Annual CalFresh COLA increase for October 2025? Single-person household waiting for notice

Yes, there is definitely a COLA increase for CalFresh coming in October 2025! The federal government adjusts SNAP benefits (what CalFresh is called nationally) every October 1st based on inflation and the Thrifty Food Plan calculations. The notices usually come out mid-September, so you should be getting yours within the next week or so. For single-person households, I've heard this year's increase will be around $23-25 monthly because of the higher inflation we've had. You can also check your BenefitsCal account around the 25th of this month - sometimes the new amount shows up there before the official notice arrives.

i got my notice yesterday said $22 more starting oct 1st. im single too but i also get the minimum utility allowance so maybe yours will be different? check ur mail cuz they sending them out now

Ugh they NEVER send me notices about ANYTHING!! I swear the county office has me blacklisted or something. Last year I didn't get ANY notice about the increase and found out when I checked my balance, and the year before that they sent it to my old address even though I updated my info like 5 times!!! Has anyone else had problems with getting their notices???? And does anyone know if there's a way to MAKE SURE they update your address in all their stupid systems?

i think its different for everyone cuz my neighbor got more than me last year even tho we both single households? something about your income and expenses changing how much u get idk the math is confusing

Just want to mention that when you get the notice, double check that they're still using your correct income and deduction information. Last year my COLA increase was less than it should have been because they had outdated utility expenses in my file. I had to submit verification of my higher PG&E bills to get the correct Standard Utility Allowance (SUA) and that increased my monthly benefits by about $30 on top of the COLA. Worth checking if you haven't updated your utilities lately!

My caseworker told me the COLA is less this year than it has been the last few years. Something about how they calculate inflation changed. Don't expect a huge increase is what she said. But at least it's something!

To clarify some of the information being shared: The 2025 fiscal year COLA for SNAP/CalFresh has been announced at approximately 3.6% which is indeed lower than last year's adjustment. For a one-person household, the maximum monthly allotment will increase from $292 to $303 starting October 1st. However, your actual increase will depend on your specific benefit calculation, which factors in your income and deductions. The notices are being mailed in batches throughout September, so not everyone receives them at the same time. If you haven't received yours by September 25th, I would recommend contacting your county office.

Just wanted to add that if you're not getting your notices reliably, you can also call the CalFresh customer service line at 1-877-847-3663 to get your current benefit amount and ask about any upcoming changes. They can tell you over the phone what your new amount will be starting October 1st. I've had to do this before when my mail was delayed and it saved me from worrying about my budget. Also, the increase should show up on your EBT card automatically on October 1st even if you don't get the paper notice, so you can always check your balance that day to see the new amount.

I'm in the same boat as you! Single household here and still waiting for my notice too. I've been checking my BenefitsCal account daily but nothing yet. From what I'm seeing in these comments, it looks like we should expect around $22-25 increase which would be really helpful. I'm going to try calling that customer service number someone mentioned (1-877-847-3663) tomorrow if I still don't see anything. It's frustrating not knowing for sure when you're trying to plan your grocery budget for next month! Hopefully we both get our notices soon.

I just wanted to share that I finally got my COLA notice in the mail yesterday! I'm a single household too and my increase is $23/month starting October 1st, going from $201 to $224. It took me checking my mailbox twice a day for the past week but it finally came! For anyone still waiting, don't panic - they really are sending them out in batches like others mentioned. The notice also had a reminder that if you have any changes in income, rent, or utilities to report them because it could affect your benefit amount beyond just the COLA increase. Hope this helps ease some worry for others who are still waiting like I was!

I'm also a single household still waiting for my COLA notice! This thread has been so helpful - I was getting worried that something was wrong with my case. Based on everyone's experiences, it sounds like I should expect around $22-25 increase which would be amazing. My current benefit is $216 so getting close to $240 would really help with these crazy grocery prices. I'm going to try calling that customer service number (1-877-847-3663) if I don't get my notice by Friday. It's reassuring to know they're sending them out in batches and that the increase will load automatically on October 1st even if the notice gets delayed. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and advice!

Hey everyone! I'm a single-person household too and just wanted to say this thread has been incredibly helpful while I wait for my notice. I've been checking my BenefitsCal account and mailbox daily with no luck yet, but reading about everyone's experiences has put my mind at ease. Currently getting $185/month, so if the increase is around $22-25 like others have reported, that would bring me to around $207-210 which would be such a relief with food costs being what they are. I'm definitely going to call that customer service number (1-877-847-3663) if I don't hear anything by this weekend. Also planning to look into updating my utility costs since I moved earlier this year and my bills have definitely gone up. Thanks to everyone for sharing their amounts and experiences - it's so helpful to know we're all in the same boat waiting for these notices!