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West Virginia Income Maintenance Manual Chapter 4

West Virginia Income Maintenance Manual Page 78 Chapter 4 Income

➢ Heating/Cooling Standard (HCS) To be eligible for the HCS, the AG must meet the following criteria. ▪ Heating or Cooling Costs AGs that are obligated to pay a heating or cooling expense that is billed on a regular basis are eligible for the HCS. There does not have to be a monthly bill for heating or cooling throughout the year, just a regular bill for heating or cooling during the appropriate season. To qualify for the HCS, the heating or cooling expenses must be for the primary source of heating or cooling. Heating expenses include, but are not limited to, the cost of electricity, gas, oil, coal, wood, wood pellets, and kerosene. Heating costs include only the fuel, and not related costs. Related expenses are those necessary to obtain the fuel or to operate the unit, such as electricity to run a gas furnace. Cooling expenses for the operation of air conditioning systems or room air conditioners are allowable expenses. Fans are not considered air conditioners and are not an allowable expense. Primary Heating Source Example: The use of electric space heaters by an AG whose primary source of heat is free gas, does not qualify the AG for the HCS. Related Expense Example: A client uses free firewood for heat but must pay for delivery. The delivery expense alone does not qualify the AG for the HCS. ▪ Separate Billing The expense for heating or cooling costs must be billed separately from the rent or mortgage, even if the AG combines those payments. This includes the following: • Residents of a private rental housing who are billed by the landlord for a heating or cooling cost based on actual use or charged a flat rate separately from the rent. • AGs that live in separate residences but share a single meter. • AGs that rent different residences in the same building and share utility meters, and one is billed for heating and one is billed for another utility. • Residents of public housing with shared utility meters who are billed for excess heating or cooling costs.