The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in the state of Illinois approved a recent increase in benefits for the month of May, this measure will generate SNAP beneficiaries an additional increase in their monthly allocations to help cover food costs and ensure food security for families throughout the state.
The following rules show the amount of the highest gross income that a household can receive in a month and still receive as a beneficiary of the SNAP benefits (formerly known as food stamps), the gross income is your total monthly income from all sources of income that you have, before any deduction, these amounts are indicative only and do not apply to all households.
| How Many People in the Household? |
Maximum Gross Income |
Maximum Gross Monthly Income (60 Years or Older or a Person With a Disability) |
| 1 | $2.005 | $2,430 |
| 2 | $2,712 | $3,286 |
| 3 | $3,419 | $4,142 |
| 4 | $4,125 | $4,998 |
| 5 | $ 4.832 | $5,854 |
| 6 | $5,539 | $6,710 |
| 7 | $6,246 | $7,566 |
| 8 | $ 6.952 | $8,422 |
| 9 | $7,659 | $9,278 |
| 10 | $8,366 | $10,134 |
| Every additional person | $707 | $856 |
In the state of Illinois, the distribution of food stamps follows an organized system that is based on the last digit of the HEI number of each citizen with the benefit.
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The “IES” refers to the “integrated eligibility system”, it is a number assigned by the Illinois Department of Health Care and Family Services, this number is responsible for setting the day on which food stamps are issued each month, making the distribution process easier and ensuring quality management of resources.
For example, those people whose IES number ends in 1 will receive their coupons on the first day of May, while those with an IES number ending in 2 will receive their coupons on the second day of the month, and so on until reaching the 10th of the month for those citizens whose IES number ends in 0.
This system makes it easier for beneficiary citizens to plan their purchases and helps to guarantee an equal distribution and with a greater order of resources, by making a schedule with specific days to make the distribution of food stamps according to the HEI number, congestion is reduced and thus possible delays or errors in the process are avoided.
The following chart shows you the maximum amount of SNAP benefits that your household can receive month by month, this dollar amount was based on the number of people living in your household, your income and expenses, You could receive any amount up to or including these amounts.
Supplemental nutrition assistance program, until September 2024, monthly maximum amounts of SNAP
| How Many People in the Household? |
Maximum Gross Monthly Benefits |
| 1 | $ 291 |
| 2 | $ 535 |
| 3 | $ 766 |
| 4 | $ 973 |
| 5 | $ 1,155 |
| 6 | $ 1,386 |
| 7 | $ 1,532 |
| 8 | $ 1,751 |
| 9 | $ 1,970 |
| 10 | $ 2,189 |
SNAP benefits are specifically designed to help low-income individuals and families afford nutritious food and groceries, ensuring they have access to essential sustenance while promoting healthier eating habits.
And don’t forget that the SNAP benefits can be used to purchase a variety of food items for household consumption, always aiming to tackle the food insecurity, as the spirit of the program stipulates.
However, they cannot be used to buy non-food items such as pet food, alcohol, tobacco, vitamins or supplements, hot foods, or items for personal hygiene.
The May 2024 EBT Deposit Dates:
- Number ending in “1”: Benefit available starting on May 1st.
- Number ending in “2”: Benefit available starting on May 2nd.
- Number ending in “3”: Benefit available starting on May 3rd.
- Number ending in “4”: Benefit available starting on May 4th.
- Number ending in “5”: Benefit available starting on May 5th.
- Number ending in “6”: Benefit available starting on May 6th.
- Number ending in “7”: Benefit available starting on May 7th.
- Number ending in “8”: Benefit available starting on May 8th.
- Number ending in “9”: Benefit available starting on May 9th.
- Number ending in “0”: Benefit available starting on May 10th.