SNAP households have received emergency allotments (EA allotments) equal to the maximum benefit for the household size, minus their monthly base benefit, since March of 2020. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, emergency allotments were authorized under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act to help address temporary food needs during the pandemic.
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State SNAP agencies have had the option to issue emergency allotments (on a month-to-month basis) to all SNAP households if the state meets certain criteria. As long as there’s a national public health emergency (PHE) in place — and the state has a state-level emergency declaration in place — states may choose to continue to provide monthly emergency allotments.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra extended the COVID-19 federal public health emergency on Jan. 16, 2022. A PHE declaration lasts until the secretary declares that the PHE no longer exists — or upon the expiration of the 90-day period from when the PHE was declared. The current PHE is set to expire on April 16.
The USDA has granted waivers to the following states through the end of April 2022:
- Alabama.
- Illinois.
- Maine.
- Michigan.
- New Jersey.
- North Carolina.
- Oregon.
- Rhode Island.
- South Carolina.
- Virginia.
- Washington.
- West Virginia.
- Wisconsin.
- Wyoming.
Since April 2021, all households in states with these benefits have received emergency allotments of at least $95. Households will automatically receive any supplemental EA SNAP benefits on their EBT card.
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