SNAP Changes Put North Carolina Families and County Budgets Under Growing Pressure

As thousands of North Carolinians face stricter SNAP rules, local governments could soon inherit millions in new costs. Durham DSS Director Maggie Clapp and N.C. Rep. Zack Hawkins explain who is at risk, what families must do now—and why other essential county services could also pay the price.

DURHAM, NC — Thousands of Durham County residents have already disappeared from the rolls of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program as sweeping federal changes tighten eligibility requirements and place new responsibilities on recipients, social-services agencies and local governments.

Durham County Department of Social Services Director Maggie Clapp said the county’s SNAP caseload has declined from approximately 33,000 recipients to slightly more than 29,000. The decline comes as counties implement expanded work requirements and new eligibility restrictions affecting some noncitizens.

During the latest episode of “PC Politics — Real. Raw. Relevant.”, Clapp joined N.C. Rep. Zack Hawkins, who represents House District 31 in Durham County, to explain what the changes mean for families—and why county governments are preparing for potentially significant new expenses.

Durham’s SNAP Caseload Is Already Shrinking

SNAP, known in North Carolina as Food and Nutrition Services, helps people with limited incomes purchase groceries. More than 1.4 million North Carolinians receive assistance through the program.

Clapp said Durham County DSS determines eligibility, processes applications and recertifications, interviews applicants and verifies information such as household income, residency and family composition.

Federal H.R. 1, signed into law in 2025, expanded work requirements effective Dec. 1, 2025, and instituted new eligibility rules for certain noncitizens effective Feb. 1, 2026. County DSS offices screen recipients for the changes during their next recertification, according to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.

Clapp said the rules are complicated and can be particularly confusing for families who do not realize that their eligibility—or the documentation required to establish it—may have changed.

Working Does Not Guarantee Food Security

One misconception Clapp challenged is the belief that most SNAP recipients are unemployed.

“The majority of people who receive SNAP work, but it’s not a livable wage,” she said.

Many recipients, she explained, are working while also attempting to pay rent, child-care expenses, utilities and other necessities. Rising grocery prices make it even harder for low-wage workers to keep sufficient food in their homes.

Hawkins said the effects of food insecurity extend beyond the dinner table. Children who are hungry may struggle in school, while adults without adequate nutrition can face health problems and difficulty performing at work.

SNAP benefits also circulate through grocery stores and other food retailers, he noted, making the program part of the local economy as well as a source of support for individual families.

“Having SNAP benefits is not something that people should be ashamed of,” Hawkins said.

New Work Requirements Affect More Adults

Under the expanded rules, certain adults between ages 18 and 64 must work, volunteer or participate in approved activities for at least 80 hours each month to continue receiving benefits beyond the applicable time limit.

Adults living in a household with a child younger than 14 may qualify for an exemption. Other possible exemptions include pregnancy, disability, certain physical or mental health limitations, caregiving responsibilities and chronic homelessness.

Importantly, living with a child who is 14 or older does not automatically make a family ineligible for SNAP. It may, however, mean that an adult in the household becomes subject to the expanded work requirement.

The NCDHHS work-requirement guidance says county caseworkers must screen applicants and recipients for exemptions at every application and recertification. When verification is required, recipients must be given at least 10 days to provide it.

Documentation Could Determine Who Keeps Benefits

Clapp urged recipients to read every notice they receive from DSS and contact their caseworkers before their recertification deadlines.

A person may qualify for an exemption but still experience an interruption in benefits if the agency does not receive the required verification. Reinstating benefits after a case closes can take considerably longer than submitting the necessary information before the deadline.

Recipients should make certain that DSS has their current address, telephone number and other contact information. They should also report changes in employment, work hours, household membership or health conditions as soon as possible.

Clapp recommended that recipients ask their caseworkers directly whether they qualify for an exemption and what documents they need to provide.

DSS Employees Face Mounting Pressure

The changes are also placing additional demands on county employees responsible for explaining the rules, reviewing documentation, and processing increasingly complicated cases.

Clapp said Durham County DSS is not fully staffed and has used temporary employees and overtime while attempting to recruit additional workers.

She also addressed the effect of negative public rhetoric on employees who entered the social-services profession to help people.

“The way that SNAP recipients are being talked about is very disheartening,” Clapp said.

Payment-error rates add another layer of pressure. An error can result from an agency mistake, incorrect or incomplete information from a recipient, or a change that was not processed promptly. North Carolina’s statewide rate reflects the combined performance of all 100 counties, even though an individual county cannot control the work performed elsewhere.

Federal Changes Shift More Costs to North Carolina

The financial consequences extend beyond individual recipients.

Beginning Oct. 1, 2026, the federal government will reduce its share of SNAP administrative expenses, shifting an estimated additional $85 million annually to North Carolina’s state and county governments.

A separate change scheduled to begin Oct. 1, 2027, could require states to pay a percentage of SNAP benefit costs based on their payment-error rates. State officials estimate that North Carolina’s additional responsibility could exceed $140 million annually, according to information released by Gov. Josh Stein’s office.

Hawkins argued that state leaders should not reduce the state’s financial responsibility and leave county governments to absorb the difference.

“It really is a complete dereliction of duty,” he said.

Counties Could Be Forced to Cut Other Services

If the state does not provide adequate funding, Hawkins warned that counties may be forced to raise fees, increase local taxes or divert money from other essential services.

That could affect education, public safety, emergency response and other locally funded priorities.

While larger counties such as Durham, Wake, Guilford, Buncombe and Mecklenburg could face substantial bills, Hawkins emphasized that smaller and more rural counties may have even less financial flexibility to absorb the new costs.

The debate over SNAP funding, he said, is therefore not limited to food assistance. It is also a debate over which level of government will pay—and what other community services could suffer as a result.

What SNAP Recipients Should Do Now

Clapp and Hawkins encouraged recipients not to assume that they have lost eligibility simply because the rules have changed.

Recipients should:

• Open and read every notice from DSS.
• Confirm that DSS has their current mailing address and telephone number.
• Complete recertification paperwork by the stated deadline.
• Report changes in employment, income, health or household circumstances.
• Ask whether they qualify for an exemption from the work requirement.
• Submit requested verification as quickly as possible.
• Contact their caseworker when they do not understand a notice.
• Keep copies of documents submitted to DSS.

North Carolinians can apply for benefits, submit recertifications, and report changes through the state’s ePASS system. They may also contact their county DSS office or call the NC EBT Call Center at 1-866-719-0141.

Both guests’ immediate message was clear: Do not ignore a letter from DSS, and do not wait until benefits have stopped to ask for help.

“PC Politics — Real. Raw. Relevant.” is Spectacular Magazine’s political video interview series examining politics, public policy, and the decisions affecting our communities.

For additional information about SNAP in North Carolina, visit NCDHHS.gov/FNS.