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Paying For Utilities Besides Heating and Cooling (BUA) - SNAP (Food Stamps)

This question determines if the Basic Utility Allowance (BUA) will be used by WorkWORLD when it calculates your household's Excess Shelter Deduction, if any.

In the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly Food Stamp Program), the Basic Utility Allowance is available to households who do not incur heating and cooling expenses but do incur utility expenses other than for telephone separate and apart from their rent or mortgage. If your household pays for utilities other than heating and cooling costs such as water (but not just telephone service) which are not fully reimbursed, then it is eligible for a BUA. If you reside in Illinois, then read the topic "BUA Eligibility Exception (Illinois) - SNAP (Food Stamps)" for exceptions to this rule. If you reside in Maryland, then read the topic "BUA Eligibility Exception (Maryland) - SNAP (Food Stamps)" for exceptions to this rule.

If your household is only billed separately for excess utility costs, then it is not eligible for a BUA. If you reside in Louisiana, then read the topic "BUA Eligibility Exception (Louisiana) - SNAP (Food Stamps)" for exceptions to this rule. If you reside in Tennessee, then read the topic "BUA Eligibility Exception (Tennessee) - SNAP (Food Stamps)" for exceptions to this rule.

If your household is engaged in a self-employment business run out of its home and claims some of the utilities other than heating and cooling as costs of doing business and its utilities for the self-employment business are not measured and billed separately, then your household is not eligible for the BUA.

If your household is eligible as described above, then you should answer "YES" when responding to this question. Otherwise, you should answer "NO".

If your household's response is "YES" and your household lives in a state that does not mandate the use of a utility standard, then based on your responses, WorkWORLD determines if it is to your advantage to use your actual utility costs or the standard for which you are eligible when determining your Shelter Deduction. If your household's response is "YES" and the household lives in a state that does mandate the use of a standard, WorkWORLD will use the BUA when determining your household's Shelter Deduction.

If your household's response is "NO", then based on your responses, WorkWORLD will determine if the Telephone Allowance (if your household's state offers one) or actual utility expenses (if you live in a state that does not mandate the use of a utility standard) should be used when determining the Shelter Deduction.

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