What is a “household”?
The general definition of a SNAP household is a group of household members who reside together and who also purchase and prepare meals together.
Please refer to article SNAP: Coding Household Members for examples of coding on the Household Tab in FACS.
SNAP Households
The following are examples of SNAP households:
- An individual living alone
- An individual living with others who purchases and prepares meals separately from the others
- A group of individuals who live together and purchase food and prepare meals together for home consumption
- Residents of Federally Subsidized housing for the elderly, certain drug or alcohol treatment centers, group living arrangements, shelters for battered women and children, and shelters for homeless persons
- An individual 60 years of age or older living with others who is unable to purchase food and prepare meals because of a permanent disability, if the income of the others does not exceed 165% of poverty (either or both SNAP household units may participate)
Separate Household Cannot be declared
There are instances in which household members cannot have separate SNAP benefit cases. These include the following:
- A spouse of a member of the household
- A child under the age of 22 who lives with a natural, adoptive, or step parent
- A child under the age of 18 under the parental control of a person other than a parent
- Individuals who live together and purchase and prepare meals together
Ineligible Household members
- Persons who have not provided a valid social security number
- Individuals who are considered ineligible aliens
- Persons who either are not exempt from ABAWD requirements or are not fulfilling work requirements are outlined in ABAWD policy
Disqualified Household members
- Individuals who are fleeing felons or are parole violators
- Individuals that have been disqualified due to intentional program violations by committing fraud
- Individuals under a work registration penalty
Non-Household Members
These individuals may declare separate household and not be included in the SNAP household, or they can be included under certain conditions:
- Foster Care Children- if included in SNAP household, any foster care payment received is countable unearned income
- Children who are placed by DDSD into households
- Roomers – persons that contribute financially to household in exchange for a place to stay
- Live-in attendants – persons who reside in the household only to provide care to other members
Other Non-Household Members
These individuals are not eligible for food benefits.
- Students who are enrolled in an institution of higher education and are not meeting student policy requirements for eligibility
SNAP Household Examples:
Grandparents who care for grandchild overnights while parent works (not residing with grandparents)
A grandmother wants to add her grandchildren to the case because they stay with her overnight half of the week while their mother works. Can they be added to her case?
If the children actually live with the grandmother and she provides for their support, they could be added to her case. If she is providing care while their mother works, they would be considered visitors and not living there so they could not be included in her household.
Separated spouses
We have a client who is applying for herself. She has separated from her husband, but they still live together until their lease is up in a couple months. They have no children, buy their food separately and do not eat together. Does her husband need to be included in the case?
If they are still legally married, they cannot be separate households and he would need to be included in the case. The same applies for common law married couples.
Visiting adult children under age 22. In this instance, they have their own primary residence
A client applies for SNAP for herself and two minor children. During the interview she says she has another son aged 21 who is going to college a couple hours away and has his own apartment but comes home most weekends. Does he need to be included in the case?
If the son’s primary residence is outside the mom’s home, he would not need to be added to the case. In this situation, he appears to be only visiting his mom’s home.
Adults who customarily buy and prepare food together
A client applies for SNAP for herself and daughter and declares separate household from her sister. During the interview, she reports that she and her sister share food and eat most meals together. Can they be separate households?
Policy 340:50-5-1 states required household combinations include “persons who live together and customarily purchase and prepare meals together”. Since they buy and prepare meals together regularly, the sister would need to be included in the household.
A client applies for SNAP for herself and her nephew for which she has guardianship for. A week before her brother also moved into the household and declares separate household. During the interview, the client reports that her brother that moved in is the biological father of her nephew.
The brother would need to be included in the household along with his sister and child, as he resides in the household and is the biological father.
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