HARRISBURG, Pa. — Officials with the Department of Human Services (DHS) announced Monday increases to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) income and benefit limits in Pennsylvania.
In Sept. 2024, SNAP reportedly served 2,021,263 individuals by providing $367,985,636 in federally-funded food assistance.
DHS Secretary Dr. Val Arkoosh also announced that the replacement of stolen SNAP benefits, which DHS began offering in 2023, has been extended to benefits stolen through Dec. 20, 2024.
“Being able to feed yourself and your family is not just a health issue; it also instills a sense of self-reliance, safety, and dignity when you know you can access fresh, nutritious foods without making the difficult choice between paying for groceries and paying for other necessities,” said Secretary Arkoosh. “SNAP helps more than two million Pennsylvanians, many of whom are our friends and neighbors, keep food on their tables. I strongly encourage anyone who may need food assistance to apply for SNAP.”
Below are the SNAP income limits beginning Oct. 1:
Household size: 1, Maximum Gross Monthly Income: $2,510
Household size: 2, Maximum Gross Monthly Income: $3,408
Household size: 3, Maximum Gross Monthly Income: $4,304
Household size: 4, Maximum Gross Monthly Income: $5,200
Household size: 5, Maximum Gross Monthly Income: $6,098
Household size: 6, Maximum Gross Monthly Income: $6,994
Household size: 7, Maximum Gross Monthly Income: $7,890
Household size: 8, Maximum Gross Monthly Income: $8,788
Household size: 9, Maximum Gross Monthly Income: $9,686
Household size: 10, Maximum Gross Monthly Income: $10,584
Each additional member +$898
Factors that contribute to a household's higher SNAP allowances and income limits in Pa. include household size, monthly income and if a member of the household is 60 years of age or older or has a disability.
Below are the changes to the Maximum Thrifty Food Plan effective Oct. 1, 2024. The Maximum Thrifty Food Plan is the maximum amount of SNAP benefits a household can receive:
Household size: 1, Maximum Gross Monthly Income: $292
Household size: 2, Maximum Gross Monthly Income: $536
Household size: 3, Maximum Gross Monthly Income: $768
Household size: 4, Maximum Gross Monthly Income: $975
Household size: 5, Maximum Gross Monthly Income: $1,158
Household size: 6, Maximum Gross Monthly Income: $1,390
Household size: 7, Maximum Gross Monthly Income: $1,536
Household size: 8, Maximum Gross Monthly Income: $1,756
Household size: 9, Maximum Gross Monthly Income: $1,976
Household size: 10, Maximum Gross Monthly Income: $2,196
Each additional member +$220
According to the DHS, there is no change to the minimum monthly benefit this year, the minimum benefit will remain $23.
The best way to determine if your household will qualify for SNAP and the amount of your monthly benefit is to apply. Current recipients should continue to report income and address changes to DHS and submit any semi-annual reviews or renewals they receive during this period so that they do not risk an interruption of their benefits.
Under federal guidelines, SNAP benefits do not expire as long as the recipient's EBT card remains active, which means that the household's EBT card must be used at least once every nine months. SNAP recipients can check their current EBT balance, make transaction inquiries, and request card replacements from DHS’ EBT contractor, Conduent, at 888-328-7366.
In addition to the benefit changes, DHS has been made aware of multiple reports of EBT card skimming in recent months.
Skimming is the act of applying a device to a point-of-sale (POS) machine or an ATM to read a card’s magnetic strip, gather its data, and create a cloned card.
SNAP recipients are encouraged to protect their EBT cards and personal information, such as a PIN.
SNAP recipients who have their benefits electronically stolen through Dec. 20, 2024, can make a request to have their benefits reimbursed. To request a reimbursement, SNAP recipients should fill out a Benefit Theft Claim via a PDF form or web form within 60 calendar days of the incident. DHS will then validate within 30 days of the request being submitted for evaluation, and if a replacement is to be issued, it can be done within 10 days of the evaluation.
Pennsylvanians can report any potential EBT skimming activity by calling the DHS fraud tip line at 1-844-DHS-TIPS (1-844-347-8477) or making a report through the Office of State Inspector General (OSIG) website.
