Update as of October 27, 2025:
The government has been shut down for four weeks, with no end in sight. Congress has failed to pass a bill funding the government. This leaves millions without critical programs,
On October 22, at least 25 states announced that Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits will not be paid in November. Many people with disabilities rely on SNAP for food. This is an urgent threat to our community.
The Administration has authorized tariff money to fund a specific welfare program. This program is called “Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children”. They are more commonly called “WIC benefits”. The Administration said that it will not use any of the $6 billion in reserve money to fund SNAP. This extra money is held by the US Department of Agriculture.
This news arrives right before the holidays. A time when getting together to share a meal feels extra important. Some states are using their emergency funds to pay for November SNAP benefits, but not all states can.
Additionally, winter of 2025 was the coldest winter in much of the country. There is a federal block grant program called LIHEAP. LIHEAP stands for “Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program”. It is a block grant program where a large institution gives money to a smaller one. In this case, the money is going from the government to the states. LIHEAP helps low-income people with their heating costs. Because of the shutdown, LIHEAP may be delayed in starting. Some states may still have funds available to continue providing assistance. Reach out to your state social services department. This will help you find out the current status of energy assistance programs in your area.
New Section 8 vouchers will not be issued. Landlords will possibly need to cover expenses out of their own pockets. This could lead to foreclosure and greater housing instability.
There isn’t only the delays in receiving benefits. There’s also going to be delays in processing requests and paperwork.
Even if the government opens by the end of October, benefits for November could be delayed. It will take time for federal agencies to distribute funds to states.
What You Can Do If Your Benefits Are Interrupted
- Find a local food pantry: feedingamerica.org
- Seek help from local churches, charities, and organizations like Kelly’s Kitchen. Kelly’s Kitchen also hosts the Food Security Network that you can use to locate food banks, food pantries, soup kitchens, rural farms, urban farms, and food justice organizations.
- If your energy assistance benefits are interrupted, contact your electric, gas, or oil service provider, explain the situation, and ask about available arrangements and assistance.
- Other companies, like your bank, internet, and cell service provider, may offer flexibility in bill payments if you reach out to them.
- If you are receiving public assistance currently, Amazon offers a 50% discount on Prime Memberships via the Amazon Access Program, which may help reduce food costs. Also,DoorDash has launched an emergency food response where they will waive merchant fees for all 300+ Project DASH partner food banks, food pantries, and community organizations nationwide, cover the delivery and service fees for about 300,000 orders for SNAP recipients, and donate directly to local food banks.
- On Thursday, October 30th at 3 PM Eastern, the National Council on Independent Living will host a virtual Community Conversation about how the government shutdown is affecting programs like SNAP, how to find food resources to fill the gap, and how local Centers for Independent Living can assist people with disabilities who are experiencing food insecurity. ASL and CART will be provided. Click here to register.
Take Action
Contact your Members of Congress and urge them to reopen the government before tens of millions of people, including many people with disabilities, face even more hardship. Your advocacy matters and can make a real difference.
We will keep you updated as the situation develops. Thank you for your commitment to supporting disabled people.
Previous versions of this resource
On Wednesday, October 1, at 12:01 AM, part of the federal government shut down because Congress could not agree on a funding plan. As of now, the government has been shut down for two weeks. Congress and the White House are still working to reach a deal to reopen it.
What Happens During a Government Shutdown?
When the government shuts down, all “non-essential” government activities come to a halt. Essential workers — such as those in defense, national security, or air traffic control — keep working. Some get paid, but most work without pay. Non-essential workers are sent home and do not receive pay until Congress funds the government again, which is called a furlough.
Right now, around 750,000 federal workers are furloughed. If the shutdown goes on, many might miss their next paycheck and have trouble paying their bills. These employees are entitled to backpay. Backpay is money you would have earned if you were working during a shutdown. But, The White House has illegally threatened that this may not happen for this shutdown.
Why Is Congress Stuck?
Congress cannot agree on how to fund the government. The President and many Republicans want to pass a short-term seven-week funding bill. But, Democrats prefer a longer-term deal that also:
- Extends enhanced health insurance subsidies under the Affordable Care Act. They are scheduled to expire this year. These subsidies are called ACA Tax Credits. ACA Tax Credits lower the cost of health care for people who receive health insurance through their state’s Affordable Care Act marketplace.
- Cancels Medicaid cuts that were passed earlier this year.
- Ensures the President cannot block funding that Congress already approved. Since January, the Administration has refused to disburse funding for many federal programs. These were authorized by Congress. The Administration was not following the proper procedure under the Impoundment Control Act. This law limits the President’s ability to cancel spending approved by Congress.
If those insurance subsidies expire, around 24 million Americans could face increased costs. Some by 100% or more.
A bill passed earlier this summer cut $1 trillion from Medicaid. This will cause millions of Americans to lose access to healthcare coverage. Many will also lose access to home- and community-based services.
How the Shutdown Affects Government Programs
Medicaid and Medicare:
Medicaid and Medicare benefits will continue during the shutdown. Medicaid and Medicare get their money separately from the rest of the government. This means those benefits will stay active even during a shutdown.
But, some people might not be able to do certain tasks like seeing if they can get Medicaid. This is due to less staff at federal agencies. Healthcare providers be delayed in processing claims. There may be problems for people who rely on Medicare or Medicaid. About 43% of adults with disabilities under age 65 are covered by Medicaid. Medicaid covers over half of all long-term care in the United States.
Medicare provides health insurance coverage for people 65 and older. Approximately 45% of all Medicare users report having a disability. 12% of users are under age 65. Those people can use Medicare due to a disability. There are a large number of people with disabilities covered by Medicare.
Social Security and Disability Benefits:
Social Security payments will continue being paid as scheduled.
Social Security is a broad term. That means it can refer to many different things. We’ve listed those below. In general, Social Security gives money to certain people. This is commonly referred to as a “benefit”. Low-income children and adults with disabilities. As well as the surviving spouse of people who have died.
This includes:
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
- Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)
- Social Security Retirement and Survivor benefits
Social Security is funded separately from the most of the government. It is not affected by the shutdown. But some related services are. For example, if you need a replacement Medicare card or verification letter, that may be delayed. If you have any trouble with your benefits at all, it will likely take longer to fix.
SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits:
SNAP is a program that helps low-income people buy food. About 80% of households who receive SNAP benefits are households with children, a disabled person, or an older adult. People with disabilities are more likely to be “food insecure” than people without disabilities. This means disabled people are more likely to not be able to buy food. Or, they may live in places where it’s harder to get food. SNAP is an essential program to make sure many people with disabilities do not go hungry.
SNAP works like this. The federal government sends states SNAP benefits every month. Then, states send these benefits to low income individuals who are eligible for SNAP. The October SNAP benefits have already been distributed to states. So, payments to individuals will be made on schedule. But, the shutdown may continue. If it does, November SNAP benefits might be delayed or interrupted. People will go hungry, including people with disabilities and their families.