Hi, I'm Byron Walker. I run BenefitsMatch.
What this site is
BenefitsMatch is a guide to US federal and state assistance programs, plus a UK section. It exists because the information about who qualifies for what is scattered across dozens of government websites, written for caseworkers rather than the people applying, and frequently out of date the moment you find it.
What you'll find here:
- The actual 2026 income limits for each program, based on the federal poverty guidelines updated by HHS each January
- State-by-state eligibility rules, because most programs (SNAP, Medicaid, TANF, unemployment) vary significantly by state
- Direct links to the official application page for each program — we don't take applications, we point you to the agency that does
- Plain-English explanations of how programs interact (you can be on SNAP and Medicaid at the same time; LIHEAP doesn't count as income for SNAP; that kind of thing)
What this site isn't
- Not a government site. BenefitsMatch is independent and not affiliated with any federal, state, or local agency.
- Not legal or financial advice. For your specific situation, talk to a legal aid attorney or a nonprofit credit counselor — both are free for people who qualify.
- Not a lead-generation site. The eligibility checker runs in your browser and doesn't store what you enter. We don't sell information to anyone.
Who I am and where the information comes from
I'm Byron Walker, based in East Texas. I work in tech and built BenefitsMatch as an independent project — I'm not a benefits caseworker or a poverty law attorney, and I'm not going to pretend to be one.
What I do is research. Every income limit, benefit amount, and eligibility rule on this site comes from a primary source: HHS poverty guidelines, the Code of Federal Regulations, state administrative codes, official agency pages, and (for the UK) gov.uk. When those rules change — and they change frequently — the pages get updated. If you find an error, email me at admin@benefitsmatch.net and I'll fix it, usually within a day.
The site is editorial, not interactive. Use it to figure out what you probably qualify for, then apply through the official agency link on each page.
How BenefitsMatch makes money
Running and maintaining a site like this isn't free, so BenefitsMatch is supported by:
- Display advertising through Google AdSense
- Affiliate partnerships with a small number of services I think are genuinely useful — primarily free tax filing software, fee-free banking, and free credit monitoring. When you click an affiliate link and sign up, I may earn a small commission at no cost to you. These links are clearly marked.
I don't take affiliate money from payday lenders or non-accredited debt settlement companies. The full affiliate disclosure is in the footer of every page.
Contact
Errors, suggestions, programs you'd like covered — I read every email.