In Texas, September 2025 ends with a collective sigh for thousands of families awaiting the final payments from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The Lone Star Card, that plastic that connects more than 3.2 million Texans to food, is refilled on a gradual schedule that, for many, feels like a race against time.
This month, as the heat lingers and school bills tighten in the great state of Texas, the final SNAP paydays are For those who depend on these funds, the final days of September are an being delivered for millions.
A quick review on SNAP benefits in Texas
The Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) distributes SNAP benefits based on the last two digits of the eligibility group number. This system, designed to avoid supermarket congestion, stretches payments throughout the month, but leaves a quarter of recipients—about 800,000 households—waiting until the end.
In September, payments began on the 1st and end on the 28th. Here are the key dates for the final days:
- September 22: Cases completed in 75-78
- September 23: Cases completed in 79-81
- September 24: Cases completed in 82-85
- September 25: Cases completed in 86-88
- September 26: Cases completed in 89-92
- September 27: Cases completed in 93-95
- September 28: Cases completed in 96-99
With food inflation rising almost 3% this year, according to the Department of Agriculture, the average $200 per person that SNAP provides barely lasts a month. Food insecurity in Texas is not new, but the 2025 numbers are troubling.
HHSC reported in August that 3.2 million Texans used SNAP, up 5% from 2024, driven by stagnant wages in low-wage jobs. The HHSC now sends text alerts a day before deposits, an improvement that reduces anxious trips to cashiers.
The Summer EBT program also helped, providing an extra $120 per child from June to August, a vital service some saved for September. But criticism of the system persists.
Activists like Maria Torres of the San Antonio Food Bank argue that the tiered schedule is unfair. “Why make the most vulnerable wait? It’s a design that punishes the last,” she says. Governor Greg Abbott, in a recent speech, called SNAP “a temporary support” but proposed no changes, citing federal limits.
SNAP Benefits Increase by the 2026 COLA
The SNAP benefits annually adjust its benefits through the Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA), a federal mechanism that responds to inflation in the cost of food and daily living. For fiscal year 2026 (FY 2026), which runs from October 1, 2025, to September 30, 2026, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced a modest increase in maximum payments, based on data from the Consumer Price Index (CPI).
This adjustment seeks to mitigate the impact of inflation, which has eroded the purchasing power of low-income families. Below, I detail the amount and timing of this change, with an emphasis on the continental states (the “48 contiguous states and the District of Columbia”), as Texas falls into this category. It’s expected to be somewhere close to 2.9%, as per recent calculations.
- 1 person: The maximum benefit increases from $291 (FY 2025) to $299 (FY 2026), a raise of $8 (2.75%).
- 2 people: The maximum benefit increases from $535 (FY 2025) to $549 (FY 2026), a raise of $14 (2.62%).
- 3 people: The maximum benefit increases from $766 (FY 2025) to $787 (FY 2026), a raise of $21 (2.74%).
- 4 people: The maximum benefit increases from $973 (FY 2025) to $1,000 (FY 2026), a raise of $27 (2.78%).
- 5 people: The maximum benefit increases from $1,155 (FY 2025) to $1,187 (FY 2026), a raise of $32 (2.77%).
- 6 people: The maximum benefit increases from $1,386 (FY 2025) to $1,424 (FY 2026), a raise of $38 (2.74%).
- 7 people: The maximum benefit increases from $1,536 (FY 2025) to $1,579 (FY 2026), a raise of $43 (2.80%).
- 8 people: The maximum benefit increases from $1,756 (FY 2025) to $1,804 (FY 2026), a raise of $48 (2.73%).
- Each additional person: For households larger than 8 people, the maximum per additional person increases from $220 (FY 2025) to $226 (FY 2026), a raise of $6 (2.73%).
The adjusted COLA 2026 payments will be effective October 1, 2025. This means that beneficiaries will begin receiving the updated amounts on their Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards during the October 2025 payment cycle.
