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Nevada Division of Welfare and Supportive Services Energy Assistance Program Manual

902 BENEFIT AMOUNT

The benefit amount is based on the household size, countable income and their energy usage as detailed in section 803. Households are required to contribute to the cost of their energy usage by paying the current energy burden percentage (see Appendix B for current energy burden percentage) of their income towards their energy costs. The EAP system is designed to determine the amount of the benefit and which funding source an eligible household’s benefit will be paid from based on the information entered by the case manager. A. Households with UEC and Non-UEC Utility Vendors If a household pays a UEC on one utility bill and also has a non-UEC vendor or wood, coal and/or propane energy costs, they may be eligible to receive assistance from both the UEC funding source and the LIHEAP funding source. UEC funds are paid to the UEC vendor, not to exceed the UEC annual usage. Non-UEC funding is paid to the utility vendor/client who is not a UEC participant. 903 ELIGIBLE HOUSEHOLDS Benefits are approved after all eligibility requirements are met. Prior to approval, the case manager must ensure the following: I. The application form is completed and signed; and II. The applicant has signed the Rights & Obligations form explaining their rights and responsibilities; and III. All required verification according to policy is in the eligibility case file and date stamped with the date it was received by any DWSS office and/or the Energy Assistance Program office; and IV. The authorized representative has been re-established, if applicable. At approval the client must be issued a Notice of Decision and ‘Make Your Benefits Last All Year’ letter (see MS 903(A)). The Notice of Decision must: 1. outline the benefits awarded to the household;

2. indicate benefit payments are made within thirty (30) working days; 3. identify the benefit year for which payment is being made; 4. inform the household of their responsibility to pay on the account before the energy credit appears on the bill, and after the credit is exhausted; and, 5. inform the household of their right to appeal the amount of the benefit and the instructions on how to submit the appeal. MTL 01/24 June 25, 2024 - 2 - Section 900 – Case Disposition