General Eligibility Rules

What is a SNAP/food stamp household or assistance unit?

A SNAP/food stamp household or assistance unit is either a person living alone or a group of people living together who "customarily purchase and prepare" a majority of meals together. 106 C.M.R. § 361.200. This "household rule" applies whether or not the people living together are related by blood or marriage or have any legal obligations to each other. When a group of people live under one roof, they are considered a SNAP/food stamp "household" if they buy and share food most of the time.

The SNAP/food stamp household rule also says that spouses who live together and children who live with parents under age 22 must be in the same household— even if they do not buy food and prepare meals together, or not all want SNAP/food stamp benefits. See Who cannot be a separate food stamp/SNAP household?

Unlike TAFDC, EAEDC and MassHealth rules that look at the legal responsibility of persons who live together, the SNAP/food stamp program looks at a "household" based on the group of people under the same roof and how they buy and share food. This is a fundamental concept of the SNAP/food stamp program, but it can confuse both low-income households and advocates because it is different from how other needs-based programs operate.

Note

Federal regulations use the term "household." 7 C.F.R. § 273.1(a). DTA sometimes uses the term "household" and sometimes uses the term "assistance unit." This Guide uses the term "household."