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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 | Waivers SNAP - Other Waivers

FNS will not allow states to adjust adverse action requirements. States would have been allowed to suspend termination of cases and/or reducing benefit levels when cases should have been terminated or benefits reduced.

05/05/2021
Resource | Technical Assistance & Guidance Pandemic Electronic Benefits Transfer (P-EBT) Questions and Answers for Retailers

FNS published the SNAP: P-EBT Integrity Final Rule which requires FNS to treat P-EBT benefits the same as SNAP benefits for the purposes of identifying and sanctioning program violators.

11/04/2020
Resource | Notices Comment Request - SNAP Repayment Demand and Program Disqualification

 This is a revision of currently approved information collection requirements associated with initiating collection actions against households who have received an overissuance in SNAP.

08/31/2020
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 | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2019-0079 Clarifying Requirements for Compliance with Prisoner Verification System and Deceased Matching System Regulations

The purpose of this memo is to reiterate the importance of state compliance with the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program regulations, Prisoner Verification System and Deceased Matching System.

09/24/2019
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2018-0020 Clarifications on Work Requirements, ABAWDs, and E&T

The Office of lnspector General's 2016 Audit Report, Food and Nutrition Service Controls over SNAP Benefits for Able Bodied Adults without Dependents, recommended that FNS perform analysis to identify problematic areas for states in terms of ABAWD policy and then provide states with additional best practices to address those areas. 

05/25/2018
Resource | Comment Request Comment Request - SNAP Repayment Demand and Program Disqualification

This collection is a revision of currently approved information collection requirements associated with initiating collection actions against households who have received an overissuance in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

06/29/2017
Resource | Final Rule Final Rule: Local School Wellness Policy Implementation Under the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010; Approval of Information Collection Request

The final rule titled Local School Wellness Policy Implementation Under the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 was published on July 29, 2016. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) cleared the associated information collection requirements on Sept. 12, 2016. This document announces approval of the ICR.

01/09/2017
Page updated: October 14, 2021