(1) Households that are obligated to pay for fuel to heat their homes are eligible for LIEAP benefits.

(2) Except as provided elsewhere in this rule, households which consist solely of members who are eligible for and receiving supplemental nutritional assistance payments (SNAP), supplemental security income (SSI), or TANF-funded cash assistance are automatically financially eligible for LIEAP benefits.

(3) Households which consist of members receiving SNAP, SSI, or TANF-funded cash assistance, and other individuals whose income and resources were not considered in determining eligibility for SNAP, SSI, or TANF-funded cash assistance are not automatically eligible for LIEAP benefits but must meet the financial requirements set forth in this rule.

(4) Individuals living in shelters, including but not limited to, recipients of SNAP, SSI, or TANF-funded cash assistance, are not eligible for LIEAP benefits. Individuals living in licensed group-living situations as defined in ARM 37.70.401 may be eligible if they meet all other requirements for eligibility. Individuals living in licensed group-living situations which are not group-living situations as defined in ARM 37.70.401 are not eligible for LIEAP benefits.

(5) Households which contain a member who is enrolled at least half time in an institution of higher education and who was claimed for the previous tax year as a dependent for federal income tax purposes by a taxpayer who is not a member of a household which is eligible in the current heating season, or which would be eligible in the current heating season if the household applied, are ineligible for LIEAP benefits.

(6) Households that are eligible for or that have received LIEAP benefits through a tribal program funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services may not receive LIEAP benefits from the department for the same heating season, unless the household changes residence during the heating season and the household is no longer eligible for tribal LIEAP benefits; in that case, the household may apply for a prorated LIEAP benefit based on the household's new circumstances as provided in ARM 37.70.602. Additionally, any individual who was a member of a household that received LIEAP benefits through tribal program funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services may not receive LIEAP benefits from the department for the same heating season unless the individual leaves the household that received tribal LIEAP benefits during the heating season and is no longer eligible for tribal LIEAP benefits; in that case the individual may apply for a prorated LIEAP benefit from the department for the same heating season based on the circumstances of the individual's new household as provided in ARM 37.70.602.

(7) Residents of publicly subsidized housing whose energy costs are included as a fixed portion of their rent or who reside in publicly subsidized housing and have an obligation to pay a base-load electric bill are not eligible for a regular LIEAP benefit computed using the benefit matrices and multipliers in the LIEAP Benefit Award Matrix and Table of Multipliers for the 2018-2019 heating season. However, these households are eligible for weatherization assistance as provided for in ARM Title 37, chapter 71 and a modified LIEAP benefit. The modified LIEAP benefit is equal to five percent of the amount of a regular LIEAP benefit, or a minimum payment of $25, whichever is greater, paid to the household annually. Households determined eligible for the modified LIEAP benefit whose economic and housing situation does not change are eligible for a period of five years.

(8) In households consisting of eligible and ineligible household members, the income of all will be counted for benefit calculation purposes. Only the eligible household members will be counted toward the total "number in the household" when counting the number of household members for benefit calculation purposes.

(9) Current and future benefits will be denied to any persons and households who refuse to submit social security numbers or proof of U.S. citizenship or proof of status as a qualified alien as defined in 8 U.S.C. 1641(b), or whose social security numbers, proof of residency, or citizenship cannot be verified.