Government Benefits in Wisconsin

Where Wisconsin residents apply for SNAP, Medicaid, home energy assistance, and unemployment insurance, plus every nationwide program available to everyone.

4 Wisconsin Programs

How This Works

SNAP, Medicaid, LIHEAP, and unemployment insurance are all administered at the state level, so each state runs its own application portal and sets some of its own rules — including, for Medicaid, whether the state expanded eligibility to more adults under the Affordable Care Act, and for unemployment insurance, the maximum weekly benefit and how long you can collect it. The cards below link you straight to Wisconsin's official application system for each program. Exact SNAP/Medicaid income limits change with annual poverty-guideline updates, so we intentionally don't publish a specific number for those — the portal will show your exact cutoff for your household size. Unemployment insurance figures below are official published caps from the U.S. Department of Labor, current as of January 2026.

FoodShare (SNAP)

WI Dept. of Health Services

ACCESS Wisconsin also screens for BadgerCare Plus (Medicaid) and other DHS programs.

Apply on ACCESS Wisconsin ↗

BadgerCare Plus (Medicaid)

Medicaid Not Expanded

WI Dept. of Health Services

Wisconsin has not formally expanded Medicaid under the ACA, but BadgerCare Plus covers childless adults up to 100% FPL, so there is no coverage gap.

Apply for BadgerCare Plus ↗

WHEAP (Wisconsin's LIHEAP program)

WI Dept. of Administration

Wisconsin Home Energy Assistance Program, administered through local agencies.

Find Your Local WHEAP Provider ↗

Unemployment Insurance

Has Waiting Week

WI Dept. of Workforce Development

Max Weekly

$370

Min Weekly

$54

Max Duration

up to 26 weeks

Based on 4% of your highest quarter's wages.

File a Claim ↗

Looking for more programs available to Wisconsin residents?

Wisconsin residents also qualify for every nationwide program on our full benefits tool — WIC, Lifeline phone/internet discounts, ACA health insurance subsidies, SSI, SSDI, Section 8, VA disability compensation, TANF, Pell Grants, Head Start, and unemployment insurance.

See All 16 Programs →