Illinois SNAP Errors Could Result in Substantial Penalties
Illinois is at risk of incurring significant penalties, potentially up to $700 million, due to errors in determining eligibility for food assistance under a new federal law.
To safeguard taxpayers and support struggling families, the state must enhance its administrative accuracy. The error rate for Illinois' Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), as reported by the Department of Agriculture, was 11.56% in 2024, exceeding the national average and ranking worse than 38 other states.
- The 12% error rate could result in annual costs of $705 million for the state.
- SNAP underpayments were rare, occurring at a rate of less than 1%.
- Overpayments accounted for 10.6% of Illinois' SNAP errors in 2024.
Illinois’ comeback story starts here.
Following the example of other states may provide a viable path forward for Illinois to address its SNAP errors and mitigate potential penalties.
Author's summary: Illinois faces penalties due to SNAP errors.