ENERGY PROGRAMS EP-150 HOUSEHOLD COMPOSITION

1 Section 150 Change #2-2023 June 2 ,2023

EP - 150 HOUSEHOLD COMPOSITION CHANGE #1-2023. June 2, 2023

150. 01 WHO MUST BE INCLUDED IN THE APPLICATION? Include in the application everyone who lives at the same residence unless it is known to be a boarding house or contain separate apartments. If it is a known boarding house or separate apartment with a separate heat source, there must be a written or lease agreement. Special Note: Do not include an ineligible alien in the number in the household but do count his reserve and prorate his income into the budget. Households have the option to include or exclude foster children in the Low Income Energy Assistance Program case. If the child is included, count income of the child and foster care payment. If the child is not included, exclude all income of the child including the foster care payment. See: Section EP-175 United States Citizenship 150.02 Change in Household Composition CIP and LIEAP benefits follow head of household. Example 1: Husband applies as head of household and is approved for CIP and LIEAP on January 14th for himself, wife and two children. Husband moves and establishes new residence but leaves electric bill at previous residence with wife in his name. Wife comes in on March 27th to apply for CIP and LIEAP. Even though the bill is still in the husband’s name, since husband was head of household on previous application and no longer lives at this address, wife is eligibility for benefits as a new household without the husband. Example 2: Mother applies as head of household and is approved for CIP and LIEAP on February 3rd for herself and her 22-year-old daughter. February 27th daughter moves into her own apartment and comes to apply for assistance with getting her lights turned on. Since daughter has moved out and is now her own head of household, she is eligible for the full CIP assistance amount. Example 3: Girlfriend applies as head of household and is approved for $257.00 in CIP benefits on July 23rd for herself, her boyfriend, and his daughter. December 10th girlfriend moves out and establishes a new residence and applies for CIP assistance at new residence. She is only eligible to receive assistance at the new address in the amount of $343.00, which is the remainder of her $600.00 CIP amount for the current FY.

ENERGY PROGRAMS UNITED STATES CITIZENSHIP

1 Section 175 Change #1-2011 December 1, 2011 EP – 175 UNITED STATES CITIZENSHIP Change #1-2011 December 1, 2011

175.01 WHAT IS THE CITIZENSHIP REQUIREMENT?

A. A household must include at least one:

1. U. S. citizen, or

2. Eligible alien.

B. At application the applicant must state the names of all aliens in the household.

C. The applicant must also provide original documentation from the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for each alien.

D. Illegal aliens are not eligible.

175.02 WHO IS A UNITED STATES CITIZEN?

A. Any person born in the continental U. S., Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Guam, U. S. Virgin Islands, Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, Swains Islands, or

B. Any person who is a naturalized citizen of the U. S.

175.03 HOW DO YOU VERIFY AND DOCUMENT UNITED STATES CITIZENSHIP?

A. Applicant's statement - Unless the applicant's statement is questionable, accept his statement as verification.

The applicant's statement is questionable when:

1. The claim of citizenship is inconsistent with statements made by the applicant or with other information on the application.

2. The claim of citizenship is inconsistent with information received from another source.

3. Any household member was born outside the U. S. to a parent or parents who are U. S. citizens. In this situation, the applicant must provide verification of citizenship for the person born outside the U. S. (See 175.03 B.)

B. If the applicant's statement is questionable, verify citizenship using:

1. Birth certificates, or

2. Hospital/doctors' records established at time of birth. This includes a hospital- issued birth certificate; or

3. Birth certificates or documents verifying the U.S. citizenship of at least one parent, and that the child is the biological child of that parent.

Example: A mother applying for benefits for herself and two children was born in Texas but the children were born in Mexico, as the mother spent time in both countries. If the mother can prove that she is a U.S. citizen and that the children are her biological children, the children are U.S. citizens.

ENERGY PROGRAMS EP-300 LOW INCOME ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM 1 Section 300 Change #2-2026 May 1, 2026 EP – 300 LOW INCOME ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM CHANGE 2-2026 May 1, 2026 300.01 LOW INCOME ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (LIEAP) The Low-Income Energy Assistance Program (LIEAP) provides a one-time annual energy provider payment to help eligible families pay their heating expenses. The following sections of the Energy Programs manual also apply to LIEAP: Section Section Number Contracting and Vendor Agreement 120 Retention 125 Appeals and Hearing Process 135 Overpayments and Fraud 140 Household Composition 150 U. S. Citizenship and Non-Citizens 175 Energy Programs Outreach Plan 200 Low Income Energy Assistance Program System Instructions 620 300.02 APPLICATION REQUIREMENT A. Everyone who wishes to apply for the Low-Income Energy Assistance Program (LIEAP) must be given the opportunity to apply without delay during the appropriate application time frame. Appointments are not required for LIEAP applications. The following is the priority group that can apply for benefits for LIEAP from December 1st through December 31st: 1. Households containing an elderly person aged 60 and above or 2. Households containing persons with disabilities that receive services through the Division of Aging and Adult Services (DAAS). Disabled persons are defined as receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Social Security Administration (SSA), or Veterans Administration (VA) disability.

CHANGE NOTICE FOR MANUAL

DATE:

September 1, 2026

MANUAL:

Energy Programs Manual

TO:

County Directors of Social Services

CHANGE NO: 03-2026

SUBJECT:

Policy Updates

EFFECTIVE: October 1, 2026

I. BACKGROUND

The purpose of this change notice is to update the Federal Poverty Level for Federal Fiscal year 2027 for the Crisis Intervention Program and the Low-Income Energy Assistance Program of the Energy Programs Manual.

II. SPECIFIC CHANGES

• Section 300.09 Income and Deductions • Section 400.03 F3: Eligibility Determination- Federal Poverty Level

III. IMPLEMENTATION INSTRUCTIONS

This new Federal Poverty Level will be effective October 1, 2026. Submit any questions regarding this policy to DSS.Policy.Questions@dhhs.nc.gov

Sincerely,

Allison W. Smith, Deputy Director, Economic and Family Services AWS/js

Attachments (1): EP-300 & 400