CalFresh emergency allotment vs. maximum benefit amount - what's the difference after cuts?

The emergency allotments were special extra payments that were being given to ALL CalFresh households during the public health emergency. They automatically bumped everyone up to the maximum benefit amount for their household size regardless of income. Those ended permanently in February 2025 when the PHE declaration expired. The $95 you got in March was a one-time transitional payment to help households adjust to the change. It's not continuing. The maximum benefit amount still exists - it's just that now you only get it if your income calculation qualifies you for it. For a household of 3, the max benefit in 2025 is around $740. Since your income is $1,750/month, after deductions, you're getting the correct reduced amount of $289. Your benefits weren't "cut" - they were temporarily increased during the emergency period and have now returned to normal calculation rules based on your income.

i had the same thing happen!!! my benefits went from $740 to $212 overnight with no warning!!! i have 2 kids too and dont understand how they expect us to feed them on this little. its criminal what theyre doing to families right now with food prices thru the roof

Let me clarify a few things about CalFresh benefit calculations that might help everyone understand what happened: 1. During the public health emergency, ALL households received the maximum benefit amount for their household size through something called "emergency allotments" 2. The regular way CalFresh calculates benefits is: Maximum allotment for household size MINUS 30% of your net income after deductions 3. The $95 payment in March was a one-time transition payment 4. Your current benefit amount of $289 is probably correct based on your income and household size If you think your benefit amount is wrong, you can request a benefit calculation breakdown from your county worker. Make sure they're applying all your deductions correctly (dependent care costs, shelter costs over 50% of income, etc.) as these can significantly increase your benefit amount.

The max benefit and emergency allotment were basically the same thing during covid but now we're back to regular amounts based on income. its so confusing tho bc they never explain anything clearly! my worker literally never picks up the phone when i call with questions.

OMG THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS RIGGED!!!! They didn't even TELL people this was coming! One day ur getting enough to feed ur family, next day HALF GONE with some BS excuse about "emergency ending"??? Meanwhile groceries cost DOUBLE what they did 3 yrs ago!! The govt doesn't care if poor ppl can afford food or not.

I called my caseworker this morning and she walked me through my calculation. She had my rent amount wrong ($900 instead of $1,100) and didn't know about my childcare expenses at all! After correcting those, my benefit is going up to $389 next month. Still not as high as during the emergency period, but better than $289. Thanks everyone for explaining the difference between emergency allotments and maximum benefits - I get it now. For anyone else confused, make sure your worker has ALL your expense information correct!

did anyone get a letter saying exactly when the emergency benefits were ending? i swear i never got anything and then BOOM my march benefits were cut in half

wait so if u have a family of 3 the max benefit is like $740? but ur only getting $289? that seems like such a huge difference! i wonder if ur worker made more mistakes on ur calculation

As someone who just went through this same confusing situation, I want to share what I learned. The emergency allotments were basically a temporary "boost" that brought everyone up to the maximum benefit amount regardless of income - that's why so many of us saw our benefits cut in half when they ended in February 2025. The key thing is to make sure your caseworker has ALL your deductions correct. I was missing several deductions that cost me about $150/month in benefits! Don't just assume they have everything right - call and verify they're including your rent, utilities, childcare, medical expenses if you qualify, etc. Also, for anyone struggling to reach their caseworker, there are services that can help you get through faster. The phone system is terrible but there are ways around the endless hold times. It's worth the effort because even small corrections to your deductions can make a big difference in your monthly benefit amount.

I'm going through the exact same thing and this thread has been SO helpful! My benefits dropped from $740 to $268 for my family of 4, and I was completely panicking thinking something was wrong with my case. Now I understand it's because the emergency allotments ended and we're back to income-based calculations. Reading everyone's experiences, I'm realizing I probably need to check my deductions too. I pay $1,200 in rent and about $400 in childcare, plus I have high utility bills since we're in an older apartment with no insulation. My caseworker never asked about most of these expenses when I first applied last year. Has anyone had success getting their benefits recalculated after providing missing deduction information? I'm nervous about calling because every time I've tried to reach my worker it takes hours on hold, but it sounds like it could be worth hundreds of dollars per month if they're missing my expenses.