State SNAP Policies Unlikely to Close Participation Gap Between Seniors and Non-Seniors, Study Shows

USDA’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) provides benefits for low-income households to buy groceries. Participation among eligible seniors (age 60 and above) historically has been much lower than participation among other groups. In fiscal year 2019, 48 percent of eligible seniors participated in SNAP, compared with 82 percent of eligible individuals of all ages, according to a recent report by USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service. To better understand the disparity in SNAP participation, researchers at USDA, Economic Research Service (ERS) and several academic institutions examined how differences in State administration of SNAP affect senior participation as compared to non-senior participation.