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The 42 Millions of Americans who receive food stamps will have an average increase of 27% of your benefits as of October 1 .
The permanent increase was announced in August by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) , which administers the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP ), the official name of the food stamps.
Despite the increase, most households will only see a “modest” increase in these benefits, because the temporary increase in 15% to SNAP benefits under the Biden administration’s American Rescue Plan expired on 30 of September.
But a review of the Thrifty Food Plan allows for this increase, because the estimate of the minimum cost of food has been updated to meet the needs of a family. That revision is the one that sustains the largest permanent increase in benefits and puts a healthier diet within the reach of 42 millions of Americans enrolled in SNAP , which replaced the food stamps .
Still, most households will see an increase in their benefits from food stamps starting this month, although when they receive it will depend on the payment schedule in their state.
On average, each person will see their benefits increase by approximately $ 36 dollars per month under the revised Thrifty Food Plan , the agency said.
A family of four now qualifying for food stamps could receive a maximum of $ 835 dollars per month in aid within 48 continental states, compared to a maximum of $ 680 for a family of four before this increase, according to USDA.
When will food stamp benefits increase
Some recipients may not see the increase until November 1, although that depends on the method of distribution of your status for the program SNAP . For example, Vermont distributes SNAP benefits on the first day of each month, which means that beneficiaries in That state won’t see an increase until Nov. 1.
But other states send payments in batches throughout the month, like Wisconsin, which bases the payment in the last digit of the recipient’s social security number. For people whose numbers end in 0, for example, benefits arrive on the second day of each month. For those with 9 as the last digit, aid is deposited on the day 15 of the month.
See here for more information on the distribution method of each state.
The increase will help 1 in 8 Americans now receiving food stamps to pay for a healthier diet, given rising food prices and changes in nutritional guidelines over the years, Vilsack said in August.
Despite three rounds of federal aid checks, improved unemployment assistance and other stimulus efforts, millions of people in the United States continue to fight hunger . Approximately 1 of each 10 households experienced food insecurity last year, a rate that remained unchanged compared to 2019. Without increased stimulus and other aid, hunger likely would have increased during the pandemic, say hunger-fighting advocates.