Can you get CalFresh while on Washington ESD unemployment benefits?

Yes, you can absolutely receive CalFresh while getting unemployment benefits! UI payments are counted as income when they determine your CalFresh amount, but they don't automatically disqualify you. The income limits for CalFresh are actually pretty reasonable - for a single person household it's around $2,265 gross monthly income in 2025.

I've been on both for 3 months now. They'll ask for your UI award letter and you'll need to report your weekly benefit amount. The CalFresh office understands that unemployment is temporary income, so they're pretty helpful about it.

I was struggling to get through to someone at DSHS to ask questions about my CalFresh application. The hold times were insane, just like trying to reach Washington ESD. Then I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helps you get through to government agencies. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Saved me hours of calling!

One thing to remember is that you'll need to report any changes in your UI benefits to the CalFresh office. If your unemployment gets extended or if you go back to work, you have to let them know within 10 days.

wait i thought you couldnt get food stamps if you have any income at all?? this is confusing

The system is set up so that people can use multiple programs when they need help. There's no rule preventing you from getting CalFresh and unemployment at the same time - they serve different purposes.

I got my CalFresh approved while on UI and it's been a huge help. The amount I get is adjusted based on my unemployment income, but I still get around $190 a month which covers most of my groceries.

Just make sure you keep good records of everything. They'll want to see proof of your UI payments and any other income sources. I screenshot my weekly claim confirmations from Washington ESD just in case.

The CalFresh office actually has a good understanding of unemployment situations since so many people apply for both programs together. They're used to working with UI recipients.

Pro tip: apply for CalFresh online if you can. The online application is usually faster than going in person, and you can upload your documents right away instead of mailing them.

If you do need to call DSHS for any reason during your CalFresh application, definitely try that Claimyr service I mentioned earlier. Made my life so much easier when I had questions about my case.

Another thing - if you have any work search requirements for your UI benefits, make sure you're still meeting those while you're also dealing with the CalFresh application. Don't let one program interfere with the other.

The nice thing about CalFresh is that it's month-to-month, so if your unemployment situation changes, your food assistance can adjust accordingly. It's not like you're locked into anything long-term.

just went through this process myself last month. the worst part was trying to get someone on the phone at dshs when i had questions about my application

Make sure you apply sooner rather than later. Even though you're getting UI benefits now, if something happens to your unemployment claim, you'll want to have CalFresh already in place as a backup.

One more thing - when you fill out the CalFresh application, be very accurate about your UI benefit amount. They'll verify it anyway, so there's no point in trying to estimate or round numbers.

honestly the whole process was way easier than i expected. i was worried about dealing with government bureaucracy but the calfresh folks were actually pretty helpful

Just remember that getting CalFresh while on unemployment is totally normal and nothing to be embarrassed about. Both programs exist to help people during tough times.