Standard Utility Allowance (SUA)

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Standard Utility Allowance (SUA)

Revised October 28, 2007

If a household is receiving Basic Food and has utility costs separate from rent or mortgage an amount for utilities is used to determine total shelter cost. See WAC 388-450-0195.

The utility information must be entered on the SHEL of the client that is the head of household for the Basic Food AU, or the utility expenses will not be used in the Basic Food computation.

To prorate shelter expenses for households that include an ineligible AU member with income, the shelter expenses must be coded on that household member’s SHEL screen to correctly prorate the shelter expenses.

Only one entry is allowed in the Util Std field on SHEL per Basic Food AU.

If more than one utility standard valid value is entered on an AU the user will see Edit Message 1858 - Utility Standard Entered on Multiple Clients - when trying to commit the data.

For benefit months prior to November 2000 a single SUA was used to determine total shelter costs regardless of household size and the SUA is prorated based on the number entered in the Others Sharing Utilities field.

Effective with November 2000 benefits the SUA is based on household size and is not prorated by the number entered in the Others Sharing Utilities field.

In determining household size for the SUA, the following assistance unit members are excluded from receiving Basic Food benefits:

Table of exclusions for determining household size for receiving food stamp benefits.

Individual

Fin Resp Code

Used in HH Count for SUA

Ineligible alien

ND

Y

FAP household member

RN

Y

Drug felon

ND

Y

Person not providing SSN

ND

Y

Failure to meet E&T requirements

Y

Fleeing felon

ND

Y

Intentional program violator

ID

Y

Not sign application attesting to citizenship or alien status

Y

Ineligible student

NM

N

Ineligible ABAWD

NM

N

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