The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, SNAP, allows Americans to get monthly benefits if they meet income and resources limits. Therefore, if you have a low Social Security payment, you may qualify for Food Stamps in the United States in 2025.
Of course, the money on hand you have also matters. So only those who meet these thresholds can receive SNAP benefits, as long as they meet all the eligibility criteria. In the same way, you may also receive Food Stamps while you are unemployed.
SNAP while on Social Security payments
For your information, receiving Social Security benefits does not make you automatically ineligible. Hence, if you are facing food insecurity and cannot make ends meet, you should quickly check if you qualify for Food Stamps.
If you are at least 60 years old or you have a disability, you qualify for higher resource limits. Through September 30, 2025, the amount you could have in countable resources is $4,500, or $3,000 if you are younger than 60 or have no disability.
On average, SNAP payments can be about $199 per month. The maximum amount is $292 for a single person, so the lower your income and your resources are, the more money you may receive from USDA.
SNAP if unemployed in 2025
American citizens who are unemployed and who have little money from earnings and resources may also qualify for SNAP benefits. However, since you do not have a disability and you may not be 60 years old yet, you may need to meet work requirements.
In fact, there are general and specific work requirements. Have you heard about ABAWD? This stands for the Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents time limit.
It means those citizens aged 18-54 who can work and do not qualify for an exemption must work for at least 80 hours per month to get SNAP benefits for more than 3 months in a 3-year period. Check eligibility at: https://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/recipient/eligibility but be aware of the fact that States may have different conditions.