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VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT

OF SOCIAL SERVICES ENERGY ASSISTANCE

06/08 VOLUME IX, CHAPTER C, PAGE 8

b. Significant Income Changes

A significant income change is one that will change the eligibility status of the case. Unless there has been a significant change with the potential for causing eligibility or ineligibility, any verification available in current records in the LDSS will be used prior to requesting other verifications. Re-verification of income may be obtained if a significant change occurs having the potential to cause eligibility or ineligibility.

Examples: • If the applicant was employed in September, but lost his job just prior to applying for Fuel Assistance, the worker would verify the current situation and enter that information into the system to determine eligibility.

• If the applicant just obtained a job, the worker would verify the current situation. If no income has been received, the income would be zero. If less than one month's income has been received, enter that amount into the system to determine eligibility.

• If the applicant’s spouse dies, the worker would verify the applicant’s current income and enter that information into the system.

5. Citizenship and Alien Status

a. Declaration of Citizenship and Alien Status

The applicant must indicate on the application that all individuals in the household have declared their citizenship/alien status. As long as the signed application reflects an unquestioned status of all household members, it will be considered accurate and current. Refusal by the applicant to declare the status of any individual will result in ineligibility for that individual. Any member of the household who has not declared his/her status or has been found ineligible for a reason below will not be included in the number of household members eligible for assistance. However, the gross income of that person will be counted in determining income eligibility for the household unit.

Documentation of the source of verification must be entered on the appropriate Energy Assistance component Worksheet/Evaluation form.

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