SNAP payments to increase on Oct. 1: What are the new amounts?

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP benefits, formerly known as food stamps, will go up beginning Tuesday, Oct. 1.

Maximum benefits will go up thanks to the Cost-of-Living Adjustment, an annual increase that aims to counter the effects of inflation on purchasing power. The new amounts will be in effect until Sept. 30, 2025.

SNAP provides financial assistance to low-income families to purchase certain foods every month through an electronic benefits transfer card, which works like a debit card to buy groceries at certain approved establishments.

The amount sent each month depends on the size of the household, as well as its gross and net income and other requirements.

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How much SNAP benefits will increase in October

Maximum allocations will increase for the 48 contiguous states and the District of Columbia, as well as Alaska, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, according to the USDA Food and Nutrition Service.

The maximum allotment for a family of four in the 48 states and the District of Columbia will be $975. Maximum assistance for a family of four will range from $1,258 to $1,953 in Alaska.

Hawaii is the only state which will see a decrease in the maximum amount for a family of four, which slides to $1,723. In Guam it will be $1,437 and in the Virgin Islands it will be $1,254.

Meanwhile, the minimum benefit for the 48 states and the District of Columbia will remain at $23. The minimum monthly payment in Alaska will range from $30 to $47, while in Hawaii it will be $41.

These are the maximum amounts that will be granted in the 48 states, including the District of Columbia effective Oct. 1, depending on the number of members in the household:

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SNAP: What can you buy with your EBT card and where?

According to the Food and Nutrition Service, the EBT card can be used anywhere that accepts SNAP. You can buy food items for your household, including the following:

Recipients cannot use the EBT card to purchase beer, wine, liquor, cigarettes or tobacco, vitamins, medications and supplements, live animals, foods that are hot at the point of sale, and any non-food items.

Among the popular grocery stores that accept SNAP benefits to shop for food are the following:

You can find all SNAP-affiliated establishments that accept EBT cards in your state on the USDA Food and Nutrition Service website.