FACT 49 (January 1, 2013 Utility Allowance Mass Change)
Food Assistance Change Transmittal No. 49
November 9, 2012
TO: Food Assistance Certification Handbook Holders
FROM: Michael B. Colbert, Director
SUBJECT: January 1, 2013 Utility Allowance Mass Change

Effective January 1, 2013

Previous Policy: The standard utility allowance, limited utility allowance, single standard utility allowance, the single standard telephone allowance, excess shelter deduction, maximum monthly allotments, net income standards (100% of poverty), gross income standards (130% of poverty), and separate assistance group standards for elderly and disabled assistance groups only (165% of poverty), are subject to change each October to reflect any cost-of-living adjustment. In August, Ohio received the updated amounts for the excess shelter deduction, the standard deductions, net income standards, gross income standards, and the separate assistance group standards for elderly and disabled assistance groups. At that time the United States Department of Agriculture - Food Nutrition Service (FNS) had not approved our proposed utility allowances or our request to maintain our federal fiscal year (FFY) 2012 amounts. We have since been notified by FNS that we are not permitted to maintain the FFY 2012 amounts and must implement the updated utility allowances by January 1, 2013.

New policy: As of January 1, 2013 the standard utility allowance will decrease, the limited utility allowance and the telephone standard allowance will increase and the single utility allowance will remain the same. The standard deduction, excess shelter deduction, adjusted gross net monthly income eligibility standards, the maximum food assistance allotments and the homeless shelter deduction remain the same as set forth in FACT 48.

Below are the new utility allowances as of January 1, 2013.

Standard Utility Allowance

$367

Limited Utility Allowance

$301

Single Standard Utility Allowance

$65

Single Telephone Allowance

$37

Implementation: The changes for the new utility allowances will be implemented via a mass change on the weekend of November 23, 2012. Alerts will be generated and an exception report will be created for all cases which CRIS-E cannot update automatically and the eligibility worker will be required to run ED/BC for those cases to implement these changes. Each assistance group affected by this change will also receive a notice providing their new benefit amount.