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Resource | Policy Standard Utility Allowances

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.

10/01/2023
Resource | Comment Request Comment Request - SNAP State Agency Options for Standard Utility Allowances and Self-Employment Income

This information collection addresses the state agency reporting burden associated with the following state agency options under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP): Establishing and reviewing standard utility allowances (SUAs) and establishing methodology for offsetting cost of producing self-employment income.

10/25/2019
Resource | Proposed Rule Proposed Rule: SNAP Standardization of State Heating and Cooling Standard Utility Allowances

The proposed rule would revise SNAP regulations to standardize the methodology for calculating standard utility allowances. 

10/03/2019
Resource | Fact Sheets Modernizing the State Heating and Cooling Standard Utility Allowances

In October 2019, FNS published a proposed rule entitled “Standardization of State Heating and Cooling Standard Utility Allowances.” This action modernizes the standard utility allowances used in calculating Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits in order to enhance program integrity and ensure equity among program participants.

10/01/2019
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2019-0067 United States Citizenship and Immigration Service Restated its Longstanding Policy Regarding Public Charge

Letters to various directors of Human Services with attached public charge fact sheet.

08/23/2019
Resource | Research | Assessing/Improving Operations Methods to Standardize State Standard Utility Allowances

This study develops standard methodologies that might be used to construct standard utility allowances, which are used by States as part of the SNAP eligibility and benefit determination.

08/04/2017
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2015-0004 Haitian Family Reunification Parole Program

FNS has received several inquiries regarding the eligibility of participants in the Department of Homeland Security's new Haitian Family Reunification Parole Program for SNAP benefits.

01/28/2015
Page updated: October 14, 2021