OLGT 2022-75: SNAP: Annual Cost-of-Living Adjustments (COLA) and Standard Utility Allowances Change

At the beginning of each Federal fiscal year, the USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) adjusts SNAP income standards, deduction amounts, and maximum benefit levels to reflect changes in the cost of living. This is known as the “SNAP COLA.”

The Department also recalculates the Standard Utility Allowances (SUAs) every year, per federal rules, and includes the recalculated SUAs in the SNAP COLA. This combined calculation minimizes the frequency of benefit changes communicated to the client and the number of associated notices that a separate recalculation would generate.

The SNAP COLA will be processed over the weekend of September 17, 2022. These adjustments will impact October SNAP benefits.

Additionally, minor adjustments were made to corresponding OLG pages to reflect these new amounts.