SNAP Cuts Threaten to Cut Young Adults Off at the Knees

Even before its passage, SNAP had “always had a very rigorous application process” that was difficult for young adults to navigate, said Ed Bolen, director of SNAP state strategies at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. Research suggests that young adults already have difficulty accessing social safety net benefits. Roughly 55 percent of the 5.8 million young adults who qualify for SNAP do not participate in the program.

Now, with the passage of the law, able-bodied adults without dependents between the ages of 18 and 64 must either work, participate in job training, or volunteer for at least 80 hours per month. If they do not record participating in these activities over three months, they will not be eligible for SNAP for another three years. States are also restricted in their ability to request waivers for these work requirements, such that only areas with an unemployment rate greater than 10 percent can be exempt from that time limit.

Lauren Bauer, a fellow at the Brookings Institute who researches social and safety net policies, noted that time spent job hunting does not count toward the requirement, making this mandate a significant challenge for someone just entering the workforce. Young people are less likely than older Americans to have a stable job, and are overrepresented in the gig workforce.