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SNAP CERTIFICATION MANUAL – SECTION 13000 13300 Restored Benefits 13210 How to Determine Amount of Supplement

SNAP benefits will be restored when a household incurs an under-issuance or “loss” of SNAP benefits due to an agency error. Lost SNAP benefits must be restored even if the household is currently ineligible or not participating in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. No restoration will be authorized for SNAP benefits lost more than 12 months prior to the most recent of the following months: 1. The month the county office was notified (in writing or orally) by the household, another person, another agency or the Quality Assurance Unit that a specific household has possibly incurred a loss. OR 2. The month the county office discovered in the normal course of business that a loss occurred. If the household was eligible but received incorrect benefits, the restoration will be authorized for those months within the 12-month limit when the household participated and a loss occurred. For losses caused by an incorrect delay, application denial, or case closure, the date of initial loss must be determined. If an eligible household’s application was erroneously denied, the month of initial loss is the month of application, unless the household had filed a timely application for recertification. In that case, the month of initial loss is the month following the expiration of the household’s certification period. If a household’s case was erroneously closed, the month of initial loss is the first month SNAP were not received as a result of the closure. If an eligible household’s application was delayed and a loss of benefits occurred as a result, the restoration will cover all months in which a loss occurred. For example, a household filed an application on January 25. The application was held until March 25. The application was approved, but the household was incorrectly found to be at fault for delay and benefits were prorated to March 25. Restored benefits will be authorized for January, February and March. January benefits will be provided from the date of application, January 25. Full benefits for February will be restored. For March, the difference between the household’s full benefit amount and the prorated benefit amount will be either supplemented or restored to the household.