Key Takeaways
- Washington's gross income limit is 200% of poverty: $5,500 a month for four people.
- Basic Food loads on a fixed day between the 1st and 20th, set at approval.
- Refugees and asylees cut from federal SNAP moved to state food benefits in May 2026.
- Washington's 6.98% error rate means a 5% benefit cost share, over $90 million a year.
Washington (WA) lets households earn up to 200% of the poverty line and still get Basic Food, the state’s name for SNAP. That’s $5,500 a month for a family of four, compared with $3,575 in states that stick to the federal 130% floor.
The other Washington story this year is who’s leaving federal SNAP. Refugees, asylees and some other lawful immigrants were moved to a state-funded food program in May 2026, and the new work rules could cost about 137,000 residents their benefits.
Basic Food Amounts and the 200% Limit
These FY2027 numbers apply from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027. There’s no asset test for most households.
| People | Gross monthly income up to | Max Basic Food |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $2,660 | $306 |
| 2 | $3,607 | $562 |
| 3 | $4,554 | $808 |
| 4 | $5,500 | $1,023 |
| 5 | $6,447 | $1,217 |
| 6 | $7,394 | $1,463 |
Seven people can get up to $1,616 and eight up to $1,841. The gross limit is just the door. What you actually get depends on your income after deductions.
Marcus, 58, lives alone in Spokane and works about 25 hours a week for $1,900 a month. That’s over the federal 130% line for one person ($1,729), so he’d be out of luck in Idaho. In Washington he qualifies:
- 20% of his wages: −$380
- Standard deduction: −$217, leaving $1,303
- Rent and utilities of $1,100, minus half his remaining income: −$449
- Net income: $854
- Basic Food: $306 − $257 (30% of net) = $49 a month
It’s not a lot, but Marcus’s age matters more than the dollars here. Under the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBBA), the work rule now reaches adults up to 64, so his 25 hours a week are what keep him eligible. More on that below.
Families with school-age kids get one more thing. Washington runs Summer EBT (SUN Bucks), which adds $120 per child each summer, and most kids on Basic Food are enrolled automatically. My Summer EBT guide covers the dates.
How Washington Sets Your Load Day
Washington doesn’t publish a digit-by-digit calendar like most states. Under state rule, Basic Food is issued by the 20th of each month, and your exact day is assigned automatically when your case is approved.
That day is printed on your approval letter and shows in your Washington Connection account. Once assigned, it stays the same every month. If you’re not sure, call the DSHS Customer Service Contact Center at 877-501-2233 before assuming a payment is late.
Your first month is different. It’s prorated back to your application date and can arrive on a separate day from your regular schedule.
Get Washington Basic Food changes by email
I post when Washington’s rules move: the work-rule rollout, the state budget and next year’s amounts.
Free. You’ll get my new posts, including these updates. Unsubscribe anytime, and check your spam folder for the confirmation email.
Who Moved to State Food Benefits in 2026
The OBBBA narrowed which noncitizens can get federal SNAP. Citizens, green card holders, Cuban and Haitian entrants and Compact of Free Association migrants stay eligible. Refugees, asylees and people with other humanitarian status lost federal eligibility.
Washington caught most of them. In May 2026 DSHS moved those households to its state-funded Food Assistance Program automatically, with the same benefit amount and no new application. Lawmakers put $44 million in the 2026 supplemental budget to cover about 30,000 people.
Even so, noncitizen enrollment in Basic Food fell roughly 23%, from over 47,000 households to about 36,500. If you were told you’re no longer eligible because of your immigration status, ask DSHS specifically about the state program before you give up.
The Work Rule That Could Cut 137,000 People
Adults 18 to 64 without a child under 14 now have to work, train or volunteer 80 hours a month to keep Basic Food past three months in a three-year period. Before the OBBBA, the cutoff was 54, and parents of teens were exempt.
DSHS estimated about 137,000 Washingtonians could lose benefits under the stricter rule. If you’re between jobs, Washington unemployment benefits can cover part of the gap, and job search through WorkSource can help with your hours. My national SNAP guide lists who’s exempt.
A similar rule is coming to Apple Health. The Medicaid work requirements start January 1, 2027, and many people will have to report hours for both programs.
What 6.98% Costs Washington
Washington’s fiscal 2025 payment error rate was 6.98%, well under the 10.62% national rate but up from 6.06% the year before. Under the OBBBA, a state between 6% and 8% pays 5% of benefit costs starting October 1, 2027. DSHS puts that at more than $90 million a year.
There’s a lot riding on small moves. Above 8%, the bill nearly doubles to about $200 million. Below 6%, it’s zero.
Washington can use its lower 2025 or 2026 rate, and DSHS has said it’s working to get under 6%.
Washington also now pays 75% of SNAP administrative costs, up from 50%, and the budget added $45.7 million for it. None of this changes how your benefit is calculated.
What I’m Watching for Washington in 2027
- Work-rule terminations. The first three-month limits are hitting now, and DSHS caseloads will show how many people actually lost Basic Food.
- The 2026 error rate, due around June 2027. Under 6% would wipe out the cost share.
- The 2027 legislative session, which starts in January and decides whether the state food program for immigrants stays funded.
- Federal funding, which I follow in my SNAP funding risk tracker.
- FY2028 amounts, usually released by USDA in August.
I’ll update this page as each one lands.
If DSHS Denies or Cuts Your Basic Food
Read the letter first. Missing verification and a missed interview cause more closures than income does, and both can often be fixed by sending the document or calling to reschedule.
If you disagree with a denial or cut, you have 90 days from the notice to request a fair hearing, which is heard by the Office of Administrative Hearings. If you already get Basic Food and ask before the change takes effect, your benefits continue until the decision.
