Illinois SNAP Errors May Incur Penalties
Illinois risks incurring penalties of up to $700 million due to errors in determining eligibility for food assistance under a new federal law.
To protect taxpayers and struggling families, the state must improve its administrative accuracy. The error rate for Illinois' Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) was 11.56% in 2024, exceeding the national average and ranking worse than 38 other states.
- Snap error rate: 11.56% in 2024
- Overpayments accounted for 10.6% of Illinois' SNAP errors in 2024
- Underpayments were rare, at less than 1%
A 12% error rate could cost the state $705 million annually. Following the lead of other states may provide a path forward for improvement.
Illinois’ comeback story starts here.
Author's summary: Illinois faces penalties due to SNAP errors.