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VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT
OF SOCIAL SERVICES ENERGY ASSISTANCE
05/22 VOLUME IX, CHAPTER J, PAGE 10
2) The electric bill has been verified as being in the name of the applicant or a household member or the service address on the bill is the same as the applicant's.
3) If there is a disconnection and the amount exceeds the allowed maximum, the applicant must provide verification that the difference between the amount that is needed and the maximum, has been paid or has been approved for payment by another agency prior to approval of the application. Documentation of the verification must be included in the case record.
4) Assistance can be received more than once during the program year.
5) Assistance cannot pay charges for unauthorized usage.
The balance owed on the electric account must be verified. (Note: For vendors who allow the EAP inquiry access to their online system, the online system should be used to verify the current account information.) If the current balance is zero, the LDSS will deny the application. Prior to the end of the Cooling Assistance application period, the applicant may provide an electric bill showing a balance due. A new application is not required; the date the bill was received by the LDSS will be used as the new application date.
For individuals on a budget plan with a vendor, the amount of the payment will be the higher of the actual amount owed or the budget amount. If paying the higher amount would jeopardize the budget plan, pay the budgeted amount owed.
The LDSS will not process any payments for $0.99 or less.
Home Office will advise annually the maximum benefit amount for electric bill payments via broadcast.
h. Self Pick-up and Self Installation of an Air Conditioning Unit (Code H)
1) A household must meet the following two conditions to be eligible for the purchase of one air conditioner.
a) No operable air conditioner is owned or available to the household. If it is provided by the landlord, or borrowed, it is considered to be available to the household until it is removed or otherwise no longer available. If a household has stated that a cooling unit is borrowed, then states that it has been removed, the LDSS should obtain a signed statement either from the lender, or if such is unobtainable, a notarized statement from the applicant, that the unit is gone; and
b) The applicant or a member of the household owns the home or provides a landlord statement permitting installation and utilization of cooling equipment and verifying responsibility for the provision of the cooling equipment.
TRANSMITTAL #22-1