SNAP ENCOURAGES WORK

SNAP plays an important role in encouraging and supporting work a new report says. Most SNAP participants who can work, do work. The program’s benefit structure is designed to reward earnings over unearned income, giving participants an incentive to work.  Among SNAP households with at least one working-age, non-disabled adult, more than half work while receiving SNAP — and more than 80% work in the year before or after receiving SNAP. SNAP’s benefit design has four key features that support work:

• An entitlement structure that guarantees food assistance will be available to any eligible applicant when they need it;
• A benefit formula that favors earned income over other income through an earned income deduction;
• A benefit phase out structure that decreases benefits gradually as income rises; and
• A state option to ease the modest benefit cliff.

Source: Center for Budget & Policy Priorities, 7/25/17, SNAP Work Incentives