# Pennsylvania SNAP recipients get small payment boost and secure cards

> Pennsylvania SNAP recipients receive a modest monthly payment increase and chip-enabled cards to combat theft starting October.
- Title: Pennsylvania SNAP recipients get small payment boost and…
- Summary: Pennsylvania SNAP recipients receive a modest monthly payment increase and chip-enabled cards to combat theft starting October. Pennsylvania will add $8 to…
- Keywords: pennsylvania, snap, cost-of-living-adjustment, chip-enabled-cards, magnetic-swipe, benefit-theft, state-inspector-general, philly, fiscal-year-2026, economical-research-service, news, local
- Source: PhillyVoice — https://phillyvoice.com/snap-changes-payments-secure-cards-pennsylvania
- Published: 2026-09-21T20:08:44.04+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: pennsylvania, snap, cost-of-living-adjustment, chip-enabled-cards, magnetic-swipe, benefit-theft, state-inspector-general, philly, fiscal-year-2026, economical-research-service, news, local
## SNAP payment increase
Pennsylvania recipients get $8 extra for single-person households and up to $52 for eight-person households starting October 1.

> Starting Oct. 1, a cost-of-living adjustment will take effect, adding an extra $8 for one-person households and up to $52 for eight-person households in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and other states.
## Secure card investment
State invests $7 million to mail chip-enabled cards to SNAP recipients starting spring 2026.

> On Thursday, state officials announced that the 2026-2027 budget included a $7 million investment to distribute chip-enabled cards, which will be mailed to residents starting in the spring.
## Why chip cards?
Chip cards prevent benefit theft by creating unique transaction codes that skimming devices can't access.

> Chip cards are more secure than magnetic strips because they create a new code for each transaction, meaning that skimming devices wouldn't get individual card information.
## Theft problem
Pennsylvania officials removed 144 skimming devices in 2025, preventing $1.2 million in SNAP funds from being stolen.

> In 2025, Pennsylvania's Office of State Inspector General launched a formal skimming response team, which has found and removed 144 devices across the state.
## Recent thefts
Teams found skimming devices at 24 Philadelphia stores, affecting 3,000 SNAP recipients.

> Earlier this month, the teams investigated 24 stores in Philadelphia and found devices which contained information from 3,000 SNAP recipients.
## SNAP impact
1.7 million Pennsylvanians, including 475,000 in Philadelphia, receive SNAP benefits monthly.

> Approximately 1.7 million people in Pennsylvania, 475,000 of whom reside in Philadelphia, receive SNAP benefits monthly.
## Recent challenges
Work requirement changes under Trump's 'Big Beautiful Bill' caused 98,000 Pennsylvanians to lose SNAP eligibility.

> In addition to the security issues, work requirement changes put forth in President Donald Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill" meant that roughly 98,000 Pennsylvanians no longer qualify for the program.
## Government shutdown impact
SNAP benefits paused during the 43-day 2025 government shutdown, forcing recipients to rely on food banks.

> And during the 43-day government shutdown at the end of 2025, SNAP benefits were paused, leaving many recipients to rely on other services such as food banks.
## Key takeaway

Pennsylvania will add $8 to single-person SNAP payments and up to $52 for larger households starting October, alongside $7 million for secure chip cards.