Impact of government shutdown on social security
Here’s what you need to know about Social Security payments during the ongoing government shutdown.
If the government shutdown continues, Americans who rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to buy food could be affected as early as November.
In an Oct. 10 letter to state agencies, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) said that if the government shutdown continues, there will not be enough funds to pay the full amount of SNAP benefits for November.
“If current appropriations continue to lapse, approximately 42 million Americans will not have the funds to fully pay their November SNAP benefits,” said the letter, signed by SNAP Development Director Sasha Gersten Pearl and provided to USA TODAY by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS).
Some government agencies were effectively shut down starting Oct. 1 after Congressional leaders failed to agree on how to allocate federal funds for fiscal year 2026. There is no end in sight, and the closure is expected to continue until October. The longest government shutdown was 35 days from December 2018 to January 2019.
Here’s what you need to know about the benefits of SNAP during a shutdown.
States brace for possible SNAP benefit shortfall in November
State health officials across the country, including North Carolina, Wisconsin and Minnesota, have begun warning recipients that they may run out of money for November.
Typically, states send data about eligible households’ SNAP benefits to electronic benefit transfer (EBT) vendors each month. But the USDA is directing states to pause sending that information “until further notice,” the agency’s letter said.
USDA said the Food and Nutrition Service has begun gathering information for potential contingency plans for SNAP benefit operations if the shutdown continues.
Meanwhile, state officials are still grappling with what the extended shutdown means for SNAP recipients in the state.
“We are working to understand exactly what this disruption means for North Carolina,” NCDHHS said in a statement to USA TODAY.
USA TODAY has reached out to the USDA for comment.
What happens to SNAP during a government shutdown?
Programs like SNAP rely on cooperation between states and the federal government, so they may lack the staffing and funding to keep things moving during a government shutdown.
SNAP benefits are allocated for the previous month, so October’s payment was not affected. However, with no regular funding available in November, it remains uncertain whether all benefits will be paid.
According to USDA’s Government Shutdown Contingency Plan, USDA has a multi-year contingency fund available for direct payment of administrative costs and/or benefits to participants. It is currently unclear how much money is available in its reserves.
If the shutdown continues beyond October, the USDA’s contingency plan could be exhausted and the Trump administration could decide whether to tap into multiyear funds, according to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget and the Center for Food Research and Action.
During the 2018-2019 government shutdown, the USDA advanced payment of February benefits to the end of January, and Congress passed emergency funding to continue March payments.
What is a snap?
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as “food stamps,” is a U.S. federal program designed to help low-income individuals and families obtain nutritious food.
We offer monthly benefits through electronic benefits transfer (EBT) cards. This card works like a debit card that can be used to purchase groceries at authorized retailers such as supermarkets and convenience stores.
According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), an average of 41.7 million people a month, or about 12.3% of the U.S. population, used SNAP in 2024.
Melina Khan is USA TODAY’s national trends reporter. Contact her at melina.khan@usatoday.com.
