Newly released federal data found SNAP enrollment fell from 42.2 million in May 2025 to 36.6 million in May, a drop of more than 13% in a year. The May data are preliminary and could be revised.
Since 2010, the average number of monthly beneficiaries has been below 40 million for only two years — 2019 and 2020. The rolls started dropping after a recent peak of 43.3 million in October 2024. It’s fallen much faster since implementation began last year for Trump’s “one big beautiful bill,” which cut taxes and overhauled social safety net programs.
The expanded SNAP work requirement has now kicked in for most of the country, but it won’t begin in some places until next year.
Many adults 54 and younger without minor children have long been required to work to get SNAP benefits. The new law requires most people who previously had been exempt from requirements to either work, volunteer, or go to school to get benefits.
It now includes those ages 55 to 64, and those with children ages 14 to 17. Those 65 and older or with children younger than 14 remain exempt, as do those with health limitations.
Some other groups that had been exempted from the requirement — including homeless people — no longer are.
https://www.newsmax.com/politics/snap-benefits-children-work-requirement/2026/08/21/id/1266890/