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COMBINED MANUAL

ISSUE DATE 10/2025

UTILITY DEDUCTIONS

0018.15.09

MFIP, MSA, GA, GRH: No provisions.

DWP: Allow actual verified utility expenses and the flat rate of $35 for telephone service, if applicable, in determining the amount of the grant. See 0022.12 (How to Calc. Benefit Level - MFIP/DWP/GA).

SNAP: The utility expenses a unit is responsible for are part of the shelter deduction. All SNAP units that are responsible for utility expenses separate from any other shelter expenses, such as rent, are allowed 1 or more of the mandatory standard utility deductions. For self-employed persons also claiming utility expenses as a business expense, continue to allow the applicable standard utility deduction.

Never prorate a utility deduction.

ALLOWING UTILITY EXPENSES

Units can have either the heat/air standard utility deduction OR one or both of the electric and phone standard utility deduction(s) when they are not responsible for heating and/or cooling expenses.

A unit is responsible for a cooling expense if it must pay expenses for operating any type of air conditioning system AND there is a reasonable expectation the unit will use air conditioning at any point during the year. A unit is responsible for a heating expense if it must pay for operating any heating system AND there is a reasonable expectation the unit will use heat at any point during the year

Allow the Heat/Air Standard Utility Deduction of $667 for units that meet one of the following criteria: ● Responsible for heating and/or cooling expenses. This includes units who pay for additional expenses outside of their main heating and/or cooling source (for example, a SNAP unit that has heat included in their rent expense but incurs an additional expense for use of a space heater).

● Shares heating and/or cooling expenses with a separate unit at their residence (no proration).

● Received Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) of more than $20 any time in the past 12 months and anywhere in the United States, regardless of whether they incur expenses for heating and/or cooling.

● Share the expenses with an ineligible person (no proration).

For units who are not responsible for heating and/or cooling expenses: ● Allow the electric standard utility deduction of $235 per month for units that are responsible for an electricity expense.

● Allow the phone standard utility deduction of $62 per month for units that are responsible for a phone expense. The phone standard utility deduction is allowed for phone expenses when the unit is responsible to pay for service. This includes but is not limited to: -Cell phones (monthly billing, pre-paid minutes or dollar value, etc.). -Land lines -Telecommunications Relay Services (captioned, internet, speech-to-speech, TTY, video, etc.). -Voice Over Internet (VOIP, internet phone).

● If the unit is responsible for both electric and phone expenses, both standard utility deductions are allowed.

ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS

● Allow the applicable standard utility deduction for a unit when expenses are paid by: