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If two or more separate households live together and each pays a utility expense, each household is entitled to the same full appropriate utility allowance, such as the SUA, regardless of how the expenses are divided between the households. The utility allowance is not prorated. If one household pays all of the utility expenses and the other household pays none, only the household paying the expenses is entitled to the appropriate utility allowance as an expense. STANDARD UTILITY ALLOWANCE (SUA): The SUA is a $799.00 utility expense and is available to the following households: 1. Households incurring heating or cooling expenses separately from their rent or mortgage including any households charged only for excess heating/cooling costs if the household pays or is anticipated to pay excess heating/cooling costs for any one month. 2. Households containing an elderly (60 or older) or a disabled member and receiving a benefit greater than $20 annually from the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) or in other similar energy assistance benefits in the current month or in the immediately preceding 12 months; the LIHEAP payment does not have to be for the household’s current address. The household must have received payment (or had a payment made on its behalf); intention to apply or application for (but not approval of) the LIHEAP benefit does not meet the requirement to be eligible for the SUA. LIHEAP certifications run from 10/01 through 09/30 of the following year. 3. Households in private/public rental housing who incur heating/cooling costs and are billed by their landlords based on individual usage or who are charged a flat rate separately from their rent. 4. Households containing an elderly (60 or older) or a disabled member and receiving direct or indirect energy assistance that is excluded from income consideration (other than that provided under the LIHEAA) only if the amount of the expense exceeds the amount of the assistance, and the expense is for heating/cooling costs. NOTE: The eligibility staff member must thoroughly document their decision whether the SUA was or was not allowed as shelter expense. The eligibility staff member uses past utility information when it is an indication of what is expected in the future. If the household's average utility costs exceed the HUD energy assistance and it is anticipated the same will most likely recur, the household is allowed the SUA. If the past utility information leads the eligibility staff member to believe that the same will not occur, such as HUD expects to provide more assistance and the household expects less utility expenses, the SUA is not allowed. 5. Households containing an elderly (60 or older) or a disabled member and receiving direct or indirect energy assistance that is counted as income and incur a heating or cooling expense. LIMITED UTILITY ALLOWANCE (LUA): LUA is a $267.00 utility expense and is available to households not entitled to the SUA but they incur at least two non-heating/cooling utilities, such as electricity, water, sewer, garbage, or telephone including a cell phone if that is the only telephone used in the home. ONE UTILITY ALLOWANCE (OUA):