Supplemental SNAP Funds to be Issued February 9 with 15% Increase to the Minimum and Maximum Allotments

​​Contact
Garret Swanson, Office of Communications, (402) 480-0883;
garret.swanson@nebraska.gov

Non-members of the media with questions about SNAP should contact 1-800-383-4278

Lincoln – The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) will be issuing emergency supplemental allotments to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients who receive benefits for the month of January on February 9. On December 27, 2020, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, went into effect which increases SNAP maximum and minimum allotments from January 1, 2021 through June 30, 2021 to 115% of their original levels for the fiscal year. On November 5, Governor Pete Ricketts announced that in response to the growing number of COVID-19 cases in the state, DHHS would file a request with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutritional Service (FNS) to provide emergency allotment funds for Nebraska households that are receiving SNAP benefits.

SNAP recipients will not have to take any action to receive supplemental support as recipients will be issued increased benefits directly on their EBT cards. Households receiving SNAP benefits will see supplements to their benefits based on a maximum allotment scale. Starting with January emergency supplements, if there are four individuals in a household and that household is currently receiving $500 in benefits, the supplement will raise their benefits to the maximum allowed for households of four, which is $782 per month – or an increase of $282. Total benefits will be different based on each household's regular monthly allotment for the month of January.

The 15% increase for January benefits will be issued with the January emergency supplemental allotments to be issued on February 9. The 15% increase will be included with regular SNAP issuances starting February 1, 2021. Additional emergency supplemental allotments will continue to be issued separately from regular SNAP issuances. ​