CW: Food Insecurity
Lawmakers are proposing major cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to fund tax cuts for the wealthiest individuals and corporations. These proposed changes might result in up to 11 million people losing part or all of their SNAP food assistance; increased food insecurity; and fewer dollars spent in grocery stores in our communities. Despite the fact that so-called exclusions exist, these proposed policy changes will disproportionately harm disabled people.
SNAP, which provides monthly food benefits to low-income individuals and families, is one of our country’s most effective anti-hunger public initiatives. It is also important for those with disabilities. In 2023, 10% of non-elderly program beneficiaries identified as having a disability. Disabled people are more likely to experience food insecurity. The Urban Institute found that 52.5% of disabled adults experienced food insecurity last year, more than double the rate of nondisabled adults (20.5%). This disparity was particularly prominent among those that did not participate in SNAP.
Accessing SNAP can be challenging for disabled people. However, it can also be challenging for people known as “able-bodied adults without dependents,” or ABAWDs, face additional limitations due to time constraints.
According to current law, ABAWDs can only receive SNAP for three months in a three-year period unless they work at least 20 hours per week. Lawmakers have made exceptions for areas with high unemployment rates and existing time limit waivers. SNAP benefits are terminated after three months, even if participants are still facing food insecurity and are struggling to find work.
In addition, the proposal would significantly restrict state flexibility by limiting the United States Department of Agriculture’s ability to approve waivers only to areas with unemployment rates over 10 percent, and by reducing the allowable exempt population from the time limit policy from 8 percent to just 1 percent. These changes would make it much harder for states to protect vulnerable populations — including people with disabilities who may not be formally exempt but still face significant barriers to meeting work requirements.
Lawmakers want to broaden the ABAWD population to include parents with children over the age of seven as well as people aged 55 to 64. Parents with young children and seniors would be required to work several hours per week or risk losing the benefits that help them buy food each month.
Furthermore, the proposal would significantly limit state flexibility by limiting the US Department of Agriculture’s ability to approve waivers to areas with unemployment rates above 10% and by reducing the allowable exempt population from the time limit policy from 8% to 1%. These changes would make it far more difficult for states to safeguard vulnerable populations who may not be technically exempt but face barriers to meeting work requirements.
The term ABAWD implies that only nondisabled adults must meet the job requirement or face a time constraint. However, disabled people may be negatively impacted by this policy because it is difficult for them to demonstrate that they have a qualifying disabilities that precludes them from working and completing the SNAP work requirement.
Recently, Republicans stated that the new SNAP work requirements would not harm disabled people. However, this is not correct.
In actuality, disabled people risk losing benefits when lawmakers impose time limits and employment requirements, even when exemptions are in place. Many people with disabilities encounter challenges to obtaining or proving qualifying for these exemptions, making them vulnerable to benefit loss.
Past data has shown that work requirements are ineffective in addressing hunger or improving economic outcomes. According to research published in the American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, imposing work requirements in Virginia resulted in over half of the impacted persons losing their SNAP benefits, with no substantial improvement in employment or income identified 18 months later.
SNAP plays a vital role in reducing food insecurity. Millions of people rely on the program including the disabled. Lawmakers should not make it more difficult to access the SNAP program.
Sources:
Burnside, Ashley. “Proposed Reconciliation Changes to Snap Would Reduce Access for Disabled People.” CLASP, CLASP, 27 May 2025, http://www.clasp.org/blog/proposed-reconciliation-changes-to-snap-would-reduce-access-for-disabled-people/.
Gonzalez, Dulce, et al. “Households Faced Persistent Challenges Affording Food in 2024.” The Urban Institute , The Urban Institute , 6 Mar. 2025, http://www.urban.org/research/publication/households-faced-persistent-challenges-affording-food-2024.
Gilkesson, Parker, and Teon Hayes. “Work Requirements Won’t Lead to Better Employment or Economic Outcomes.” CLASP, CLASP, 19 Apr. 2023, http://www.clasp.org/blog/work-requirements-wont-lead-to-better-employment-or-economic-outcomes/.
Gray, Colin, et al. ‘Employed in a SNAP? The Impact of Work Requirements on Program Participation and Labor Supply’. American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, vol. 15, no. 1, 2023, pp. 306–341, https://doi.org/10.1257/pol.20200561.