PDFWAC 388-450-0195

Does the department use my utility costs when calculating my basic food or WASHCAP benefits?

(1) The department uses utility allowances instead of the actual utility costs your assistance unit (AU) pays when we determine your:
(a) Monthly benefits under WAC 388-492-0070 if you receive Washington state combined application project (WASHCAP); or
(b) Shelter cost income deduction under WAC 388-450-0190 for basic food.
(2) We use the following amounts if you have utility costs separate from your rent or mortgage payment:
(a) If your AU has heating or cooling costs or receives more than twenty dollars in low income home energy assistance program (LIHEAP) benefits each year, you get a standard utility allowance (SUA) of four hundred forty-nine dollars.
(b) If your household does not receive a LIHEAP payment and the reason is solely because of your immigration status, you get a SUA of four hundred forty-nine dollars.
(c) If your AU does not qualify for the SUA and you have any two utility costs listed in subsection (3) of this section, you get a limited utility allowance (LUA) of three hundred fifty-two dollars.
(d) If your AU has only telephone costs and no other utility costs, you get a telephone utility allowance (TUA) of fifty-nine dollars.
(3) "Utility costs" include the following:
(a) Heating or cooling fuel;
(b) Electricity or gas;
(c) Water;
(d) Sewer;
(e) Well installation/maintenance;
(f) Septic tank installation/maintenance;
(g) Garbage/trash collection; and
(h) Telephone service.
(4) If you do not have a utility cost separate from your rent or mortgage payment and do not receive low income energy assistance program (LIHEAP), you do not receive a utility allowance.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.005, 74.04.050, 74.04.055, 74.04.057, 74.04.500, 74.04.510, 74.08.090, 74.08A.120 and 7 C.F.R. § 273.9 (a)(3), "USDA, Food and Nutrition Service, SNAP—Fiscal Year 2021 Cost-of-Living Adjustments (July 29, 2020)," and "USDA, Food and Nutrition Service, Standard utility allowance approval letter (August 4, 2020)" and H.R.133 Consolidated Appropriations Act 2021. WSR 21-13-122, § 388-450-0195, filed 6/21/21, effective 7/22/21. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.005, 74.04.050, 74.04.055, 74.04.057, 74.04.500, 74.04.510, 74.08.090, 74.08A.120, and P.L. 115-334 § 4004. WSR 20-04-021, § 388-450-0195, filed 1/27/20, effective 2/27/20. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.005, 74.04.050, 74.04.055, 74.04.057, 74.04.500, 74.04.510, 74.08.090, 74.08A.120 and 7 C.F.R. §§ 273.1, 273.9 (d)(iii)(B); SNAP - FY 2019 COLAS dated July 27, 2018; and SNAP UA 2019 dated August 23, 2018. WSR 19-01-031, § 388-450-0195, filed 12/12/18, effective 1/12/19. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.005, 74.04.050, 74.04.055, 74.04.057, 74.04.500, 74.04.510, 74.08.090, and 74.08A.120, 7 C.F.R. §§ 273.1 and 273.9 (d)(iii)(B), SNAP Administrative Notice 17-30, and SNAP memo dated August 28, 2017. WSR 18-02-043, § 388-450-0195, filed 12/26/17, effective 1/26/18. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.005, 74.04.050, 74.04.055, 74.04.057, 74.04.500, 74.04.510, 74.08.090, 74.08A.120, 7 C.F.R. 273.9 (d)(6)(iii)(B). WSR 17-10-069, § 388-450-0195, filed 5/3/17, effective 6/3/17. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.005, 74.04.050, 74.04.055, 74.04.057, 74.04.500, 74.04.510, 74.08.090, 74.08A.120 and SNAP Administrative Notice 16-38, dated August 12, 2016, 7 C.F.R. § 273.9 (d)(iii)(B), SNAP 10-6-WA-SUA, dated August 15, 2016. WSR 16-24-051, § 388-450-0195, filed 12/1/16, effective 1/1/17. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.005, 74.04.050, 74.04.055, 74.04.057, 74.04.500, 74.04.510, 74.08.090, 74.08A.120, FNS per SNAP Administrative Notice 15-28: SNAP - FY 2016, FNS 7 C.F.R. § 273.9 (d)(iii)(B)), and SNAP 10-6-WA-SUA dated August 18, 2015. WSR 15-24-075, § 388-450-0195, filed 11/25/15, effective 12/26/15. