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The US Supreme Court has granted an emergency order that temporarily allows the federal government to withhold billions in funding for nutrition assistance relied on by countless needy U.S. residents.

Administration officials sought relief from the country's highest court after a federal judge ordered that the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as food aid, should be distributed completely to beneficiaries by the end of the week.

This assistance has been caught in uncertainty by the continuing budget impasse, with the government arguing it could only pay for part of it.

Friday's ruling means £3.04bn can be held back for now until more court proceedings.

Programme Impact

The Snap programme is used by 42 million Americans - around one in eight - and requires almost $9bn a month.

Earlier this week, a federal magistrate, John McConnell, alleged the government of blocking nutrition funds "for political reasons" and said that without the assistance "millions of kids are in danger of facing hunger".

He ordered the administration to fund the programme in full.

Legal Background

The Thursday ruling came after that ordered the administration to use reserve money to at least partially fund the programme for November.

This court battle was spurred after the US Department of Agriculture, which oversees the food stamp program, announced benefits would be halted in the fall due to the lack of funding over the budget crisis.

Before the Supreme Court stepped in, the USDA said it was working to comply with the multiple rulings and was making efforts to doll out the full funds.

Supreme Court Action

Supreme Court Justice Justice Jackson granted the order on Friday evening, known as an temporary halt, effectively freezing the previous decision for 48 hours while government lawyer's seek to overturn it.

The row over nutrition program money has become among the most contentious of what is now the longest government shutdown in American history.

Wider Effects

Government workers have been without pay for more than a month and flight operations has been thrown into chaos as Democratic and Republican lawmakers cannot reach a compromise to pass a budget.

Several states have used their own financial reserves to keep food benefits flowing, which are worth around $6 to users via pre-loaded debit cards which can be used in grocery stores.

However, certain states have said they are cannot cover the money which has been lost from the federal government.