SNAP Monthly Maximum Benefit and Monthly Income Restrictions Increased by USDA

Louisiana – On September 30, 2022, the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services (LADCFS) announced that Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients will see an increase in their monthly household allotment beginning October 1, 2022, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) new cost-of-living adjustments.

Benefits Increasing

Food prices have risen dramatically in recent months, putting a strain on every Louisianan’s budget. The USDA raises SNAP monthly allotments each year in accordance with specific food expenditures reported in the US Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Consumer Price Index (CPI).

For the federal fiscal year 2022-2023, increases in maximum monthly food allotments vary by household size. The maximum benefit for a single-member household, for example, is growing from $250 to $281 per month, while the maximum benefit for a four-member household is increasing from $835 to $939 per month.

SNAP Maximum Benefit Amounts According to Household Size

The monthly minimum has been raised to $23.

These adjustments will mostly affect low-income people who receive the maximum benefit amount.

Deductions and Income Limits

Income qualifying limits and permitted deductions are rising, depending on the federal poverty threshold, and modified annually for overall inflation.

Households’ gross and net monthly income restrictions are also rising. Households that are Broad-Based Categorically Eligible (BBCE) must fulfill the Maximum Gross Monthly Income Standard of 200% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) rather than 130% of the FPL. The majority of households will be BBCE. A single-person household, for example, will now have a gross monthly income restriction of $1,473 (an increase of $77) and a net monthly income limit of $1,133 (an increase of $39), but a single-person BBCE household would now have a gross monthly income limit of $2265 (an increase of $118). A family of four, on the other hand, will be limited to a gross monthly income of $3,007 (an increase of $136) and a net monthly income of $2,313 (an increase of $104).

SNAP Eligibility Income Amounts for Household Size

The resource limit for qualified households with at least one person aged 60 or older or disabled is increasing by $500 to $4,250. The maximum for all other eligible households has been raised by $250 to $2,750.

The monthly standard deduction increases by $16 per month to $193, while the shelter cap increases by $27 to $624. Households with all members who are homeless and have a qualifying shelter charge can claim a $166.81 shelter deduction. The maximum homeless shelter deduction had been $156.74.

As a result of these changes, those SNAP members who are not currently receiving the monthly maximum or minimum allotment may see an increase in their monthly benefits beginning October 1.