Only got $23 in food stamps? Why, and what to do

If you were approved for SNAP, but only for $23 per month, here's why and what to do.

Why were you only approved for $23 per month?

$23 is currently the minimum monthly benefit amount for SNAP. Because your benefit amount is calculated on a sliding scale based on your income, some households end up just barely under the limit to qualify.

That leads to some 1- and 2-person households receiving only $23 per month, which is the bare minimum possible benefit.

This is especially common in higher cost of living parts of the country, like California or New York. Unfortunately the income rules are the same across the country (except for Alaska and Hawaii) so lots of people who live in places where rent is much higher, for example, really struggle but don't qualify for a large SNAP benefit.

How to check that $23 is the correct amount for you

If you were approved for $23, you can do a few things to check that it's correct:

• Look at your "award letter" that came in the mail or online — it usually has a budget section where it shows the income and expense information they used to calculate your benefit amount. If anything looks wrong, contact your SNAP agency.
• Call your SNAP agency and ask an eligibility worker to walk you through the calculation. Feel free to ask questions, and tell them if anything seems off from your actual situation.

Getting more than $23 per month by submitting proof of expenses

Sometimes people are approved for only $23 when they are actually eligible for more, and it's because they didn't submit documents showing expenses, like rent or medical costs.

If you sent in documents showing your income but not your expenses, it may be worth calling to check if by submitting more documents showing expenses that your benefit amount would go up. Usually you can do this soon after being approved, and the SNAP agency should increase your benefit amount after they evaluate your proof of expenses.

If you're a senior or disabled, this is extra important for you: special rules allow more expenses to count for your case. That means sending in expense proofs can increase your benefits even more.

Even with $23 per month, receiving SNAP can get you more benefits

While it can be frustrating to only get $23 per month in SNAP, there are also other discounts and benefits that you become eligible for by receiving SNAP. These include:

• Lifeline (a free cell phone with basic service)
• Public transit discounts
• Free or discount admission to zoos, museums, and other places
• Discount memberships for retailers like Amazon and Walmart

We maintain lots of info on these extra benefits and discounts on the free Propel app. We also make it easy to check your balance with 1 tap.

People are talking about increasing the minimum

Advocates have been pushing both the federal government and states to increase the minimum benefit.

New Jersey was the first state to fund a minimum benefit of $95. And California may pilot a minimum benefit of $50 per month.

There are also regular discussions about increasing benefit amounts federally.

Overall getting approved for only $23 is frustrating. No one who applies for SNAP is having an easy time. But hopefully this information helps you know why, what options you have to check that it's right, and why even receiving the minimum in SNAP helps you get other help.