Page 5

DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES FAMILY INVESTMENT ADMINISTRATION SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (SNAP) MANUAL UTILITY ALLOWANCES Section 214 Page 5

214.2 Shared Utility Costs (continued)

D. The household may pay its portion of the utility expense directly to the utility company, to the landlord, or to the household with which it shares utility expenses.

E. When two or more households live in separate housing units (such as apartments, trailers, houses, etc.) and share one utility meter, each household gets a full allowance.

Example: Mr. Johns and Mr. Jeffers live in the same apartment complex (but separate apartments) as Ms. Smith and Ms. Jones. They share utility meters and divide all expenses in half. Both households are entitled to the full SUA.

214.3 Telephone Allowance

A. The telephone allowance is a flat rate (see section 600.3) for those households that incur a telephone cost. This includes a cell phone.

B. Give the household the full allowance regardless of the amount paid on the bill or if the bill is shared among several households.

C. Do not give the telephone allowance if the household is eligible for a utility allowance. If a household has a telephone expense and any other utility expense that is not for heating or cooling, the household is eligible for the LUA only and not the telephone allowance.

214.4 Examples of Utility Allowance Policy

Situation Utility Allowance The SNAP benefit household is a tenant whose apartment has a separate meter for electricity. The household has a phone. The heat is provided centrally in the landlord’s name and the cost is included in the customer’s rent. LUA - Neither heat nor air conditioning is included in the billing to the SNAP household and the household pays an electric and phone bill. phone. REVISED SEPTEMBER 2025