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Page | 196 months or received a weatherization payment in last 12 months) the household can receive the SUA due to receipt of LIEAP. If there is not an elderly or disabled household member receiving LIEAP, then the household must prove they are responsible for heating or cooling costs in order to receive the SUA. 2. Limited utility allowance (LUA) of $265 Household must be responsible for at least two non-heating/cooling utility expenses. 3. One utility allowance (OUA) of $109 Household must be responsible for only one non-heating/cooling utility expense. The OUA is not allowed if the household’s only utility expense is a telephone (the telephone standard should be allowed). 4. Phone utility allowance (PUA) of $60 Household must be responsible for any portion of the basic service fee for a telephone (including cellular phones) and it is the household’s only allowable utility expense.

The utility expense does not have to be incurred each month. A household which incurs utility costs on an irregular basis may continue to receive the allowance between billing periods if the household is otherwise eligible to receive the allowance.

If the household is billed for a utility expense and is expected to pay the expense, the household is allowed the full utility allowance, even if an ineligible or disqualified individual shares in the expense. If the ineligible/disqualified individual pays the entire cost of the utilities, the household is not allowed a deduction. (An ineligible member is a non-household member like an ineligible student, individual who does not purchase/prepare meals with the household, etc. A disqualified individual for this exemption is defined as an individual disqualified for ABWAD time limits, IPV, work sanctions including voluntary quits, SSN, TANF sanction, or alien status or FDIR IPV carryover disqualification.)

Two households residing together who purchase, prepare and consume meals separately and share the utility costs each receive the same utility standard. If two households in different residences share a utility expense via the same meter, each receives the full allowance.

10411 STANDARD UTILITY ALLOWANCE (SUA): $950

The standard utility allowance (SUA) will be available to households that incur either heating or cooling costs separate and apart from their rent/mortgage or if an elderly or disabled household member received a verified Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LIEAP) payment greater than $20 made in the current month or the immediately preceding 12 months.

Eligibility for the SUA should be the first step in the utility allowance determination. If the household is not eligible for the SUA, eligibility for the other three remaining utility allowances (LUA, OUA, PUA) should be determined. The following are ways that the household may be eligible for the SUA:

Example 1: A household incurs a heating expense September through May, but no cooling expense is incurred in the summer. The household is still entitled to the standard utility allowance in summer months. The EABS only needs to determine that an expense is regularly incurred during the appropriate season. Example 2: A household pays an excess electricity payment for the summer months. The household has an air conditioner. The household is allowed the standard utility allowance year-round. (If the household did not have an air conditioner, the household could receive the limited utility allowance or the one utility allowance, whichever is appropriate.)