SNAP · FY2027
Pennsylvania Food Stamp Calculator (PA SNAP)
Pennsylvania’s Department of Human Services runs SNAP through County Assistance Offices; you apply on COMPASS and benefits load on the Pennsylvania ACCESS card. From October 1, 2026 a household of three can earn up to $4,554 gross — DHS’s published 200% figure — with no asset test, and receive up to $808.
Your estimate
Pennsylvania · 1 person.
- Likely eligible
- Figures verified October 5, 2026
Proof of rent and utilities since February 9, 2026
PA DHS now requires proof of shelter costs and utility responsibility at application and renewal — a lease, rent receipt, mortgage or tax statement, or a utility bill. If you don’t provide it, your case isn’t closed for that alone, but benefits are figured without those costs, which usually lowers them. Getting the paperwork in is worth real money in Pennsylvania because the allowances are large.
Four Pennsylvania allowances (Handbook 560, Appendix A)
From October 1, 2026: heating $887, non-heating $505 for two or more other utilities, limited $132 for a single non-heating utility, and telephone $111. A Philadelphia parent of two earning $2,100 with $950 rent plus a heating bill comes out to about $599. PA DHS said the average household would see an $18 increase with the October 2026 adjustment.
Payment days vary by county
Pennsylvania pays over the first ten business days, but each county uses one, two or ten payment cycles by the last digit of the case record number — Adams County pays everyone on the fifth business day, while Allegheny spreads payments across all ten. Work rules for adults 18–64 without a child under 14 have applied in Pennsylvania since November 1, 2025, and the state offers on-demand interviews, telephone signatures and a standard combined application for SSI recipients. Its FY2025 payment error rate was 9.21%.
By household size
| People | Max | Gross limit | Senior† |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $306 | $2,660 | $281 |
| 2 | $562 | $3,608 | $323 |
| 3 | $808 | $4,554 | $357 |
| 4 | $1,023 | $5,500 | $364 |
| 5 | $1,217 | $6,448 | $362 |
| 6 | $1,463 | $7,394 | $446 |
| Pay‡ | $1,000 | $1,500 | $2,000 | $2,500 | $3,000 | $3,500 | $4,000 | $4,500 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PA | $808 | $743 | $623 | $503 | $361 | $181 | $1 | $0 |
† 60+ or disabled, income at the poverty line, $700 rent. ‡ Family of 3, $900 rent. How these are worked out.
Utility allowances
| Type | Oct 2026 |
|---|---|
| Heating SUA (HSUA) | $887 |
| Non-heating SUA (NHSUA) | $505 |
| Limited SUA (LSUA) | $132 |
| Telephone allowance | $111 |
Where to apply
| Apply | compass.dhs.pa.gov |
|---|---|
| Program | Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) |
| Card | Pennsylvania Access Card |
| Phone | 800-692-7462 · 800-451-5886 (TDD) |
| Offices | dhs.pa.gov |
| Deposits | first 10 business days, by the last digit of the case record number |
Next door
| State | Gross, 3 | Assets | Heat |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | $4,554 | none | $887 |
| Delaware | $4,554 | none | $543* |
| Maryland | $4,554 | none | $572 |
| New Jersey | $4,212 | none | — |
| New York | $2,960–$4,554 | varies | $1,062* |
| Ohio | $2,960 | none | $766* |
| West Virginia | $4,554 | none | $518* |
Sources
FY2027 COLA memo · BBCE chart · PA DHS SNAP Handbook Chapter 560 Appendix A (Effective October 1, 2026) · PA DHS SNAP Handbook Chapter 560 Appendix A (Effective October 1, 2026) · PA DHS release · issuance schedule · State Options Report · FY2025 error rates · USDA directory · all sources
* not yet verified for Oct 2026.