CalWORKs increased my benefit in approval letter but BenefitsCal still shows 'pending' - what's going on?

This happens all the time! The BenefitsCal system is always slower to update than when they send out those notices. The letter is the official approval, so your increase is definitely happening. The app will probably update a few days before your payment date. If it's still showing pending 2-3 days before your usual payment date, then I'd start trying to contact your worker.

Ugh thanks for telling me! I was panicking thinking maybe they approved it then changed their mind or something. My payments usually hit on the 1st so I'll give it until the 28th to update.

the same thing hapned to me!!! got a letter saying my cash went up 'cause of the cost of living increase but app showed same old amount for like 2 weeks. then suddenly updated right before payday. system is slow af

Wait is there a cost of living increase happening? I haven't gotten any letter about my benefits going up! Should I be expecting one???

Mine wasn't a cost of living thing - I added my youngest to my case after getting his birth certificate finally. But good to know the system is just slow, not broken.

The county computer systems and BenefitsCal rarely sync up properly. I've worked with these systems for years and I can tell you - the NOTICE is what matters legally, not what the app shows. They're required by law to send written notice of any changes to your benefits, but they're not required to keep the app updated in real-time.If you need to confirm the increase will be in effect, you'll need to reach your worker. But honestly, it's probably just the normal lag between their mainframe systems and the consumer-facing app.

Thank you for explaining! That makes sense but is so frustrating. I'm trying to budget for next month and wasn't sure if I could count on the higher amount.

I had this exact issue last year. Letter said one thing, BenefitsCal showed something else. I spent THREE DAYS trying to get through to my worker and kept getting disconnected. Finally tried using Claimyr.com to get through - they have this service where they wait on hold with the county office and call you when they get a real person. Saved me hours of frustration. They have a video that shows how it works: https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwEBut honestly, the letter is probably right and the system just hasn't updated yet. CalWORKs' computer systems are from like the stone age.

is that service free? seems to good to be true that someone would just wait on hold for you lol

Not free but worth every penny when you've been trying to reach someone for days. They connected me in about 45 minutes when I'd been trying for 3 days with no luck.

BenefitsCal is ALWAYS behind!!! Don't trust that stupid app! I literally got my payment increase deposited before the app ever updated last time. Their systems don't talk to each other properly. TRUST THE LETTER - that's the legal document they have to honor!!!

Thank you! This is so stressful because I need to figure out if I can buy school supplies next week or if I need to wait. Sounds like I should trust the letter and the money will be there!

Did your letter have a specific effective date? Sometimes they approve increases but they don't start until a certain date. Like my last increase was approved in April but didn't actually start until June. Check the fine print on your notice for the effective date.

The letter says effective July 1st 2025, which is next month. So I was expecting to see the new amount listed for July when I checked the app, but it just says

That's exactly when it should go into effect then - July 1st. The app will likely update a few days before that date. The pending status is normal when there's been a change to your case.

this happens to me every single time theres a change lol the system is trash. one time my WTW worker told me my cash aid was going up but the app never showed the increase. i freaked out and called like crazy but then the money just showed up on my ebt card on payday with the increase. the apps just for show i swear

That's so frustrating! You'd think they could make their own app work properly with their own systems 🙄

did u check ur SAR7 is due soon? sometimes they send approval letter but then need ur SAR7 and shows pending til they get it

Just checked and my SAR7 isn't due until September, so that shouldn't be the issue. Thanks for suggesting it though - I've definitely had payments held up before when I was late with paperwork!

Same thing happened to me about 3 months ago when I got approved for an increase after my annual review. The approval letter came first, then BenefitsCal showed "pending" for like 10 days, and I was so worried something went wrong. But sure enough, the higher amount hit my card exactly when the letter said it would. The systems really don't sync up well at all. Your letter is the official word - you can count on that increase being there July 1st!

This is so common it's not even funny! I've been on CalWORKs for 2 years now and literally EVERY time there's been any change to my case - increases, decreases, adding/removing household members - the BenefitsCal app shows "pending" for days or even weeks after I get the official letter. It's like they have two completely separate computer systems that hate talking to each other. Your approval letter is the legal document that matters, so if it says you're getting $845 starting July 1st, you're getting $845 starting July 1st. The app will eventually catch up, probably sometime in the next week or two. I've learned to just ignore what the app says and go by the paperwork they mail me!