Library: Policy
340:20-1-13. Verification
Revised 9-15-21
Prior to approving a household for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), program factors in (1) through (5) of this Section must be verified. When the applicant does not submit the verification with the application, the household is sent Form 08AD092E, Client Contact and Information Request, listing required verification, and is given 10-calendar days to provide it. When the household fails to provide all or part of the required verification, the application is denied • 1
(1) Income and resources eligibility. Income and liquid resources are verified using the procedures, per Oklahoma Administrative Code (OAC) 340:20-1-11.
(A) When all household members are included in Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, State Supplemental Payment, Child Care Subsidy benefits, SoonerCare (Medicaid) for the aged, blind, or disabled, or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Payment food benefits, the most recent income and resource verification included in the case record for each household member is used unless the household reports new or terminated income. Reported income sources that are different than those verified at the last benefit renewal must be verified and considered for the LIHEAP application.
(B) When some, but not all household members are included in other benefits, the household member(s) not included in other benefits must provide current verification of gross income and liquid resources.
(C) All other households must verify the current month's income and liquid resources for all household members.
(D) Acceptable income verification may include, but is not limited to:
(i) income verification available in an active case record;
(ii) pay stubs or employer statements;
(iii) the most recent federal income tax form or business records when self-employed;
(iv) data exchange screens, per OAC 340:65-3-4;
(v) award letters; and
(vi) court orders.
(2) Vulnerability determination. To determine vulnerability, a household must verify it is subject to home energy expenses. When a:
(A) household pays energy costs directly to suppliers, vulnerability is established by billing information on the utility statement;
(B) household's energy cost is included in the shelter payment and the household pays a surcharge for the utilities, vulnerability 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; • 2
(C) subsidized household's heating or cooling costs are included in the shelter payment, the household is considered partially vulnerable when the household is assessed an energy surcharge and provides documentation of the assessed surcharge; or
(D) roomer or boarder states he or she is responsible for a specific portion of the utility bills, he or she may be considered partially vulnerable when:
(i) the person or household with whom the roomer or boarder lives is not related to him or her; and
(ii) there is a written lease or roommate agreement that contains a clause stating he or she is responsible for a specific portion of utility bill.
(3) Social Security numbers (SSN). Each household member included in the benefit must provide a SSN or provide verification of a pending SSN application from the Social Security Administration (SSA) office for SSN enumeration, per OAC 340:65-3-1(f). Household members who do not provide a SSN are not included in household size when determining the household's financial eligibility and benefit amount, but their gross income and resources are considered.
(4) Identity. The identity of the person making application must be verified. Identity may be verified through readily available documentary evidence or when evidence is unavailable, through a collateral contact. Any documents that reasonably establish the applicant's identity must be accepted and no requirement for a specific type of document, such as a birth certificate, may be imposed. Examples of acceptable documentary evidence the applicant may provide include, but are not limited to:
(A) a driver license;
(B) a work or school identification (ID);
(C) an ID for health benefits, other assistance, or social service program;
(D) a voter registration card;
(E) pay checks; or
(F) a birth certificate.
(5) Energy supplier information. The household must designate its main heating or cooling source and provide the name of its energy supplier and utility information on the application or note that utilities are included in the household's rent. Oklahoma Human Services pays the energy supplier instead of the household unless the energy supplier is a non-LIHEAP participant supplier.
Revised 9-15-21
1. Centralized Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) staff gives the applicant 10-calendar days to provide verification regardless of when staff are instructed to stop taking applications. When the applicant provides verification within the 10-calendar day period and the household is eligible for benefits, centralized LIHEAP staff approves the application.
2. When vulnerability verification is included in the case record and the household has not moved, staff does not request current verification.
