Number of SNAP recipients in the US fell by 13% over a year — The Guardian
In the United States, the number of people receiving food assistance through the SNAP program fell by 13% over a year — from 41.6 million in July 2025 to 36.5 million in June 2026. The Guardian cites data from the US Department of Agriculture.
The decline came after President Donald Trump’s administration introduced new restrictions in the program, which provides assistance for purchasing food. Republicans, including Trump and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, describe these changes as an incentive to work. At the same time, state officials, nonprofit organizations and people facing food shortages say the new rules make it harder for families to access food.
New requirements for aid recipients
Previously, the requirement to work at least 20 hours per week applied to able-bodied people aged 18 to 54 without dependents younger than 18. Under the new rules, it applies to people aged 18 to 64 who do not have dependents younger than 14. They must engage in paid work or volunteering for at least 20 hours per week.
The One Big Beautiful Act also stipulated that from October, states must cover 75% of SNAP administrative costs instead of the previous 50%. The US Congressional Budget Office projected that the program changes would reduce spending by approximately $187 billion over 10 years.
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Appeals to food banks
In Arizona, the number of SNAP participants fell by 50% between July 2025 and June 2026, while in Kentucky it decreased by 6%. Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, in a letter to Rollins, expressed concern that because of the SNAP changes, more state residents, including children and elderly people, could go hungry.
The Food Bank Council of Michigan said that after the restrictions took effect, its hotline began receiving more than three times as many calls each day. That week, the organization temporarily suspended its operations due to the large influx of calls. Feed Louisville in Kentucky said that food shelves now remain empty by the end of the day.
The US Department of Agriculture said that the number of aid recipients constantly changes and cannot be an indicator of the impact of one specific policy. At the same time, from October 2027, states with payment error rates above 6% will also have to partially finance SNAP benefits. According to the department’s explanation, this indicator is not an assessment of fraud.
According to The Guardian, the figures are based on US Department of Agriculture data.
