Household Size And
Composition
Who is included in the Food Benefits case, and
which members can have a separate case?
What is a “Household” anyway ???
For Food Benefit purposes, the
definition of a “household” is:
Individuals or groups who live
together and customarily purchase
and prepare meals together.
We determine Household Composition
in terms of Food Benefits
Relatives as a Separate
Household (Vol. II, MS 2010)
If following relatives live together, they
must be certified as one household,
regardless of whether they customarily
purchase and prepare their food
separately from the other members...
The spouse of any
household member
Parents living with their
natural, adopted or
stepchildren who are 21
years old or younger
Children, other than foster
children, under 18, who are
under the parental control of
an adult household member.
The following relatives may have
separate household status if they
meet all other eligibility criteria and
purchase and prepare meals
separately from other members...
Adult children, age 22 or
older, living with their parents
Siblings, regardless of
age, who are not living
with their parents.
Elderly and disabled individuals
requesting separate household...
Volume II, MS 2020
Individuals who claim they are unable to
purchase and prepare meals separately due
to a disability, may be certified as a separate
household, if ALL of the following apply:
The individual is
age 60 or over,
AND...
The individual’s disability is considered
permanent under the Social Security Act
or he/she suffers from a non-diseaserelated, severe, permanent disability,
AND...
The countable gross income of all
others living with the individual,
excluding the income of the elderly and
disabled individual's spouse, is less than
or equal to 165% of the net monthly
income eligibility standard.
The Emancipated Child and
Household Composition
Volume II, MS 2030
The
What?
If a child under age 18 is not under the
control of a household member, the child can
be certified as a separate household if
eligible, and if one of the following applies:
One of the Following Must Apply:
The child has income sufficient to
meet his/her needs
OR
The child has moved into the home
due to his/her divorce or separation
If questionable,
require the household
member to verify
separate household
status.
Take Special Note
1. HH members must purchase and
prepare food separately (or intend to
do so) in order to be certified as a
separate household.
2. Income or lack of income is not a
factor in allowing separate HH status.
More Notes
3. For Food Benefits purposes, “parent”
means natural, adopted, or step-parent.
4. All persons living in the same home
are to be entered on the “HH members”
screen, with appropriate status codes
(M or T).
More Notes
5. Separate HH status is verified only if
questionable. (MS 2010B)
Verification of Household
Size and Composition
Verification is usually but not limited
to the completion of a PAFS-76 by the
landlord or other person who is aware of
the household circumstances.
What other ways can we verify HH Size?
3 Questions to ask the client to
determine HH Composition:
1. Who lives at your address?
2. Which of these people, if any,
purchase and prepare their food
separate from you?
3. How are these people related to you?
Part C: Determining Household Size
 Return to Blackboard, and review the
“Related Families” case situation
 Answer the questions on your Notes Pages
Close this window to return to Blackboard!