SNAP enrollment drops 3.4 million after work requirements take effect

The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities publishes an analysis showing that 3.4 million Americans lost SNAP benefits in 2025 after the One Big Beautiful Bill Act work requirements took effect July 4, 2025. Nationwide, enrollment fell 8 percent from 42.8 million to 39.5 million despite no improvement in economic conditions. Arizona sees the largest state-level decline: 47 percent of participants — 424,000 people including 180,000 children — lose benefits. The OBBBA makes the most notable structural changes to SNAP since the 1996 welfare reform: expanding work requirements to age 65, eliminating exemptions for homeless individuals and former foster youth, and for the first time requiring states to share benefit costs. USDA touts the decline as success. Arizona faces federal penalties because its 8.8 percent error rate exceeds the 6 percent threshold, creating an incentive to cut rolls faster.