Food assistance: determining eligibility of an assistance group when other non-assistance group members share the same address

A non-assistance group member is a member of the household who is not included in the assistance group such as: an individual who purchases and prepares separately, a roomer, live-in attendant, boarder, or an ineligible student.

(A) How are the income and resources of non-assistance group members treated? For all non-assistance group members who are not specifically mentioned in rule 5101:4-6-13 of the Administrative Code income and resources of such individuals shall not be considered available to the assistance group with whom the individual resides.

(B) How are cash payments made by a non-assistance group member to an assistance group member treated? Cash payments from a non-assistance group member to an assistance group will be considered income under the normal income standards specified in rule 5101:4-4-19 of the Administrative Code, unless the non-assistance group member is making a payment directly to the vendor. Payments made directly to a vendor shall be excluded as income.

(C) How are expenses shared between a non-assistance group member and an assistance group member treated?

(1) When the assistance group shares deductible expenses with the non-assistance group member, only the amount actually paid or contributed by the assistance group shall be deducted as an assistance group expense.

(2) When the payments or contributions cannot be differentiated, the expenses shall be prorated evenly among the individuals actually paying or contributing to the expense and only the assistance group's prorated share is deducted. If the assistance group is eligible for a utility allowance the utility allowance is not prorated.

(3) When the non-assistance group member and any assistance group member contribute to the costs of any utility covered under one of the utility allowances as described in rule 5101:4-4-23 of the Administrative Code the assistance group is entitled to the full utility allowance.

(D) How is the income of an assistance group member determined when the income is combined with the income of a non-assistance group member? When the income of one or more assistance group members and the income of a non-assistance group member are combined, the income of the assistance group members shall be determined as follows:

(1) When the assistance group member's share can be identified, the county agency shall count that portion as income; or

(2) When the assistance group member's share cannot be identified, the county agency shall prorate the income among all those whom it was intended for and only count the assistance group's prorated share.