604-3 H.     REMOVING A MEMBER FROM THE HOUSEHOLD

Household members leaving the household take their income and resources with them.  When a household reports a member left, do not consider this person's income and resources for continued eligibility or benefit amount.  

Recalculate the household's benefit.  If the removal of the household member results in a change in eligibility or benefit amount, any increase is effective the issuance month and any decrease or case closure is effective the issuance month following the expiration of the adverse action notice.

When the primary information (PI) person reports that some or all of the other household members are no longer living with them, take action to remove the household members that are no longer with the PI. The removed household members will be required to submit a new application and complete the application process if they want to receive food stamps.

When another household member who is not the PI reports that the PI is no longer living with the food stamp household, close the PI’s food stamp case giving timely notice, and open a new case with one of the remaining adult household members as PI.  The application used for the current certification period is used but must be signed and dated by one of the remaining adult household members.  The new case is certified for the same months as the previous case.  If the PI later comes in and wants food stamps, he/she will be required to submit a new application and complete the application process.  

When information is received by the agency that the PI has died, is incarcerated, or is now residing in a long-term care facility, close the PI’s food stamp case giving timely notice, and open a new case with one of the remaining adult household members as PI, following the same process as described above.

Note:

When the household not containing the PI submits a new application instead of reporting a change, the PI’s case is not closed.  Instead, the household members are removed from the PI’s case following adverse action notice, and the new application is used to determine the other household’s eligibility.