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VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT

OF SOCIAL SERVICES ENERGY ASSISTANCE

06/16 VOLUME IX, CHAPTER G, PAGE 13

4) For households that received a direct payment for their Fuel Assistance benefit, verification that the Fuel Assistance benefit was used to purchase primary fuel is required prior to the approval of Crisis Assistance Primary Fuel.

Home Office will advise annually the maximum benefit amount for each primary fuel type via broadcast.

h. Payment of Primary Heat Utility Bill (Code X)

Applications are accepted the first working day of January through March 15.

1) This assistance can be provided when the following conditions exist:

a) The account or electric service is in the name of the applicant or a member of the household or the service address is the same as the applicant’s address as verified by the utility company; and

b) The household has exhausted all Fuel Assistance benefits this program year; and

c) The household has no heat or will have no heat because the primary heat source of electricity or natural gas has been cut off within the past thirty days; will be disconnected within fifteen days; or has a prepaid meter balance of $25 or less. A copy of the current cut-off/disconnect notice or verification of a prepaid meter balance of $25 or less must be provided by the applicant or verified by the LDSS.

If service is still on and the current delinquent bill or cut-off amount is equal to or less than the maximum for this type of assistance, the disconnect amount indicated on the disconnect notice or statement is to be paid. If the amount on the current disconnect notice or statement exceeds the allowed maximum, the applicant must provide verification that the difference between the amount needed and the maximum has been paid or has been approved for payment by another agency prior to approval of the application.

If service is already disconnected, the applicant must contact the utility company to obtain a written statement of the amount necessary to have services restored. If the amount needed exceeds the allowed maximum amount, the applicant must provide verification that the difference between the two amounts has been paid or has been approved for payment by another agency prior to approval of the application.

2) Assistance can be received only once per program year.

TRANSMITTAL # 16-1