New Hampshire Code of Administrative Rules
He - Department of Health and Human Services
Subtitle He-W - Former Division of Human Services
Chapter He-W 600 - FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE AND ELIGIBILITY FOR MEDICAL CARE
Part He-W 658 - STANDARD OF NEED
Section He-W 658.01 - Financial Assistance to Needy Families (FANF) Standard of Need

(a) The standard of need for FANF shall:

(b) The original minimum monthly BMNA amounts as effective in July 2012 shall be listed in Table 600-9, BMNA, below as determined in 2012 using reliable market data based on the Department of Labor's annual update and using the living wage calculator in 2012 from the Pennsylvania State University.

Table 600-9, BMNA

(c) Table 600-9 above shall act as the starting figures and $302 shall be added to the monthly BMNA amount which was derived by using reliable market data described in (b) above, to determine the average increase in cost for basic living for a household size of 5 or larger.

(d) When the "Consumer Price Index" (CPI) for updating the standard of need is referred to, the "Percent Change From the Previous Year's Annual Average" of the "Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers" (CPI-U), as published by the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics found at https://www.bls.gov/cpi/, shall be used.

(e) Pursuant to RSA 167:7, II, the BMNA shall be equal to the minimum amount in Table 600-9 and updated for July 1 of each year by:

(f) If the CPI average percent change for the most current year is negative or zero, there shall be no change to the BMNA.

(g) When a FANF AG is charged less than $342 for any shelter related costs, the standard of need for the group shall consist only of the BMNA for the appropriate group size.

(h) Any portion of the shelter related costs that is paid by an individual, agency, organization, or governmental unit outside of the AG shall not be considered a shelter charge to the FANF AG.

(i) When a FANF AG changes its shelter arrangement, the standard of need shall be based on the new shelter expenses regardless of arrearages owed for the previous shelter.

(j) Utility costs, such as electricity, heat, water, or sewage that are incurred separately from shelter costs shall not be allowable shelter expenses.

(k) For privately owned homes, shelter expenses shall be costs attributable to owning the home, including, but not limited to:

(l) Shelter expenses shall not include upkeep costs.

(m) For a boarding arrangement as defined by He-W 601.02, shelter expenses shall be the higher of the following figures:

(n) The shelter expense amount calculated for a boarding arrangement shall be used until the next redetermination of eligibility, regardless of increases in the thrifty food plan amount, unless the assistance group reports a change in household size, boarding arrangement payments, or shelter costs.

(o) For FANF children who live with a caretaker relative who is not included in the FANF AG, shelter expenses shall be the verified amount, if any, the caretaker relative actually charges the child for housing.

(p) If a FANF casehead is prohibited from receiving FANF financial assistance due to the receipt of SSI or adult category financial assistance, shelter costs of the AG including the casehead shall be allowed.