New work requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program go into effect Feb. 1, threatening benefits for hundreds of thousands of Illinoisians.
Adults aged 18 to 64 without dependents under age 14 will be required to work, participate in SNAP Employment and Training programs or volunteer for at least 80 hours per month to receive benefits. Previously, only adults aged 18 to 54 without dependents under age 18 had to meet those requirements.
H.R. 1, known as the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” set these new SNAP requirements and made changes to many other federal programs when it was signed into law in July 2025.
Up to 340,000 Illinoisians are at risk of losing their benefits with the new requirements, according to the Illinois Department of Human Services. Adults who do not meet the requirements can only receive SNAP benefits for up to three months in a three-year period.
As of September 2025, nearly two million Illinois residents were using SNAP benefits, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Two major changes to SNAP
Most SNAP recipients must meet general work requirements by applying for and accepting available work, participating in SNAP Employment and Training and not voluntarily quitting or reducing work hours below 30 a week without good reason.
Some recipients are automatically exempt from this requirement based on factors like age, while others must submit exemption forms if they meet other criteria like homelessness or certain health conditions.
A smaller group of SNAP recipients known as ABAWDs, or able-bodied adults without dependents, must meet further requirements if they are not exempt.
H.R. 1 made two major changes by modifying the definition of ABAWDS and implementing more work requirements for the newly defined population, ending Illinois’ long-term work requirement waiver for existing ABAWDs, according to IDHS.
“Trump’s budget bill is designed to deliberately prevent Americans and Illinoisans from receiving assistance through the SNAP program by implementing new requirements that burden states and individuals who rely on this 100 percent federally funded benefits resource,” Summer Griffith, a spokesperson for IDHS said in a statement.
SNAP recipients must also continue to update their income and household information to ensure they are receiving the correct benefits and meeting the applicable requirements.
“The Illinois Department of Human Services is communicating with SNAP participants regarding upcoming changes to SNAP and continues to provide support as people navigate new processes and changes imposed by the Trump Administration,” Griffiths said.
Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service that distributes state government coverage to hundreds of news outlets statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation.
It’s concerning to see the age range for mandatory work requirements expand from 54 up to 64. That extra decade of eligibility could really impact older adults who might face greater barriers to finding or maintaining 80 hours of work monthly. How is the state planning to support those nearing retirement age under these new rules?