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VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES INCOME DEDUCTIONS

10/25 VOLUME V, PART X, PAGE 5

Each household must receive a thorough explanation of the options available in considering utility expenses. The household may switch between use of the standard and actual costs only at the time of certification. If a household moves while certified, the household may switch from one to the other. If the household initially chose to use actual utility costs but the utility standard was allowed because the household failed to declare costs or verify questionable information timely, the household may not switch to actual costs once the verification is provided.

f. The utility standard includes the basic service fee for a telephone so a household that uses the utility standard may not also claim a separate telephone expense. For a household that uses actual utility expenses and who incurs an expense for basic telephone service, or has an established percentage of such an expense, the household must use a telephone standard of $54, or the appropriate percentage of the standard.

The BPS must divide the telephone standard among households sharing the expense. A telephone expense is allowable even if the household is not entitled to any other utility allowance.

Example Two SNAP units live together and each pays half of the telephone bill. The bill includes charges for basic service. Each household will receive half the telephone standard as its telephone expense.

g. Initial installation fees charged by a telephone, utility, or septic tank company are allowed as an expense, over and above the cost of the actual utility. Initial installation fees are allowable even if the utility or phone standards are used. The household may choose to have the installation bill averaged over the months in the certification period or to have the bill assigned to the month received or due. If a payment or budget plan has been established, the expense may be allowed for each month in the payment plan.

h. One-time deposits for utilities, telephones, housing, etc., will not count as shelter costs.

i. Shelter expenses, as described above, include the costs for a home (owned or rented) that is temporarily unoccupied provided the household intends to return to the home. The home may be unoccupied because of employment, training, illness, or a natural disaster or loss. If the household has shelter expenses for both an occupied and unoccupied home, the household is entitled to only one utility or telephone standard.

The cost of shelter cannot be claimed if the vacated home is rented to someone else or if a rent-free occupant is claiming the cost of shelter for the home for SNAP purposes.

j. Verification requirements for shelter expenses are addressed in Part III.A. Receipts or statements from the provider are sources of acceptable verification.

TRANSMITTAL #36