SECTION 340:20-1-19. Winter heating

(a)   Selected households approved for other benefits administered by Oklahoma Department of Human Services (DHS) Adult and Family Services are normally pre-authorized during October of each year without filing an application. Households pre-approved for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) are those who received a State Supplemental Payment (SSP), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits all 12 months of the previous year and met all the criteria in (1) through (4) of this subsection. The household:

(1)   received LIHEAP the previous year;

(2)   address remains the same;

(3)   income did not exceed eligibility guidelines for household size during the year; and

(4)   members remain the same from the previous year.

(b)   Households who do not meet preauthorization criteria must complete an application per Oklahoma Administrative Code (OAC) 340:20-1-12.

(c)   The heating assistance part of LIHEAP normally begins in December, and applications are taken until allocated funds are expended per Section 8624 of Title 42 of the United States Code.

(d)   Refer to Appendix C-7-A, Estimated Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program,for estimated benefit amounts. The benefit amount is based on the household's income level, household size, heating source, and if the heating bill is included in the rent amount or paid separately.

(1)   The same payment schedule is used for unsubsidized renters and roomers with utilities included in their rent as for households whose energy source is wood, coal, heating oil, or kerosene. Payments for unsubsidized renters and roomers who pay a surcharge for utilities included in their rent are made directly to approved households.

(2)   Acceptable verification of the surcharge may be established by an itemized statement from the landlord, a legally-binding lease agreement showing the surcharge, or a rent receipt designating that the fuel cost is separate from the total shelter payment.

(e)   Primary sources of home energy for heating include natural gas, electricity, propane, firewood, kerosene, coal, or butane.

(1)   LIHEAP payments are made for utility expenses, deposits, and reconnect charges applicable to the household's primary source of home energy. When the utility supplier receives payment from the client and DHS for reconnect charges or deposits, the utility supplier must reimburse the client for those charges.

(2)   When other utilities, such as water, sewer, or trash, are included with the fuel bill the authorized benefit cannot include the other utility charges. In this situation, the applicant must provide a utility bill that itemizes the charges for each utility or this information must be obtained from the energy supplier.

(f)   Payments are not made for blankets, emergency repair on the home, new or additional heating equipment, or heating appliances. Propane tank rental and delivery charges are not covered, when they are identifiable.

(g)   When direct payment cannot be made to the energy supplier, approved payment may be made directly to the household on a debit card or, when the household receives TANF or SSP cash assistance by direct deposit, payment may be made through direct deposit in the same bank account per OAC 340:65-3-6 debit card and direct deposit procedures.

[Source: Added at 27 Ok Reg 1195, eff 6-1-10; Amended at 35 Ok Reg 1620, eff 9-17-18]