Health & Benefits

A Link card is a physical card, similar to a debit or credit card. The recipient chooses a personal identification number (PIN) for the Link card. The PIN is required every time the recipient uses the Link card. Use the Link card at store Point of Sale terminals like cash registers (POS terminals). They scan the card and deduct the amount of the purchase from the recipient’s SNAP account.

SNAP benefits are different from Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) cash benefits in the recipient's account. SNAP benefits can only be used for food purchases. Recipients cannot cash in SNAP benefits.

No. Each SNAP household gets only one Illinois Link card. The Link card is used to access the household’s total SNAP benefits each month. Even if more than one person in the home is listed on the SNAP case, the benefits all go onto the same card. However, the head of the household can ask the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) for an extra card for another adult in the household, such as a spouse or roommate who buys and prepares food together. Both cards use the same account and the same benefits.

Only people who are part of the SNAP household can use the Link card. This includes the person whose name is on the case and anyone the household has officially allowed to use the card, such as an authorized representative. An authorized representative is someone the household trusts—like a family member, friend, or caregiver—to shop for food using their benefits. For someone to be an authorized representative, the SNAP beneficiary must fill out paperwork stating they want that person to be an authorized representative. Contact your local IDHS office on how to designate this person.

No one outside the SNAP household should use the card without permission, because it can be considered benefit misuse or fraud.

No, recipients cannot get cash from their Link card. The Link card can only be used to purchase approved food items under the SNAP program.

Yes, the card can be replaced. Recipients will need to request a replacement card through the Illinois Link Help Line by calling (800) 678-LINK (5465) or making the request online. The recipient will need to give the Social Security number on the Link account, the date of birth, and the Link Card number. 

Note: Starting December 21, 2024, stolen SNAP benefits can no longer be replaced. This means that if a person lost their card or it was stolen, and someone else spent the SNAP benefits on that card, they will not be able to get the money back. If a Link card is lost or stolen, benefits cannot be used unless the thief also knows the recipient’s PIN number. If a person had their SNAP benefits stolen on or before December 20, 2024, they may file a Theft Claim on the IDHS website.