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Chapter: 0200 General Program Information Program: FS 2 0210.0103 Eligibility Criteria (FS) Individuals who purchase and prepare food together will be considered an assistance group for food stamp purposes and will have their eligibility determined together. Individuals who apply for food stamps must qualify on the basis of income. Almost all types of income are counted. After adding all the assistance group's countable income, the eligibility specialist must allow certain adjustments. In order to be eligible, the total income must fall below certain limits, depending on the assistance group's size.

In addition, families and individuals must meet work registration requirements as well as certain citizenship and residency requirements. Eligibility criteria are established by USDA and are uniform throughout the United States.

Any assistance group in which all members are recipients of TCA, RAP and/or SSI benefits are considered categorically eligible because of their status. Eligibility factors accepted without further verification unless questionable for FS eligibility, TCA, RAP, and/or SSI eligibility are:

1. gross and net income limits, 2. assets, 3. SSN information, 4. sponsored noncitizen information, and 5. residency.

Broad-based categorically eligible standard filing units are categorically eligible because they received information about Temporary Assistance for Needy Families or Maintenance of Effort funded services or benefits in an ACCESS Florida notice. Broad-based categorically eligible standard filing units must meet the gross income limit, which is 200% of the federal poverty level. Standard filing units that contain a member disqualified for IPV, fleeing felon, felony drug trafficking, felons who are not compliant with their sentence terms and who committed either a federal or state felony for: aggravated sexual abuse, murder, sexual exploitation of children, or sexual assault, or an employment and training sanction are not broad-based categorically eligible.