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The US Supreme Court has granted an emergency order that temporarily allows the Trump administration to delay billions in funding for food benefits relied on by millions of low-income Americans.

Administration officials sought relief from the Supreme Court after a lower court ruled that the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, called food stamps, should be paid out in full to recipients by the end of the week.

The programme has been left in limbo by the continuing budget impasse, with the government claiming it could only pay for part of it.

The court's decision means £3.04bn can be held back for now pending further legal hearings.

SNAP's Reach

The Snap programme is used by 42 million Americans - approximately 12% - and requires almost £6.9bn a each month.

Earlier this week, a federal magistrate, the presiding judge, alleged the Trump administration of withholding food aid "for political reasons" and said that without the assistance "16 million children are immediately at risk of going hungry".

He ordered the administration to fund the assistance in full.

Legal Background

This decision followed another that ordered the government to use reserve money to at least partially fund the programme for November.

The legal saga was spurred after the USDA, which manages the Snap programme, stated benefits would be stopped in the fall due to the lack of funding over the budget crisis.

Before the Supreme Court stepped in, the Agriculture Department said it was working to comply with the multiple rulings and was making efforts to distribute the full funds.

High Court's Move

High Court Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson issued the stay late Friday, called an administrative stay, effectively freezing the lower court's ruling for 48 hours while government lawyer's pursue an appeal.

The row over nutrition program money has become among the most contentious of what is now the lengthiest budget standoff in US history.

Broader Impact

Government workers have been unpaid for over 30 days and flight operations has been thrown into chaos as Democratic and Republican lawmakers cannot reach a deal to fund the government.

Several states have used their own budget savings to keep Snap payments flowing, which are worth around $6 to recipients via electronic benefit cards which can be redeemed in food markets.

However, certain states have said they are cannot cover the money which has been lost from the U.S. treasury.