Food stamp benefits increasing October 1

WASHINGTON (WTVY) - Benefits paid through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, commonly known as food stamps, are increasing Oct. 1.

According to AL.com, the United States Department of Agriculture announced the increased COLA based on the rate of inflation. The year’s changes are based on the Consumer Price Index, or CPI, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics for June 2022. Based on that data, SNAP benefits will increase by an average of slightly more than 3% for 12 months starting in October.

For a family of four, the COLA means benefits of $973 a month, up from the current $939.

Here are the breakdowns of new benefit amounts based on family size from the USDA:

Household size 1 - $291
Household size 2 - $535
Household size 3 - $766
Household size 4 - $973
Household size 5 - $1,155
Household size 6 - $1,386
Household size 7 - $1,532
Household size 8 - $1,751

Each additional person adds $219.

Monthly income eligibility has changed, too. The new amounts are:

Household size 1 - $1,580
Household size 2 - $2,137
Household size 3 - $2,694
Household size 4 - $3,250
Household size 5 - $3,807
Household size 6 - $4,364
Household size 7 - $4,921
Household size 8 - $5,478

Each additional person accounts for $557 in income eligibility

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