£880) for a household of five.

However, the institution stated that some SNAP households will not be eligible for the programme or have their benefits slashed starting late 2025 or early 2026 due to the Republican megabill that Trump signed into law on 4th July.