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annual gross income. • Households with self-employment income must complete a self-employment worksheet, covering the previous six or twelve calendar months.

2. Energy Burden

At the time of application, each household that makes direct-to-vendor payments for their heat are required to submit a current copy of their electric utility bill, regardless of the household’s primary heating source. This information will be used to determine a household’s energy burden.

C. Application Process

State residents may apply for energy assistance online, by email or mail using the standardized program application form, or in person at their local CAA or intake site. Residents may also initiate the application process by phone. In-person applications are taken in confidential settings to the maximum extent practicable. Documentation of income must be verifiable, or supported by affidavits, and households are required to fully comply with all reasonable requests for assistance in verifying eligibility through documentation. The state, through its agents or grantees, reserves the right to investigate and verify the income of households in order to protect the integrity of the program.

D. Households Claiming No Income

Households claiming no income in the period prior to the application date must sign and submit an affidavit declaring their means of support for that period. The affidavit is required to include authorization to allow the state, through its agents or grantees, to verify all income and the financial status of the household.

E. Household “52-week” Option

Any household has the option of having an eligibility determination based on income from all household members for the 52 weeks prior to the date of application if that presents a more accurate reflection of the household's annual income.

F. Temporary Family Assistance (TFA) Households

Households whose TFA benefits have expired due to program time limits will be contacted directly by the CAA to encourage their participation in the energy assistance program.

G. Prioritized Services Households shall qualify for “prioritized services” if they meet the following criteria: • Heat with a deliverable fuel; • Are without heating fuel or are within one week of being without heating fuel; and • Submit a completed application during the program period in which fuel deliveries may be authorized.

Prioritized services include processing completed applications within 24 hours, or on the next business day, in order to determine eligibility. A deliverable fuel heated household that is determined eligible under these circumstances shall receive a fuel delivery authorization no later than 18 hours after the household has been determined eligible.