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.005, 74.04.050, 74.04.055, 74.04.057, 74.04.500, 74.04.510, 74.08.090, 74.08A.120. WSR 15-02-041, § 388-450-0195, filed 1/2/15, effective 2/2/15. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.005, 74.04.050, 74.04.055, 74.04.057, 74.04.500, 74.04.510, 74.08.090 and Agricultural Act of 2014. WSR 14-12-085, § 388-450-0195, filed 6/3/14, effective 7/4/14. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.005, 74.04.050, 74.04.055, 74.04.057, 74.04.500, 74.04.510, 74.08.090, 74.08A.120 and USDA, FNS, per SNAP Administrative Notice 13-26, SNAP - FY 2014 COLAS and ARRA Sunset Impact on Allotments dated August 2, 2013, and USDA SNAP 10-6-WA-SUA dated August 8, 2013, approving the proposed SUA. WSR 14-04-050, § 388-450-0195, filed 1/27/14, effective 2/27/14. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.005, 74.04.050, 74.04.055, 74.04.057, 74.04.500, 74.04.510, 74.08.090, 74.08A.120, "Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Fiscal Year 2012 Cost of Living Adjustments" memo dated August 2, 2011, and "SNAP Standard Utility (SUA) Annual Review and Adjustment Waiver for Certain States—Modification and Extension" memo dated December 2, 2010. WSR 11-24-027, § 388-450-0195, filed 12/1/11, effective 1/1/12. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.005, 74.04.050, 74.04.055, 74.04.057, 74.04.500, 74.04.510, 74.08.090, and 7 C.F.R. § 273.9 (d)(6)(3). WSR 10-18-050, § 388-450-0195, filed 8/26/10, effective 10/1/10. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.005, 74.04.050, 74.04.055, 74.04.057, 74.04.500, 74.04.510, 74.08.090, and 7 C.F.R. 273.9. WSR 09-24-001, § 388-450-0195, filed 11/18/09, effective 12/19/09. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.050, 74.04.055, 74.04.057, 74.04.510, 74.08.090, and 7 C.F.R. 273.9. WSR 08-21-106, § 388-450-0195, filed 10/16/08, effective 11/16/08. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.050, 74.04.055, 74.04.057, 74.04.510 and 7 C.F.R. § 273.9. WSR 07-22-036, § 388-450-0195, filed 10/30/07, effective 11/30/07. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.050, 74.04.055, 74.04.057, 74.04.510, 74.08.090 and 7 C.F.R. 273.9 (d)(6)(iii)(b). WSR 06-21-011, § 388-450-0195, filed 10/6/06, effective 11/6/06. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.050, 74.04.055, 74.04.057, 74.04.510, 74.08.090. WSR 06-10-056, § 388-450-0195, filed 5/1/06, effective 6/1/06. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.050, 74.04.055, 74.04.057, 74.04.510, 74.08.090, and 7 C.F.R. § 273.9. WSR 05-19-062, § 388-450-0195, filed 9/16/05, effective 10/17/05. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.050, 74.04.055, 74.04.057, 74.04.510, 74.08.090. WSR 05-09-087, § 388-450-0195, filed 4/19/05, effective 6/1/05. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.050, 74.04.055, 74.04.057. WSR 04-23-025, § 388-450-0195, filed 11/8/04, effective 12/9/04. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.050, 74.04.055, 74.04.057, 74.04.510. WSR 03-21-030, § 388-450-0195, filed 10/7/03, effective 12/1/03. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.050, 74.04.055, 74.04.057, 74.08.090. WSR 02-22-045, § 388-450-0195, filed 10/30/02, effective 12/1/02. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.057, 74.04.500, 74.04.510. WSR 01-21-059, § 388-450-0195, filed 10/16/01, effective 12/1/01. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.510. WSR 00-22-065, § 388-450-0195, filed 10/27/00, effective 11/1/00. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.040.510 [74.04.510]. WSR 99-24-052, § 388-450-0195, filed 11/29/99, effective 12/1/99. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.510. WSR 99-09-055, § 388-450-0195, filed 4/19/99, effective 5/20/99. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.510 and 7 C.F.R. 273.9 (d)(6). WSR 99-01-069, § 388-450-0195, filed 12/14/98, effective 1/14/99. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.050, 74.04.055, 74.04.057 and 74.08.090. WSR 98-16-044, § 388-450-0195, filed 7/31/98, effective 9/1/98.]