If you are wondering if there be extra food stamps this month, we can help. In this post, we will review in detail the Emergency Allotment SNAP benefits and provide a list of states giving extra food stamps for January 2021.
We will also provide an update on February 2021 extra food stamps benefits.
To learn if your state is giving extra food stamps and how much you are likely to receive, continue reading below.
This post will cover:
- What are supplemental Emergency Allotment benefits?
- Extra Food Stamp Benefits
- How much in extra food stamps will I receive?
- Emergency Allotment Benefits Calculator
- Additional 15% Temporary Increase in Food Stamps in 2021
- List of States Giving Extra Food Stamps for January 2021
- Will there be extra food stamps in February 2021?
- P-EBT Benefit Increase & Expansion
- Extra Food Stamps FAQs
What are supplemental Emergency Allotment benefits?
The Families First Act (FFA) is a federal law that was passed to respond to the effects of the public health emergency caused by COVID-19.
Included in the law is a provision for emergency supplemental benefits to households receiving SNAP or Food Stamps.
This provision allows states to issue supplemental SNAP benefits, up to the maximum allowable SNAP benefit for a household’s size, during the emergency or disaster declaration.
These temporary supplemental SNAP benefits are also referred to as Emergency Allotment (EA) benefits.
States have to get waivers from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) each month to issue these Emergency Allotment SNAP Benefits.
Extra Food Stamp Benefits
Since March 2020, states have been issuing supplemental SNAP benefits monthly to households impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Only households whose SNAP benefit for the month was less than the maximum benefit amount for their household’s size will get extra benefits for that month.
However, households who already received the maximum benefit amount for their household size in a month are not eligible.
Furthermore, households may not receive more than the maximum allowable amount for their household size.
Who Qualifies for Extra Food Stamps?
Here’s how to find out if you qualify for extra food stamps in your state:
If your household received a SNAP benefit for the months between March 2020 and this current month, here’s what you should know.
If the SNAP benefits you received during those months were less than the maximum benefit amount for your household’s size, then you will automatically get a supplemental EA SNAP benefit.
It is important to note that the supplemental EA SNAP benefit will only be provided for the months that your household received less than the maximum benefit amount.
How much in extra food stamps will I receive?
The amount of extra food stamp benefits you receive is determined by your household size.
Your Emergency Allotment benefit is the difference between the amount of benefits you are currently receiving and the maximum benefit amount for your household size.
As stated earlier above, if you are already receiving the maximum monthly benefit amount for your household size, then you will not receive any additional or extra SNAP benefits.
However, if you are not receiving the maximum benefit allotment for your household size, then you will receive extra food stamp benefits.
For help, check out our example on how to calculate your Emergency Allotment benefits below:
Emergency Allotment Benefits Calculator
The formula to calculate how much extra food stamps you will receive through Emergency Allotment (EA) benefits is provided below.
Maximum Monthly Benefit Allotment for Household Size – Current Monthly SNAP Benefits = Total Extra Allotment SNAP benefits
Example:
If you live in a household of 3 people and are currently receiving $400 in SNAP benefits per month, then you will receive $135 in extra food stamp benefits.
That’s because the maximum allotment amount for a household of three is $535 per month.
To find out the maximum SNAP benefit allotment for your household size, check out the tables below.
What is the maximum SNAP benefit amount for my family’s size?
The “Thrifty Food Plan” (TFP) is the maximum amount of SNAP benefits, per household size.
Beginning October 1, 2020, the TFP amounts of SNAP benefits per household size have increased.
Use the chart below to find the Maximum SNAP Allotment Amount for your household size.
The 2021 maximum SNAP allotments for the District of Columbia and all states other than Alaska and Hawaii are as follows:
Please note that a temporary 15% increase in SNAP benefits was authorized in the recently signed federal relief legislation and will be in effect for the months of January through June 2021:
March—September 2020
Below is the maximum monthly SNAP benefit amount by household size for the period March 2020 – September 2020.
This increase was due to The Families First Act (FFA) legislation.
| Household Size |
Maximum Monthly SNAP Benefit Amount
|
| 1 | $194 |
| 2 | $355 |
| 3 | $509 |
| 4 | $646 |
| 5 | $768 |
| 6 | $921 |
| 7 | $1,018 |
| 8 | $1,164 |
| Each additional person | +146 |
October — December 2020
The USDA announced a 5.3% increase in maximum SNAP benefits in response to rising food costs. This announcement was effective October 1, 2020.
Below are the new maximum monthly SNAP benefit amounts based on that announcement.
| Household Size |
Maximum Monthly SNAP Benefit Amount
|
| 1 | $204 |
| 2 | $374 |
| 3 | $535 |
| 4 | $680 |
| 5 | $807 |
| 6 | $969 |
| 7 | $1,071 |
| 8 | $1,224 |
| Each additional person | +153 |
Additional 15% Temporary Increase in Food Stamps in 2021
Congress passed The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, which authorized an increase in increase Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.
