Non-Separate Household Status 430-05-25-15
(Revised 01/01/04 ML2893)
View Archives
The following must be considered a single food stamp household and must not be granted separate household status even if they do not purchase and prepare meals together:
- A group of individuals who live together and customarily purchase food and prepare meals together for home consumption. Members of this group cannot be granted separate household status during a certification period.
Exception:
Residents of group homes, treatment centers, abuse shelters or homeless shelters.
- Spouses who live together, even if they do not purchase food and prepare meals together.
- Parent(s) (regardless of age or marital status) and their natural, adopted, or stepchildren under 22 years of age, even if they do not purchase food and prepare meals together.
An individual is considered to be age 22 the entire month in which they turn age 22.
- Individuals under 18 years of age who live with and are under the parental control of a person other than their parent, even if they do not purchase food and prepare meals together.
Exception:
Foster care child(ren)/adults.
- Adult siblings (age 18 or older) who live together or adult children (age 22 or older) who live with their parents if they purchase and prepare meals together.
An individual is considered to be age 22 the entire month in which they turn age 22.
Exception:
Individuals who live with the household (regardless of relationship) who do not eat the majority of their meals (over 50% of three meals daily) as a part of that household.
Examples:
- Over the road truck drivers or salespersons, who have no separate residence and return home on the weekends, but are out of the home during the week and eat the majority of their meals away from home.
- A child who is attending school in another community and is only home on weekends.