Concerns rise over SNAP benefit changes during government shutdown

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — Big changes are coming to Utah’s SNAP benefits starting November 1st, but with a government shutdown in place, advocacy groups are speaking up.

​Utahns Against Hunger are concerned about new food stamp rules taking effect on November 1st.

Changes, including expanded work requirements and exemptions, were already scheduled, but with the federal government shut down, hunger advocates say the timing couldn’t be worse. Now, they are asking Governor Cox to delay the change until the federal government shutdown ends.

“So now we’re in the midst of a government shutdown, and the expectation is they will implement these changes in Nov. 1, but we can’t call the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and get guidance on how to do that.” Gina Cornia, executive director of Utahns Against Hunger, said.

She added, “That’s important because error rates fluctuate a lot, and when they do a policy change, as people are getting trained and up to speed, errors tend to go up. The error is the number of overpayments and underpayments added together because of recent changes in Congress,”

People like Joseph Woodward, who relies on food pantries, say the uncertainty is overwhelming.

“When we talk about the government shutdown, it makes me worried and stuff. How long and how exactly is this government shutdown going to affect everyone, especially with the lower-class Americans?” Joseph Woodward said.

70-year-old Woodward says he’s trying to find work, but his medical history makes that difficult.

“I’m too old and they especially get skeptical when we have a medical record because I’ve had some health issues and injuries,” Woodward said. He’s unsure how he’ll get food if the rules change.

“You have to have some kind of self-efficacy somewhere along the line, but at the same time, the government shouldn’t be so hard on homeless people, those who are struggling and trying,” Woodward said.

Currently, adults under 56 without dependents must meet work requirements or risk losing SNAP after three months. Under the new rules, the age limit increases to 64, and some adults in households with kids under 14 may also be required to work.

“What you’re looking at now is a very vulnerable population with a lot of barriers to work, and states aren’t getting the resources they need to serve this population,” Corina said.

That’s why Utahns Against Hunger and four other nonprofits sent a letter to Governor Spencer Cox asking him to delay the new rules.

“We wrote a letter to Governor Cox, who is the incoming chair of the Western Governors Association, in January, so we asked him to reach out to other governors and write a letter to the Trump administration on behalf of those dates asking for a delay in the implementation of those work requirements,” Cornia said.

Cornia says pushing off these changes would be best, especially during the government shutdown.

“We would love to see those changes reversed in future legislation, but I think for now pushing them off until the next federal fiscal year, we would love to see that and the governor support that move,” Cornia said.