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SNAP CERTIFICATION MANUAL – SECTION 1000

home each night or on a regular weekly or biweekly basis. While these individuals may be out of the home a majority of the time, they are considered household members. The work schedule and not the profession will establish these individuals as household members. (There may be two or more groups of individuals who live in the same dwelling but participate in the program as separate households. There are restrictions to participation as a separate household. See SNAP 1631 below for those restrictions.) 4. A household may be a disabled, aged individual (age 60 or older) who is living with others but is unable to purchase and prepare meals due to a permanent disability such as, but not limited to, senility. This type of household may include the disabled individual and his or her spouse regardless of the physical condition or age of the spouse. All income of the individual and spouse will be counted in the SNAP budget. The income of all other members will be disregarded; however, the total gross non- excludable income of all other household members may not exceed 165% of the maximum income standard. If the income of all other household members exceeds 165% of the maximum net income standard, the disabled aged member’s application for SNAP benefits will be denied.

1631 Restrictions to Participation as a Separate Household SNAP Manual 10/01/97 An individual or a group of individuals may apply for SNAP benefits as a household separate and apart from the others with whom they share a dwelling. There are restrictions to such participation. First, separate household status will not be granted under any circumstances to the spouse of a household member. Second, the individual or group of individuals applying as a separate household must: a. Customarily (more than 50% of the time) purchase food and prepare meals separately from the others with whom they live; or b. Plan to purchase food and prepare meals separately when they receive their SNAP benefits if they currently lack the financial means to do so. (When a household states that they plan to begin purchasing food and preparing their meals separately, a written statement to this effect should be obtained from the household and placed in the case record as substantiation.) 1631.1 Relatives Participating as Separate Households SNAP Manual 10/01/97 Unrelated or distantly related individuals (e.g. - friends, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews or cousins) may participate as separate households as long as one of the individuals is not under