Am I Eligible for Food Stamps?

If you are unsure whether you qualify to receive food stamps, try the Department of Public Welfare's online screening questionnaire.  On that website you can select what benefits you are interested in receiving and receive a rough estimate of your eligibility.

If you'd like to learn more about food stamp eligibility, continue reading

DISCLAIMER:  The following information is not provided as legal advice and its provision is not intended to create any attorney-client relationship between the reader and the Guild Food Stamp Clinic.  It is meant only to give you a general idea of who may be eligible for food stamps.  If you would like to retain the services of the Guild Food Stamp Clinic, please call the number listed on our homepage or email stamps@philalegal.org to schedule an interview.

Unless you are in a household in which all members are receiving TANF, SSI,or other public assistance, OR at least one household member is elderly (over 60) or disabled, then your gross monthly income must be below the following levels in order to receive food stamp benefits.

If your gross monthly income is below these levels, see our food stamp calculation page to find out the amount of benefits you might be eligible for.  You can plug your info into our Excel Spreadsheet or you can figure it out manually with our Worksheet.  This is not a guarantee of your eligibility for benefits, but may be helpful in obtaining a general estimate.

The following categories of people are generally ineligible to receive food stamps:

• Students are ineligible when they are enrolled in school more than half time UNLESS they are also working 20 hours/wk, are on work-study, participating in an on-the-job training program; or are caring for a child under 12.
• Those in violation of parole or probation are ineligible to receive food stamps
• Legal Immigrants:  generally only qualify to receive food stamps after five years of residency.
  
  • Before they have reached eligibility, Legal Immigrants may apply for food stamp benefits for their minor children or disabled household members (receiving SSI, SSD, or Medicaid)
• Undocumented Immigrants are ineligible, however they may still apply for benefits for children under 18 in their households regardless of the child's immigration status.