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Page | 198 B. Cooling Costs Electricity expenses required to operate an air conditioner (window or central unit). Households billed separate from their rent/mortgage for an allowable cooling cost are entitled to claim the Standard Utility Allowance if the expense is verified. Households in public housing units who pay an excess heating or cooling costs are allowed the SUA, even if the costs are only incurred for the season if the expense is verified.

C. Weatherization Payments Elderly or Disabled households members who live in an individual unit or mutli-unit dwelling and received a qualifying weatherization program payment in the last 12 months, are eligible to receive the SUA. To identify if the household received a qualifying payment the Benefits Specialists should ask the household if they have received a weatherization payment in the last 12 months. Benefits Specialists can verify this through their local Community Action Program (CAP) office. If verification cannot be received through the CAP office, contact State Office program staff for assistance. Use ACCESS code “L” on UTIL pnl for households who have an elderly or disabled household member with a weatherization payment and narrate that a weatherization payment was received in the last 12 months.

A qualifying payment for the weatherization program follows the same guidelines as a LIEAP payment. The payment must be greater than $20 made in the current month or the immediately preceding 12 months.

10412 LIMITED UTILITY ALLOWANCE (LUA): $265

The limited utility allowance (LUA) will be available only to households that incur at least two of the non-heating/cooling utilities costs (listed below) separate from their rent or mortgage. Non heating and cooling utility expenses are:

1. Electricity Costs are allowed if the electricity is not used for heating or cooling reasons and is billed or incurred separately from the household’s rent or mortgage. 2. Cooking Fuel Costs are allowed if the cooking fuel is not used for heat and is billed or incurred separately from the household’s rent or mortgage. 3. Water Costs are allowed if the household is billed or incurs water expenses separately from the household’s rent or mortgage. Example 1: The household rents an apartment (either public or private). Besides the monthly rental charge, the household pays $10 a month for the summer months. The $10 a month is to pay for the excess electricity generated by the household’s air conditioning unit. The household is allowed the SUA year-round because of its verified cooling costs.

Example 2: The household rents a house for $300 plus they are responsible for electricity. The house has central air, which was verified. The household is entitled to the SUA because of the cooling costs.

Example 3: The household pays rent plus an excess fee for added electricity costs for a freezer. The household is not entitled to an SUA because it does not have heating or cooling costs. The household may receive the limited utility allowance or the one utility allowance, whichever is appropriate, if verified.

Example 4: The household’s only utility is electricity. The household uses window fans for cooling. The household is not entitled to the SUA because it doesn’t have cooling but is entitled to the one utility allowance if verified.