Monday, April 6, 2020
Dear Stakeholders,
We're exploring every avenue we can to provide extra support for Illinoisans right now and to make it easier for people who need food assistance. This week, all of Illinois' Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients will begin receiving the maximum benefit amount. Between April 8th and April 20th, all eligible SNAP recipients will see their first additional funds if they are not currently receiving the maximum benefit.
This will impact more than 450,000 Illinois households. The additional funds are intended to help Illinoisans obtain food and support for their families during the COVID-19 pandemic. The maximum SNAP benefit amounts will be implemented for April and May. It is not known at this time whether these extended maximum payments will continue beyond May.
Increased benefits will be automatically loaded onto SNAP recipients' Link cards, and there is no need for anyone to re-apply, to visit an office, or to call. All new applications authorized in April will also receive the maximum allotment for their household size.
The federal Families First Coronavirus Response Act gives states the option to provide SNAP households with the maximum SNAP allotment, which is based on household size. SNAP households not currently receiving the maximum allotment will receive additional SNAP benefits to bring their allotment amount to the maximum. Households already receiving the maximum benefit will not receive additional benefits.
Maximum amounts per household size are as follows:
| Number in SNAP Household |
Maximum Benefit |
| 1 |
$194 |
| 2 |
$355 |
| 3 |
$509 |
| 4 |
$646 |
| 5 |
$768 |
| 6 |
$921 |
| 7 |
$1,018 |
| 8 |
$1,164 |
| Each Additional Person |
Add $146 |
Illinois SNAP recipients receive their benefits at different times each month, so increased SNAP benefits will be loaded on different dates for SNAP recipients.
I hope this change brings meaningful relief to families across Illinois who need it the most, right now. The IDHS team continues to hold all of our friends and partners in our thoughts as we journey through this unprecedented time together.
Sincerely,
Grace B. Hou
Secretary, IDHS
