The One Big Beautiful Bill passed in 2026 cuts $186 billion from SNAP over the next decade. It's the largest reduction in the program's history, and it affects 42 million people, 70% of whom are elderly, disabled, or children.

If your household includes someone with a disability and you receive SNAP, you need to know what changed. The new rules expand work requirements, remove exemptions that protected certain groups, cap benefit growth, and eliminate utility allowances for some households. Not all changes apply to every family, and some protections remain if you have a documented disability.

Here's what the cuts mean, what still applies, and what you should do now.

What Changed in the One Big Beautiful Bill

SNAP benefits drop from an average of $6.40 per person per day to around $5.00. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that 4 million people will lose some or all benefits when the changes are fully implemented, with another 500,000 facing cuts as collateral from household work requirement cutoffs.

Work Requirements Expanded

The new law expands who must document work or work-related activities to keep SNAP benefits:

• Parents with children 14 and older are now subject to work requirements. Previously, the cutoff was age 6.
• Adults ages 55 to 64 are now included. The prior limit was 54.
• Veterans and formerly homeless individuals no longer receive automatic exemptions.

If you fall into one of these categories, you must document 20 hours per week of work, job training, or approved work activities. If you can't meet that threshold, SNAP benefits are limited to 3 months in any 3-year period.

The caregiving problem: Caring for a family member with a disability does not count toward the work requirement. If your teenager has significant support needs and you're their primary caregiver, that caregiving does not qualify as "work" under the new rules.

Protections That Remain for Documented Disabilities

If a household member has a documented disability recognized by SNAP, some protections still apply:

• No work requirement if the person with the disability is the SNAP recipient
• Utility allowances remain for households with someone age 60 or older, or someone with a documented disability
• Medical expense deductions still apply for disability-related costs

The key word is documented. SNAP recognizes a disability if the person receives SSI, SSDI, veterans' disability compensation, or if the state SNAP agency has verified the disability through medical documentation.

If your household member's disability isn't documented in the SNAP system, now is the time to submit that paperwork. Contact your caseworker and ask what documentation they need.

Heating and Cooling Standard Utility Allowance Removed

The Heating and Cooling Standard Utility Allowance is eliminated for households without someone age 60 or older or a documented disability. This allowance boosted benefits to account for utility costs, particularly heating and cooling bills that vary by season.

If your household has a documented disability, you retain this allowance. If not, your benefit calculation will drop.

Benefit Growth Capped

SNAP benefits can now increase only once per year, at the annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) in October. Previously, benefit levels could be adjusted more frequently in response to inflation or policy changes. This cap means benefits lag behind rising food costs throughout the year.

State-Level Restrictions on What You Can Buy

Eighteen states now restrict what can be purchased with SNAP. Common restrictions include soda, candy, energy drinks, and other items deemed non-essential.

These restrictions vary by state. Check your state's SNAP guidelines to see what applies in your area.

What to Do Now

The rules are in effect. Here's what you should do this month:

1. Confirm your household member's disability is documented in the SNAP system. If they receive SSI or SSDI, SNAP should already have that record. If not, contact your caseworker and ask what documentation you need to submit.

2. Check your household composition against the new work requirements. If you have children ages 14 to 17, or if you're between 55 and 64, the work requirement now applies to you. If you're caring for a family member with a disability and that caregiving is your full-time work, document any paid employment, job training, or approved activities you're engaged in.

3. Request recertification if your benefit amount dropped. If your benefits were reduced and you believe your household qualifies for protections based on age or disability, request a recertification interview with your caseworker. Bring documentation of any disability, medical expenses, or utility costs that should be factored into your benefit calculation.

4. Track your utility costs. If your household qualifies for the utility allowance, keep records of your heating, cooling, and electric bills. These may be requested during recertification.

5. If you lose benefits, know your appeal rights. You have 90 days from the date on your notice to request a fair hearing. During the appeal, your benefits continue at the current level until a decision is made.

What This Means for Oregon Families

Oregon alone expects 313,000 of its 740,000 SNAP recipients to be impacted by these changes. If you're in Oregon or another state with high SNAP participation among families with disabilities, your state SNAP agency may have additional resources or guidance available. Contact your local office and ask.

How This Interacts with Other Benefits

If your family receives Medicaid in addition to SNAP, know that both programs saw cuts in the One Big Beautiful Bill. Medicaid work requirements were also expanded, and some states are implementing stricter eligibility rules for adults without dependent children under age 6.

These changes don't happen in isolation. If SNAP benefits drop and Medicaid coverage narrows, the combined impact on your household budget and access to care can be significant.

The Bigger Picture

This is the largest cut to SNAP in the program's history. The Congressional Budget Office projects 1.4 million people will be cut from SNAP in a typical month once the changes are fully implemented.

For families with a documented disability, some protections remain. For families caring for someone with a disability but without formal documentation in the system, the new work requirements apply, even if caregiving is a full-time responsibility.

The system doesn't account for that reality. But knowing the rules as they exist now gives you a clearer path through the recertification process, the documentation requirements, and the decisions you'll need to make in the coming months.

If your benefits dropped or you received a notice about work requirements, start with your caseworker. Ask what documentation they need, what your household qualifies for under the new rules, and what your appeal options are if you disagree with a decision.

The rules changed. Your next step is to confirm where your household stands under the new system and to act on that information while you still have time to prepare.