SNAP benefits and work requirements changed overnight in 2025. Millions of low-income Americans who rely on food assistance are now facing stricter rules to keep receiving help, after the Trump administration moved quickly to tie benefits to employment or training.
For many households, the shift is not theoretical. New limits apply immediately, reducing exemptions and expanding who must meet monthly work thresholds to stay enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. The policy also reshapes how states can respond when jobs are scarce.
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP benefits)
SNAP benefits are now at the center of the administration’s broader push to condition public aid on work. Under legislation approved in mid-2025, the pool of recipients required to prove employment, volunteering, or job training has grown significantly. The rule still requires 80 hours per month of qualifying activity, but far fewer people are exempt. Adults who were previously shielded by age, family status, or personal circumstances are now included.
That change alone affects millions of cases nationwide, especially in households where work is unstable or seasonal.
Until this year, adults over 54 were generally exempt from SNAP work requirements. Parents with children under 18 at home also had protection from the rule.
That is no longer the case. The updated law raises the upper age threshold to 64 and brings in parents of teenagers between 14 and 17 years old. If these adults receive SNAP for more than three months, proof of qualifying activity is now mandatory.
The expansion reflects a clear policy direction: fewer automatic exemptions, more individual compliance checks.
Exemptions sharply reduced
Some of the most notable changes involve groups that were previously protected almost across the board. People experiencing homelessness, military veterans, and young adults who aged out of foster care have all seen their exemptions cut or removed. While limited exceptions still exist, they are narrower and harder to obtain.
States also lost flexibility. Waivers based on local unemployment rates, once common during economic slowdowns, are now tightly restricted. The administration argues that SNAP benefits, along with other federal aid programs, reduce participation in the labor market. Officials say tying assistance to work encourages self-sufficiency and supports economic growth.
In public statements, cabinet secretaries framed the policy as a way to strengthen families and communities while helping businesses find workers.
Economists, however, remain divided. Many say there is little clear evidence that work requirements increase long-term employment or wages, especially in areas with limited job opportunities.
Administrative impact on recipients
Beyond the work itself, the reporting burden is becoming a major issue. SNAP recipients must now document hours, submit paperwork on time, and navigate state systems that are often understaffed. Missing a report or misunderstanding a rule can lead to temporary or permanent loss of benefits, even for people who are working.
Advocacy groups warn that eligible households may drop out simply because the process becomes too complex.
SNAP benefits are not the only program affected. Similar work-linked conditions are being rolled out across Medicaid and federally subsidized housing programs. The approach is consistent across agencies: employment as a condition, fewer waivers, and more individual monitoring.
Whether this strategy increases labor participation or instead reduces access to basic support remains an open question.