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.
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.
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.
The proposed rule would revise SNAP regulations to standardize the methodology for calculating 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.
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.
Deadline for Issuing a Notice of Adverse Action
Guide to Improving Notices of Adverse Action (NOAAs)
Comparable Disqualifications
Clarification of Comparable Disqualifications
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.
The guide allows you to evaluate NOAAs to see how well they work for clients; and improve them using proven plain language and information design techniques. In addition, the guide contains models for general notices—providing you with some basic language and formatting examples that can be adapted to notices.
The purpose of this memorandum is to provide regional offices and state agencies with information that can help them examine and revise client notices of denial and termination to improve SNAP customer service and program access.