Current through Register Vol. 54, No. 45, November 9, 2024
Section 501.7 - Treatment of income(a)Income deductions.(1)Heating standard utility allowance (SUA) and nonheating SUA- 7 CFR 273.9(d)(6). A CAO will offer an eligible household the opportunity to use the heating SUA, nonheating SUA or the household's actual utility costs except for actual telephone costs when computing the combined shelter and utility cost. The SUAs include a nonheating SUA and a heating SUA. The heating SUA is available to households which incur out-of-pocket heating or cooling, or both, costs, even if paid irregularly, separate and apart from their rent or mortgage payments. A household that receives energy assistance payments made under the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is entitled to the heating SUA even if it does not incur out-of-pocket costs. The nonheating SUA is available to households which incur utility costs exclusive of heating or cooling costs, or both.(2)Standard utility allowance amounts- 7 CFR 273.9(d)(6). The nonheating SUA amount is $181 and the heating SUA amount is $333 per month effective October 1, 2001. The heating SUA/nonheating SUA amounts are approved by FNS and reviewed annually by the Department in accordance with provisions of 7 CFR 273.9(d)(6) (relating to income and deductions). Future adjustments will be issued by the Department as a notice in the Pennsylvania Bulletin and codified in this subpart.(3)Telephone allowance- 7 CFR 273.9(d)(6). The telephone allowance is $26 per month effective October 1, 2001, regardless of the amount of the telephone charge. This allowance is available to households which incur telephone expenses. The Department has developed a method, that is FNS approved, for calculating the mandatory telephone allowance. Future adjustments will be issued by the Department as a notice in the Pennsylvania Bulletin and codified in this subpart.(4)Homeless shelter allowance- 7 CFR 273.9(d)(5)(i). Effective October 1, 1995, a $143 homeless shelter allowance for shelter expenses is available to households if all the members are homeless and are not receiving free shelter throughout the month. Future adjustments will be issued by the Department as a notice in the Pennsylvania Bulletin and codified in this subpart.(b)Conversion of income, determination of monthly income amount- 7 CFR 273.10(c)(2)(i). Whenever a household anticipates a full month's income, but it is received on a weekly or biweekly basis, the CAO will convert the income to a monthly amount by using the Department's Public Assistance conversion table for computing eligibility and allotment.(c)Handling interest income- 7 CFR 273.21(f)(2)(vi). For households in monthly reporting and having both earned income and unearned interest income, the CAO will use actual interest income received in the budget month to compute eligibility and allotment.The provisions of this §501.7 adopted January 3, 1992, effective 1/4/1992, 22 Pa.B. 23; amended September 24, 1993, effective upon publication, retroactively applicable to February 1, 1992, 23 Pa.B. 4502; amended September 30, 1994, effective 10/1/1994, 24 Pa.B. 4942; amended February 16, 1996, effective 10/1/1995, 26 Pa.B. 714; amended November 1, 1996, effective 10/1/1996, 26 Pa.B. 5261; amended October 16, 1998, effective 10/1/1998, 28 Pa.B. 5293; amended October 20, 2000, effective 10/1/2000, 30 Pa.B. 5495; amended January 18, 2002, effective 10/1/2001, 32 Pa.B. 392.