If I'm Approved for SSI, Will I Be Able to Get Food Stamps?

Food stamps are provided under the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), administered by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Food stamp eligibility is based on income and resources.

Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is a federal program administered by the Social Security Administration (SSA) that pays monthly benefits to low-income people with disabilities. It's a separate program from the federal program that provides food stamps.

Both programs provide support for people with limited incomes, and although they operate separately, they're designed so that receiving one doesn't reduce the other. Still, it's important to understand how and when SSI counts as income for SNAP and how receiving food stamps might (or might not) affect your SSI payments.

What Are Food Stamps and How Do They Work?

The federal SNAP program puts food on the tables of millions of low-income families. You can only use SNAP benefits to buy food and non-alcoholic beverages.

Initially, the program issued paper coupons (food stamps) that came in specific dollar amounts (like $1, $10, and $20 coupons). These coupons worked a lot like cash. If you were eligible, you'd receive a set amount of food stamp coupons by mail every month.

Today, if you're eligible for SNAP benefits, instead of coupons, you'll get an electronic benefits transfer (EBT) card that works a lot like a debit card or gift card with a PIN (personal identification number). Your state's SNAP office will electronically refill your EBT each month. (The process is automatic, so your monthly benefits will just appear on your card on the same day each month.)

Although each state runs its own food stamp program, and some call it by a different name (like CalFresh in California), all food stamp programs are still part of the federal SNAP program. That means you can use your SNAP EBT card (no matter what your state calls it) to buy food at participating locations in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Can You Get Food Stamps While on SSI?

Although most people who receive SSI will be eligible for food stamps, the eligibility requirements vary somewhat by state. SNAP benefits are administered at the state level, and what you need to qualify in your state might not be the same as the requirements in other states.

If I Get SSI, Do I Automatically Qualify for Food Stamps?

If you receive SSI, you're generally considered income-eligible for SNAP. In some cases, you won't have to meet an income test at all. That's because SSI recipients who live alone are usually "categorically eligible" for SNAP, meaning they qualify automatically. The same rule applies to households in which every member receives SSI or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). (7 CFR Part 273.)

Does SSI Count as Income for Food Stamps?

If you live in a household with someone who doesn't receive SSI, your household will need to meet the SNAP income limits set by your state for you to get food stamps. Technically, SSI counts as income for food stamp eligibility, but receiving SSI benefits gives you an advantage when it comes to the way your income is counted.

To qualify for SNAP benefits, most households must meet two income limits:

• a gross income limit (before taxes) set at 130% of the federal poverty level (in 2026, that's about $1,696 per month for a single person and $2,292 for a couple), and
• a net income limit (after taxes) set at 100% of the poverty level (about $1,305 per month for a single person and $1,763 for a couple in 2026), after deductions for expenses like dependent care and child support payments.

In households with at least one elderly or disabled member (including SSI recipients), you only have to meet the net income test. (Note that Alaska and Hawaii have higher income limits.) Some states use broad-based categorical eligibility (BBCE) rules that can further relax income or resource tests, so check with your local SNAP office.

Source: SNAP Income Eligibility Limits - Oct. 1, 2025, through Sept. 30, 2026.

What Deductions Can You Take to Meet the SNAP Net Income Limit?

The deductions you can take when you're trying to meet the net income limit include:

• a standard deduction of $209 for household sizes of one to three people
• a dependent care deduction (if child care is needed for work, training, or education)
• medical expenses that are more than $35 a month (unless someone else is paying for them)
• excess shelter costs (if they're more than half of the household's income after other deductions), and
• legally owed child support payments (only in some states).

The details on these deductions can be confusing. Contact your local SNAP office for more details.

Can You Get Food Stamps If You Have Savings?

Under current federal rules, households with at least one elderly or disabled member have a higher resource limit ($4,500) than other households ($3,000). But the SNAP eligibility process doesn't count the resources of anyone receiving SSI.

Do Food Stamps Affect Your SSI or SSDI Payments?

No, receiving food stamps doesn't affect your eligibility for SSI or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). Food stamps aren't considered income or assets.

Just as state SNAP programs exclude certain income and allow extra deductions for disabled or elderly households, Social Security programs don't count SNAP benefits when calculating SSI or SSDI payments.

Keep in mind: SSI eligibility is calculated for the individual, while SNAP eligibility is based on the household.

For SNAP, all household members' income and resources count toward eligibility. For SSI, Social Security generally ignores other household members' income—except for spouses and any amounts others use to cover some of the SSI recipient's bills (called "in-kind income"), which can affect the SSI payment.

The federal government's approach helps ensure that people with disabilities can get extra help covering groceries without reducing their core Social Security benefits.

Will My SSI Payment Change If I Get Food Stamps?

The federal food stamp program was created to help people with low incomes by giving them additional resources so they can put healthy food on their tables. As such, receiving SNAP benefits won't affect the amount of your monthly SSI benefit—even if you get extra SSI benefits from your state.

A note about California: Until somewhat recently, California was the only state that didn't allow people receiving SSI to get food stamps. This was because the state paid SSI recipients extra money (to be used for food) on top of their monthly SSI federal benefit. California SSI recipients are now eligible for CalFresh. Getting SNAP benefits no longer affects the State Supplementary Payment (SSP) that California adds to your SSI benefits. If you live in California, you can now apply for CalFresh online, by phone, or in person at your county's CalFresh office.

How Do SSI Recipients Apply for Food Stamps?

Because each state runs its own SNAP program, the application process can vary somewhat from state to state. For instance, some states have a combined application system, where you'll automatically be enrolled in SNAP (if you're eligible) when you apply for SSI. To take advantage of automatic SNAP enrollment, you must be the only person in your household applying for or receiving SSI benefits.

You'll need to fill out a separate application for food stamps if:

• other members of your household are applying for SSI or already getting SSI benefits
• you're already receiving SSI benefits yourself, or
• your state requires a separate application.

To apply for SNAP benefits through Social Security, you'll need to do one of the following:

• Contact your local office to set an appointment to fill out the food stamp application, or
• Call the SSA's toll-free number at 800-772-1213 to request an application by mail.

You can also get a food stamps application at your local Social Security office, and a SNAP representative should be there to help you fill it out. Or, you can fill out the application and check your eligibility by contacting your local SNAP office. The USDA has an interactive map you can use to find the SNAP office locations in your state and their contact information.