Food Stamp Special Rules for the Elderly or Disabled

US Dept of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service


Who is Elderly?


Who is Disabled?

Generally, a person is considered to be disabled for food stamp purposes if he or she:


How do I Get Food Stamps?

A member of your household has to apply at the local food stamp office. It should be listed in the government section of the local telephone book. This is generally the quickest way to find the local food stamp office. If that doesn't work, try calling the Food Stamp Hotline for your State. Most of them are toll free numbers.

If you are unable to go to the food stamp office, you may have another person, called an authorized representative, apply and be interviewed on your behalf. You must designate the authorized representative in writing.

Normally a household must file an application form, have a face-to-face interview, and provide proof (verification) of certain information, such as income and expenses. The office interview may be waived if the household is unable to appoint an authorized representative and no household member is able to go to the food stamp office because of age or disability. If the office interview is waived, the food stamp office will interview you by telephone or do a home visit. A home visit must be scheduled beforehand with the household.

What is a Household?



Normally people are not eligible for food stamps if an institution gives them their meals. However, there is one exception for elderly persons and one for disabled persons:

  • Residents of federally subsidized housing for the elderly may be eligible for food stamps, even though they receive their meals at the facility.
  • Disabled persons who live in certain nonprofit group living arrangements (small group homes with no more than 16 residents) may be eligible for food stamps, even though the group home prepares their meals for them.

What Resources Can I Have (and Still Get Food Stamps)?

A household with an elderly or disabled member may have up to $3,000 in resources. A household without an elderly or disabled person may have up to $2000 in resources. Some resources are not counted, such as your home and lot and up to $4,650 of the fair market value of one car per adult household member (and one car per teen-aged household member if the teenager is using it to go to work, look for work, or prepare for work). If a vehicle is needed to transport a physically disabled household member, its value is not counted. The resources of people who get SSI and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) are not counted at all. An important exception to this is that in the State of California SSI recipients are not eligible for food stamps, because they receive a State supplement to their SSI benefits in lieu of food stamps.

What Are the Income Limits?

Most households have to meet both a monthly gross income test and a monthly net income test to be eligible for food stamps. However, households in which all members are receiving SSI or TANF are considered to be eligible based on income. Other households with one or more elderly members only have to meet the net income test. Net income is gross income minus certain deductions.

What Deductions Are Allowed?




Receiving Food Stamps:

States issue food stamps through local State or county offices to households that are eligible to receive them. Traditionally, they issued paper food stamps, but increasingly, States issue food stamps through Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT). All States will be using EBT for food stamp issuance by 2002. The food stamp office gives the household a plastic electronic card. The household pays for its groceries at authorized food stores (almost all food stores are authorized) by using the card at the checkout counter. It works like the bank debit card that other people use to pay for their groceries in increasing numbers of stores. The cost of the groceries bought is deducted from the household's account automatically. A major advantage of this method is that the use of food coupons is not conspicuous. Most other people in line will not notice that the person checking out is paying with food coupons. We have found that food stamp households like this feature, because it reduces the stigma many people feel in using food stamps.





Further Information:

Contact your local food stamp office for further information or to file an application for food stamps.

©2007 US Dept of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service


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