March and April Food Stamps (SNAP) Benefit Increase

Posted on: March 31, 2020
The information provided on this post does not, and is not intended to, represent legal advice. All information available on this site is for general informational purposes only. If you need legal help, you should contact a lawyer. You may be eligible for our free legal services and can apply by calling our Covid Legal Hotline at 1-844-244-7871 or applying online here.

Click here for the most current information on SNAP benefits. 

What months are Food Stamps (SNAP) increased for most households during the Covid crisis?

So far the state agency has increased SNAP benefits for March, April, and May 2020. If the Covid crisis continues the amount may increase for more months. This is a month by month decision between the state and federal governments and does not depend on the “Stay at Home order.”

How much is the Louisiana SNAP benefit increase for these months?

Everyone in Louisiana who receives SNAP benefits for these months will get the maximum amount for their household size. This includes households that were already receiving benefits and households newly approved for SNAP benefits. But you only get it for the months you are receiving SNAP for.

These maximum amounts are:

 

Number of people on your SNAP Household Maximum SNAP benefits
1 $194
2 $355
3 $509
4 $646
5 $768
6 $921
7 $1048
8 $1164
Each Additional Member $146 extra

For example, for a household of 8 that usually gets $300 in SNAP benefits each month: The maximum benefit for a family of 8 is $1164. The difference ($1164 minus $300 = $864) is the supplement. The supplement ($864) has been or will be automatically added to the household’s SNAP card.

For a 1-person household who usually gets $50 in SNAP benefits each month: The maximum benefit for a 1-person household is $194. The difference ($194 minus $50 = $144) is the supplement. The supplement ($144) has been or will be automatically added to their SNAP card.

Households certified in April will automatically get the amounts listed above instead of a smaller regular SNAP benefit amount.

What do I need to do to get my increased SNAP benefits?

You do not need to do anything. Your benefits will increase automatically. You do not need to call the agency to confirm this. It will not help, and agency lines are very busy with people trying to apply for SNAP because so many people are losing their jobs.

When will I get my extra SNAP benefits?

You will receive your regular benefit amount on your regular assistance date (the 1st – 14th of the month). You will receive your May supplement during the week of May 18th.

Households that are newly approved for SNAP benefits in a month will get their regular amount first and then their supplement about a week later.

What will happen to my SNAP benefits after May 2020?

The State of Louisiana can increase SNAP benefits for additional months if we are still in the Covid crisis. It would need to file papers with the federal government before doing so.

If they don’t, the amount that each household receives will be based on household income, like it was before the Covid crisis (February 2020 and earlier).

You can come back to this page in June to see if there is any news about SNAP benefit increases for June 2020 or the months after that.

For more information, please see http://www.dcfs.louisiana.gov/page/snap-covid19-response-faqs.

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