FNS Documents & Resources

States annually update Standard Utility Allowances (SUAs) to reflect changes in utility costs. When determining a household’s eligibility, states consider a household’s total shelter costs, including the cost of utilities. Since actual utility costs are often hard to determine, states can use SUAs, which are standard amounts that represent low-income household utility costs in the state or local area. SUAs may be used in lieu of the household's actual costs when determining eligibility and benefit amount.

This is a letter clarifying public charge policy as it pertains to SNAP participation. The letter was sent to SNAP state commissioners in Jan. 2022.

This is a letter clarifying public charge policy as it pertains to SNAP participation. The letter is jointly signed by FNS and USCIS.

This letter provides key information about a change in the way the Department of Homeland Security is administering the public charge ground of inadmissibility.

This letter is an update to the April 12, 2021 letter that USCIS issued concerning public charge and how it interacts with the food assistance programs, including SNAP.

DUSEC letter to Commissioners on the new DHS rule on public charge (2022)

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is amending its regulations to prescribe how it determines whether noncitizens are inadmissible to the United States because they are likely at any time to become a public charge.

Esta es una carta que aclara la política de la carga publica en lo que se refiere a participación de SNAP. La carta fue enviada a los comisionados estatales de SNAP en enero de 2022.

Esta es una carta que aclara la política de carga pública en lo que respecta a la participación en SNAP. La carta está firmada conjuntamente por FNS y USCIS.