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VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES HANDLING CHANGES

10/24 VOLUME V, PART XIV, PAGE 14

benefits for the month of application. (Code the delay in processing as Agency Delay so that the household may receive benefits for the month of application, provided the verification is provided by the 30th day or the 10th day noted above.)

3. If the change is reported after Day 30 so that the processing period has already been extended, the household would still get 10 days to provide the additional information. Benefits would be prorated back to the date of the request for the additional information if the verification is provided on or before the 10th day instead of prorating from the date when the final element was verified.

4. Once the changed element has been verified, the new information must be factored in the benefit calculation for the month of application as well as any months that follow the application month. Eligibility and benefit level for the household must be based on the income and expenses already received/reported as well as elements that are anticipated with reasonable certainty to occur during the month.

5. There will be instances when the change will not affect the application month. Such an instance would be when there is a change in the household’s composition. Part XIII.A.1 requires that household composition must be evaluated as of the application date so that any change to the household’s membership would be reflected the month after the month of the change. This restriction would also include any associated changes such as calculating the income or personal deductions for a specific member.

6. The application must be denied if the household fails to verify the new elements or the items requested originally.

C. INTERIM REPORT FILING

All households must file an Interim Report by the sixth or twelfth month of the certification period unless they are exempt from filing as noted below. In instances where households lose ESAP eligibility, the Interim Report may be due by month 24. Household composition and financial circumstances at the time of application will be the basis of the SNAP benefit amount for the first half of the certification period unless the household reports a change during the certification period before the Interim Report period. Household composition and financial circumstances reported on the Interim Report will be the basis of the SNAP benefit amount for the remainder of the certification period unless the household reports additional changes after filing the Interim Report.

1. Exemption from Filing

The following households are exempt from filing Interim Reports:

a. Households with certification periods of six months or less which may include: 1) Households with unstable or changeable circumstances, such as homeless households and households with migrant or seasonal farm workers.

2) Households that receive Transitional Benefits for former TANF recipients.

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