Roughly 2.4 million fewer Americans — including families with children — are projected to receive food stamp benefits each month after Republican lawmakers expanded work requirements to some parents, older recipients, and others, according to a Congressional Budget Office (CBO) analysis, as reported by CNN.

In addition, many current recipients are expected to see their monthly assistance reduced, even as grocery prices remain high and food banks face growing demand.

For the first time, the law requires parents of dependent children to work in order to receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. The final legislation is less restrictive than an earlier House-passed version, which would have required parents of children ages 7 and older to work, potentially cutting enrollment by 3.2 million people per month.

The CBO’s reports examined the law’s impact through fiscal year 2034, covering food stamps, Medicaid, and Affordable Care Act (ACA) coverage. They found that while the measure provides trillions in tax relief, it also delivers historic cuts to safety net programs, disproportionately affecting lower-income Americans. The analysis concluded that the lowest-income households would see their incomes fall, while wealthier Americans would see significant gains.

Previously, SNAP required certain able-bodied adults to work in order to receive benefits beyond three months. The new law broadens that mandate to include parents with children ages 14 and older, who must work, volunteer, or participate in job training at least 80 hours per month. It also applies to adults ages 55 to 64, veterans, people experiencing homelessness, and former foster youth, while exempting Native Americans. The law also tightens state waivers during economic downturns.

The CBO estimates that about 300,000 adults living with children 14 and older will lose benefits each month. Another provision requires certain states to share the cost of SNAP benefits for the first time. States with high payment error rates will have to cover between 5% and 15% of the cost starting in 2028, potentially prompting cuts to benefits or eligibility, or even leading some states to exit the program entirely. Per the analysis, this change is forecast to affect 300,000 people each month, along with reducing subsidies for about 96,000 children in nutrition programs.

Other changes, including revisions to the benefits formula, will further decrease assistance for some households.

Many SNAP recipients already work but may face challenges meeting the requirements due to inconsistent schedules or administrative hurdles. “People are trying to make ends meet,” said Gina Plata-Nino, interim SNAP director at the Food Research & Action Center. “They will be hungrier, they will be sicker without that help.”