Illinois' Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) error rate increased in 2025, with the state facing hundreds of millions in penalties if the rate is not lowered. 

The state’s SNAP error rate — which includes both underpayments and overpayments — was 14.67 percent in 2025, an increase from the 2024 rate of 11.56. That’s according to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture that was released Wednesday.  

The national average in 2025 was 10.62.  

The numbers encompass the federal fiscal year 2025, which lasted from October 2024 to September 2025.  

Illinois ranks among the states with the highest error rates, which could have major implications for the state budget. Changes at the federal level included in the 2025 budget reconciliation would require any state with an error rate of over six percent to pay a portion of benefits.  

States have historically only paid a portion of administrative costs related to SNAP, with the federal government covering the full portion of benefits. Only nine states had error rates below six percent in 2025.  

Nineteen states, including Illinois, had error rates over 10 percent. States within that threshold could be required to pay 15 percent of benefits. For Illinois, that would translate to about $700 million that the state would have to pay annually to maintain current services.   

The new rules will go into effect October 2027, but Illinois' high error rate means it will receive a delay until at least October 2028 to give the state time to lower its rate.  

That delay applies to six states and the District of Columbia, who all have a SNAP error rate of over 13.34 percent. Any state who still has an error rate above that threshold in 2026 could see the delay in cost-sharing extended another year to October 2029.  

SNAP is administered in Illinois by the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS). Sec. Dulce Quintero said in March that the department has begun implementing policies aimed at lowering the error rate.  

Read more: IDHS secretary questioned on SNAP error rate, data breach during Illinois Senate reappointment hearing 

They said the vast majority of payment errors are the result of human error. For example, a person writing that they pay $1,200 for rent when they in fact pay $1,000 for rent and $200 for utilities would mean that form is incorrectly filled out.  

Quintero said the department is aiming to improve verification of application form data, including more scrutiny from staff and the use of artificial intelligence.  

During an unrelated press conference Thursday, Gov. JB Pritzker claimed the number has already been reduced below both the 2025 and 2024 error rates.  

“We have worked steadfastly every day,” he said. “Our Department of Human Services and others have worked together to make sure that we’re upgrading the technology, upgrading the number of people that we have applied to the SNAP error rate from that time to now, and we’ve made a significant dent from that time to now. That number is now significantly down from not just the 14 percent but below the 11-plus percent that was originally reported.”  

The governor said the rule changes are an attempt by the federal government to get states to rescind people’s SNAP benefits, saying “working like heck to make sure we’re not throwing people off of SNAP.”