New Federal SNAP Law Could Slash Benefits for 7% of Boston-Area Recipients

BY SAM DRYSDALE

A new federal law could leave 7% of Boston-area SNAP recipients with reduced food assistance or new hurdles to qualify, according to a report released Tuesday.

The One Big Beautiful Bill signed by President Donald Trump in July overhauls the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program with stricter work rules, new immigrant eligibility limits and higher state cost-sharing requirements.

An analysis by Boston Indicators estimates about 40,000 adults in Greater Boston could face stricter work rules that now extend to age 65 and narrow exemptions for parents. As of July 2025, nearly 579,000 Greater Boston residents received SNAP, with the highest participation in cities such as Lawrence and Brockton. 

Previously, adults ages 18 to 55 without a disability or young children had to work or attend job training 20 hours a week to qualify. Now, parents of children under 14 are exempt, down from under 18, and exemptions for veterans and people experiencing homelessness have been eliminated.

The report said the changes will affect recipients who are “technically able-bodied but face barriers to stable employment, such as inconsistent work hours, caregiving obligations, or limited access to training programs.”

Of those facing new requirements, about 31,000 live in childless households and another 11,000 in families with teenagers.

The impact is expected to fall more heavily on white residents, who make up the largest share of older SNAP clients. Roughly 18,000 white adults could be affected by the new age rules. Latino households may also be disproportionately hit, with about 5,000 adults projected to lose eligibility under the narrowed parenting exemption.

The federal law also eliminates eligibility for about 9,600 legally present immigrants with humanitarian status in the Boston area, including refugees and trafficking victims, according to the report.

The changes at the federal level mean state lawmakers have to decide whether to come up with a new plan to help SNAP recipients or let them cope on their own with the new federal rules.