Oregon officials urge SNAP recipients to verify income

The Oregon Department of Human Services has notified more than 1,700 residents to respond to mailed notices regarding their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. The agency is seeking updated income information to improve benefit accuracy and reduce the state’s error rate, which currently exceeds 14%.

Discrepancies were identified through The Work Number, a centralized employment and income database, suggesting some recipients may have household incomes at or above 130% of the federal poverty level. Failure to respond to these notices could result in the loss of benefits as early as October.

The initiative follows a 2025 federal tax and spending law that imposes financial penalties on states if SNAP payment error rates for overpayments or underpayments exceed 6%.