CalFresh benefits affected after ACP internet subsidy ended? Need urgent help!

the ACP ending is hitting so many of us!!! i dont think it SHOULD affect ur calfresh negatively when ur costs go UP but the county always finds ways to screw us. when i reported my rent increase last year they somehow LOWERED my benefits!!! make sure u bring proof of ALL ur bills to recert!!

Internet expenses actually aren't counted as utility deductions for CalFresh in California. The only utility expenses that affect your benefit calculation are heating/cooling, electricity, water, sewage, garbage, and phone service. The Standard Utility Allowance (SUA) for 2025 is $493, which you get if you pay heating/cooling. If you only pay for other utilities but not heating/cooling, you get a Limited Utility Allowance (LUA) of $158. So your internet bill increasing shouldn't directly impact your CalFresh calculation.

I work with benefit applications, and I can confirm that internet bills are not considered utility deductions for CalFresh. However, if the higher internet cost means you have less money for other expenses like rent or childcare, those ARE deductible expenses that could potentially increase your benefits. Make sure when you do your recertification in June that you report ALL qualifying expenses: - Rent/mortgage - Property taxes (if not included in mortgage) - Heating/cooling and other utilities - Child support payments - Child or dependent care costs - Medical expenses over $35/month (if you have elderly or disabled household members) Also, the income limits increased in 2025. For a family of 4, the gross monthly income limit is now $3,685 and the net income limit is $2,835.

When ACP ended I was SO ANGRY!!! Its like they dont want poor people to have internet?? How are we supposed to apply for jobs or help kids with homework?? I think its a DISGRACE and we should all be calling our representatives about this!!

I would definitely call your caseworker now to clarify rather than waiting until June. When I had a similar issue last year trying to reach my CalFresh worker, I spent hours on hold and kept getting disconnected. Then I tried using Claimyr.com - it holds your place in line and calls you back when a worker is available. Saved me hours of frustration! They have a video showing how it works here: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8 Definitely get this sorted out now because if there was a misunderstanding, you don't want to wait until your recertification to fix it. Your childcare costs of $1,100/month should be giving you a significant deduction!

my sisters caseworker told her that they count ALL expenses for calfresh including internet and even her car payment lol so maybe different counties do it different ways???? the system makes no sense sometimes

UPDATE: I finally spoke with my caseworker! There was a misunderstanding. She wasn't saying my benefits would go down because of the internet bill change. She was saying I needed to report ALL my utility expenses again because the Standard Utility Allowance increased in 2025. So actually my benefits might go UP a little bit! She's recalculating everything now. Such a relief!!!

That's great news! Just a heads-up for everyone reading this thread - if you're struggling with internet costs after ACP ended, many providers have their own low-income internet programs. Comcast has Internet Essentials ($9.95/month), AT&T has Access ($10/month), and Spectrum has Internet Assist ($17.99/month). The speeds aren't amazing but they're better than nothing. You typically need to be on CalFresh, Medi-Cal, or SSI to qualify.

I'm so glad you got that sorted out with your caseworker! The miscommunication around utility allowances happens way too often. For anyone else dealing with similar confusion - it's always worth asking your caseworker to explain exactly HOW they're calculating your benefits. They should be able to walk you through which deductions you're getting and why. Also, if you're having trouble reaching your caseworker by phone, you can also try going to your local office in person early in the morning - sometimes that's faster than sitting on hold for hours!