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The US Supreme Court has issued an emergency order that permits for now the federal government to withhold billions in funding for food benefits relied on by millions of low-income Americans.

The White House sought relief from the country's highest court after a lower court ruled that the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as food aid, should be paid out completely to recipients by the end of the week.

The programme has been caught in uncertainty by the ongoing federal government shutdown, with the Trump administration arguing it could only pay for part of it.

The court's decision means £3.04bn can be temporarily withheld pending further legal hearings.

Programme Impact

This nutrition aid is issued by tens of millions of U.S. citizens - around one in eight - and requires almost £6.9bn a each month.

Earlier this week, a Rhode Island judge, John McConnell, alleged the Trump administration of blocking nutrition funds "due to political motives" and said that without the assistance "millions of kids are immediately at risk of going hungry".

He ordered the government to fund the programme completely.

Legal Background

This decision came after that required the government to use reserve money to at least partly pay for the assistance for last month.

This court battle was spurred after the USDA, which manages the food stamp program, announced payments would be halted in November due to the lack of funding over the shutdown.

Before the Supreme Court stepped in, the Agriculture Department said it was working to comply with the various court orders and was taking steps to distribute the complete amount.

Supreme Court Action

High Court Judge Justice Jackson issued the stay late Friday, called an temporary halt, effectively freezing the lower court's ruling for 48 hours while federal attorneys pursue an appeal.

The row over food aid funding has become among the most contentious of what is now the lengthiest budget standoff in American history.

Wider Effects

Government workers have been without pay for more than a month and air travel has been thrown into chaos as Congress members fail to agree a deal to fund the government.

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

But some states have said they are cannot cover the money which has been cut by the U.S. treasury.