Reasons That Respondents or Their Households Do Not Currently Receive Food Stamps (15.6.1)
As Table 15.6.1 shows, households with children and no seniors are more likely than others to indicate that they were not getting food stamps because they think they are ineligible.
In particular:
- 57.9% of households with children but no seniors mentioned one or more reasons related to eligibility, compared with 46.4% of households with seniors.
- Elderly clients and households with elderly members were more likely than others to mention factors associated with program operation and needs.
Table 15.6.1
REASONS THAT RESPONDENTS OR THEIR HOUSEHOLDS DO NOT
CURRENTLY RECEIVE FOOD STAMPS
Reasons That Respondents or Their Households DO NOT Currently Receive Food Stamps, Among the Ones Who Have Applied for Food Stampsa |
Elderly Clients at Program Sites |
Households with Seniors |
Households with Children Younger than 18 |
Households with Children Ages 0-5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Factors associated with eligibility |
|
|
|
|
Ineligible income level |
|
|
|
|
All |
42.9% |
43.1% |
49.0% |
43.2% |
Income 130% of federal poverty level or lower |
31.7% |
33.3% |
37.6% |
34.0% |
Income higher than 130% of federal poverty level |
9.5% |
8.0% |
9.3% |
7.8% |
Unknown |
1.7% |
1.8% |
2.1% |
1.5% |
Change of household makeup |
1.7% |
2.0% |
4.3% |
4.7% |
Time limit receiving for the help ran out |
1.4% |
2.6% |
5.1% |
5.7% |
Citizenship status |
0.5% |
0.5% |
1.7% |
3.3% |
SUBTOTALb |
45.7% |
46.4% |
57.9% |
55.0% |
|
|
|
|
|
Factors associated with program access and operation |
|
|
|
|
Too much hassle |
18.3% |
16.7% |
12.1% |
10.2% |
Hard to get to food stamp office |
7.5% |
6.1% |
5.6% |
5.4% |
SUBTOTAL |
22.8% |
20.4% |
15.0% |
12.8% |
|
|
|
|
|
Factors associated with need |
|
|
|
|
No need for benefits |
6.4% |
6.0% |
5.9% |
5.0% |
Others need benefits more |
2.2% |
2.0% |
2.5% |
1.8% |
Need is only temporary |
2.8% |
3.8% |
3.6% |
2.8% |
SUBTOTAL |
10.2% |
10.5% |
9.7% |
8.0% |
|
|
|
|
|
Other Factors |
|
|
|
|
Other reasons |
21.1% |
22.2% |
23.0% |
28.3% |
SAMPLE SIZE (N) – Respondents who have applied for but are not currently receiving food stamps |
2,226 |
2,979 |
5,928 |
2,567 |
Note:
In calculating percentages and sample sizes, we excluded item nonresponses to all variables involved.
a Multiple responses were accepted.
b The subtotal indicates the percentage of people who provided one or more component items as their responses; thus, it may differ from the sum of component items.