Full food assistance benefits are now being issued to recipients after a software glitch delayed the payments for a week, the Mississippi Department of Human Services announced Friday. 

“Clients can expect their total benefit balance to be available as soon as today,” the agency said in a press release. 

The slowdown was the result of a software system issue. December benefits are expected to be issued on time. 

The nation’s largest food assistance program was paused beginning in November after the federal government said it would not use emergency funds to pay for the program, even though benefits have continued to flow to states in past shutdowns. 

Confusion ensued after more than a dozen states sued the Trump administration for its refusal to issue benefits. Mississippi said it would begin issuing partial benefits Nov. 10 in accordance with guidance from the United States Department of Agriculture, the federal agency that administers the program.

The state Department of Human Services announced that food assistance benefits were set to resume as normal on Nov. 13 after the longest federal government shutdown in U.S. history came to an end. 

About 1 in 8 Mississippians — over 350,000 people — receive food assistance through SNAP. More than 67% of participants are in households with children, and about 41% are in households with older adults or adults with a disability. In four Mississippi counties, over a third of residents rely on the program to purchase food, according to a report from WLBT.

The state Department of Human Services awarded a contract to Deloitte Consulting LLP to improve the agency’s software system in May. Most MDHS eligibility systems were created over 35 years ago, according to the press release announcing the award. The software upgrades are set to be complete in 2027, according to Jones.

MDHS encourages SNAP clients to check their account balance to confirm receipt of benefits. The agency also recommends registering for a ConnectEBT account and saving ConnectEBT to their cell phone home screen to change their PIN after every use to reduce the risk of fraud.