FNS Documents & Resources

It has come to FNS's attention that, due to unusual shifts in utility costs, SNAP benefits to needy families may decrease when states make annual SUA adjustments this year - even if the circumstances of those households remain constant.

For over thirty years, SNAP has deducted the cost of telephones in determining a household's eligibility and benefit amounts, either by deducting actual telephone bills or standard telephone allowances.

Recently, it has been brought to the national office's attention that there is some confusion concerning the treatment of income received from the Summer Youth Employment Opportunities element under the Workforce Investment Act.

This memo clarifies which retirement accounts the Act expressly excludes from resources.

In response to several requests and to assist state agencies and school food authorities in their compliance efforts, we are providing the following prototype contract language requiring the return of purchase incentives to SFAs.

This memo address under what circumstances a state agency may disallow a deduction based on failure to report or verify expenses.

FSP legislative and regulatory provisions do not, either directly or indirectly, address the treatment of gift cards for program purposes. While these rules can potentially be interpreted to count gift cards as a resource, we believe this would be inadvisable since attempts to verify the existence and value of the cards during the certification process would be extremely difficult, problematic and subject to error.

PL 109-163 made the Department of Defense’s Family Subsistence Supplemental Allowance  permanently available.

Several state agencies have recently asked FNS to approve increases in their Standard Utility Allowances (SUA’s) for heating and cooling based on projections of substantial price increases in energy sources – particularly natural gas. We are aware of broad interest in the issue of the impact of higher energy prices on household budgets and appreciate the conferences and correspondence that bring this issue to our attention.

This memorandum provides guidance to state administrators in making household eligibility determinations in all nutrition assistance programs administered by FNS.