Starting September 1, 2023, new Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) rules go into effect requiring some older Americans to work to qualify for food assistance, while also exempting other groups from working.
These SNAP work requirement modifications were included in the Fiscal Responsibility Act enacted on June 3, 2023, as part of the negotiations between President Joe Biden (D) and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R) to raise the debt ceiling.
The current rules for SNAP require able-bodied adults from ages 18 to 49 to work or attend job training for at least 80 hours a month. The Fiscal Responsibility Act gradually increases the age limit for work requirements for individuals to be eligible for the food assistance program. The timeline for the new age-based work requirements occurs in three phases:
