CalWORKs payment increase in 2025 - how much extra will we get for the COLA adjustment?

I asked my eligibility worker last week and she said the COLA (cost of living adjustment) for 2025 is supposed to be around 3.1% starting in October. For a family of 3 like yours that would be roughly $29-30 more per month. Not life-changing but it helps with a couple days of groceries at least!

I DONT THINK THATS RIGHT!! My sister got a letter saying it would be 2.7% not 3.1% and they're always finding ways to give us less than they promise!! Plus they take FOREVER to actually add it to your benefits. Last increase took 3 months to show up on my EBT and they never gave me back pay!

Something important to consider - since you only have 2 months left on your time limit, you might want to apply for a time limit exemption if you qualify for one. Things like caring for a young child under 2, disability, domestic violence, or being employed at least 20 hours a week can exempt those months from counting. Worth looking into so you can keep your benefits longer while the increase takes effect. The COLA is typically applied in October but sometimes takes until November to show in your account.

Yes! If you work at least 20 hours per week at paid employment, those months can be exempt from your 48-month time clock. You need to report this to your worker and request the exemption specifically - they don't always volunteer this information. Get it in writing too - ask for the WTW time limit exemption request form. Also, have you applied for the CalWORKs HSP (Housing Support Program)? Since you mentioned concerns about rent, you might qualify for additional housing assistance even as your regular benefits are timing out.

When I needed to reach my CalWORKs worker about my time limit recalculation, I kept getting voicemail for days. Finally tried using Claimyr (claimyr.com) and they got me through to a live person in about 10 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE Worth it to get your time limit sorted out, especially if you might qualify for exemptions. They helped me get 8 months back on my clock that were incorrectly counted!

There's another important detail - if you're getting CalWORKs for your kids only (child-only case) after your 48 months, your children can still receive their portion of the grant. The COLA increase will apply to their portion too. Make sure you don't just stop submitting your SAR7 when your time limit hits - keep the kid's benefits going!

my sister work at the county office and she say the increase is different depending what county ur in. some counties get more than others. but ya its coming in october for sure. also they said something bout a one-time adjustment for inflation too but idk when thats happening

the cola is always the same percentage for all counties but the actual $ amount is different bc base grants are different by county. and there's no one-time adjustment coming that i know of, that person is probably thinking of the diaper stipend for kids under 3

did anyone else notice that the last increase was supposed to be 3% but when i did the math it was actually 2.83%?? not complaining about free money but just saying they always round down somehow and its a little sus

Just wanted to add that if you're concerned about the timing of the COLA increase, you can also look into emergency assistance programs while you wait. Many counties have one-time rental assistance or utility help available even if you're already on CalWORKs. Also, since you mentioned you're working 15 hours, increasing to 20+ hours not only helps with the time limit exemption but you might qualify for additional work incentive deductions that could actually increase your monthly grant amount. Worth asking your worker about the $90 work expense deduction and childcare assistance too!

Just want to echo what others have said about the work exemption - it's SO important to get those 20+ hours documented properly! I was in a similar situation last year and my worker actually helped me find a part-time position through the CalWORKs WTW program that got me to exactly 20 hours. The program also paid for my work clothes and bus pass which was a huge help. And yes, the COLA should be around 3% this year based on what I heard at my last appointment. For your family size that's probably $28-30 more per month starting in October. Not huge but combined with getting your time clock exemption sorted out, you'll have more stability to plan ahead. Definitely push for that exemption paperwork ASAP!