Specifically, the legislation raised the maximum allotments by 15% of the June 2020 amount.
The law also requires that the increased maximum allotments will only be effective from January 1, 2021, through June 30, 2021.
However, on July 1, 2021, the maximum allotment for food stamps will revert to the fiscal year 2021 benefit allotments.
January—June 2021
Below are the new maximum monthly SNAP benefit amounts based on the 15% increase, which is effective January 1, 2021 – June 30, 2021.
| Household Size |
Maximum Monthly SNAP Benefit Amount
|
| 1 | $234 |
| 2 | $430 |
| 3 | $616 |
| 4 | $782 |
| 5 | $929 |
| 6 | $1,114 |
| 7 | $1,232 |
| 8 | $1,408 |
| Each additional person | +176 |
List of States Giving Extra Food Stamps for January 2021
Below is the list of states and U.S territories that have been approved to issue extra food stamps for January 2021.
| Alabama |
| Alaska |
| Arizona |
| Arkansas |
| California |
| Colorado |
| Connecticut |
| Delaware |
| District of Columbia |
| Georgia |
| Guam |
| Florida |
| Hawaii |
| Idaho |
| Illinois |
| Iowa |
| Indiana |
| Kansas |
| Kentucky |
| Louisiana |
| Maine |
| Maryland |
| Massachusetts |
| Michigan |
| Minnesota |
| Mississippi |
| Missouri |
| Montana |
| Nebraska |
| Nevada |
| New Hampshire |
| New Jersey |
| New Mexico |
| New York |
| North Carolina |
| North Dakota |
| Ohio |
| Oregon |
| Oklahoma |
| Pennsylvania |
| Rhode Island |
| South Carolina |
| South Dakota |
| Tennessee |
| Texas |
| Utah |
| Vermont |
| Virginia |
| Virgin Islands |
| Washington |
| West Virginia |
| Wisconsin |
| Wyoming |
Will there be extra food stamps in February 2021?
Yes, the USDA has approved states that have applied for waivers to provide extra food stamps in February 2021.
To see if your state is on the list, click here.
P-EBT Benefit Increase & Expansion
As of January 22, 2021, the Biden Administration passed a law to increase Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) benefits by 15% to help fight childhood hunger.
Previously, the P-EBT program was capped at $5.86 per child per school day.
Furthermore, the 15% increase to the P-EBT Program will help tackle the growing problem of food insecurity among children during the school year.
Extra Food Stamps FAQs
Here are the most frequently asked questions about the extra food stamps benefits due to the coronavirus pandemic.
How long will the increase in food stamps last?
Congress extended the duration of the emergency food stamps allotment in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021.
This new legislation raised the maximum allotments by 15% percent of the June 2020 amount.
The law also requires that the increased maximum allotments will only be effective from January 1, 2021, through June 30, 2021.
Therefore the increase in food stamps will last through June 30, 2021.
What is the maximum amount of food stamps?
Based on the recent 15% increase in food stamps maximum about announced for 2021, here’s the maximum benefit amount for a household of 1 – 5 people:
1 person – $234
For a household with 2 people – $430
A household with 3 people – $616
For a household with 4 people – $784
A household with 5 people – $782.
Note that these increases are temporary and will last through June 2021.
For the complete list, see the tables above.
Why Did I get Extra Food Stamps This Month?
States have been issuing extra food stamps to those eligible since March 2020 to help SNAP recipients during the Pandemic.
For any giving month while the program is running, here’s what happens:
If you are not receiving the maximum SNAP benefit amount for your household size, then you will receive extra food stamp benefits for that month.
Furthermore, the USDA announced a 5.3% increase in maximum SNAP benefits effective October 1, 2020.
Additionally, Congress passed legislation that provides an additional 15% increase in maximum benefits from January – June 2021.
To calculate how much you are likely to receive each month in SNAP extra benefits, see our calculator above.
Extra Food Stamps for January 2021 Summary
Here’s the bottom line:
If your household is already getting the maximum monthly SNAP benefit amount for your household size, then you will not receive any extra SNAP benefits.
However, if you are not receiving the maximum benefit amount for your household size, then you will receive extra food stamp benefits.
The USDA announced a 5.3% increase in maximum SNAP benefits effective October 1, 2020.
Furthermore, Congress passed legislation that provides an additional 15% increase in maximum benefits from January – June 2021.
To find learn more about February’s extra benefits, see our post on Extra SNAP EBT benefits for February by state.
Questions?
We hope this post on Extra Food Stamps for January 2021 was helpful.
If you have further questions about the Extra food stamps, P-EBT, SNAP Benefits, or EBT Card, please let us know in the comments section below.
Be sure to check out our other articles about SNAP and EBT, including:
Free Admission with EBT in all 50 States
How to check ebtEDGE balance
ConnectEBT card balance
What you can buy with an EBT Card
How much in food stamps can I get?
