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Title 7: SNAP Page 57 Iowa Department of Health and Human Services Employees’ Manual Chapter E: Income Deductions Revised February 13, 2026 Standard Utility Allowances 3. Compare the results with the actual utility costs the household had for each month throughout that same October-through-September period. If the actual costs exceeded the prorated amount of payment in any of those months, the household is eligible for the standard utility allowance. Little Standard Utility Allowance Legal reference: 7 CFR 273.9(d)(6) The little standard utility allowance is $292 per month, per household. A household can get the little standard utility allowance when it is responsible for paying any portion of the following utility costs either directly to the utility provider, to a landlord, or to someone with whom the household shares these expenses:  Water  Sewer  Electricity for other than heating or air-conditioning  Cooking fuel  Garbage disposal This includes excess or flat fees for these costs. Use this allowance for the entire year if the household is entitled to it. Telephone Standard Utility Allowance Legal reference: 7 CFR 273.9(d) The telephone standard utility allowance is $36 per month, per household. A household can get the telephone standard utility allowance when it is responsible for any portion of the basic service fee for a telephone (including cellular phone) and it is the household’s only utility expense. The telephone expense is already included in the other standard utility allowances. For cellular phones, the cost is deductible whether the household pays a monthly fee or buys a prepaid card with a certain dollar value or number of minutes.