Income and food insecurity among SNAP recipients: a consideration of the SNAP benefit formula

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) has substantially reduced food insecurity in the USA, but almost half of the participants remain food insecure. We use the 2018 Survey of Income and Program Participation to examine the relationship between food insecurity and two components of benefit determination-gross income and deductions. For all SNAP recipients, in most specifications, gross income is inversely related to food insecurity, and deductions are positively correlated with food insecurity. When examining policy-relevant sub-categories, households with a senior or someone with a disability have positive associations between food insecurity and deductions, suggesting possible changes in benefit construction.

Automated summary

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) has significantly reduced food insecurity in the USA, but many participants still face food insecurity. A study using the 2018 Survey of Income and Program Participation found that higher gross income is associated with lower food insecurity among SNAP recipients, while deductions are positively correlated with food insecurity. The findings suggest a need for possible changes in benefit determination, particularly for households with a senior or someone with a disability.