Utah SNAP recipients to receive full November benefits after federal shutdown ends
Nov 13, 2025, 12:27 PM | Updated: 3:58 pm
A person shops for produce, which is covered by the USDA Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), at a grocery store in Baltimore, Monday, Nov. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)
(AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)
SALT LAKE CITY — Thousands of Utah families who rely on food assistance will begin seeing their full November SNAP benefits as early as Friday, following the reopening of the federal government.
The Utah Department of Workforce Services said it began processing benefits as soon as Congress passed and the president signed the bill to end the shutdown late Wednesday. The update allows payments to be released within 24 hours.
“We expect customers to start seeing benefits at their accounts tomorrow,” said Becky Wickstrom, a public information officer for DWS. “And then by the 15th if that’s their normal deposit time. We’re just really glad that we can once again get this critical food benefit out to people that really need it.”
About 86,000 Utah households use the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also called SNAP, to help cover the rising cost of food. During the shutdown, many were unsure when November benefits would arrive, and state officials said they were preparing behind the scenes for either outcome.
Wickstrom said the “hustle and bustle never really stopped” for staff during the impasse, as they monitored federal guidance and updated systems to be ready once funding resumed.
Pr0tecting SNAP EBT cards from theft
In addition to announcing the restored benefits, the state is urging SNAP customers to protect their Electronic Benefit Transfer cards from theft. Officials say scammers have become increasingly skilled at skimming or cloning card information, draining accounts before families even know something is wrong.
“The best thing people can do is download the Connect EBT app,” Wickstrom said. “Lock your card when you’re not making a purchase, and only unlock it when you need to buy something.”
Customers can also use the app to check recent transactions and verify their balance. Account information is available through the MyCase portal at jobs.utah.gov/mycase.
DWS says anyone who does not see their benefits by the 15th, or who suspects their card information has been compromised, should contact the agency immediately.
