1631 Restrictions to Participation As a Separate Household

An individual or a group of individuals may apply for food stamps as a household separate and apart from other individuals with whom they share a dwelling; however, there are restrictions to such participation.

**First, separate household status will not be granted under any circumstances to the spouse of a household.

Second, the individual or group of ~ndividuaJs appjying as a separate household must:

a)Customarily (more than 50% of the time) purchase food and prepare meals separately from the others with whom they live; or

b)Plan to purchase food and prepare meals separately when they receive their food stamps if they currently lack the financial means to do so. (When a household states that they plan to begin purchasing food and preparing their meals separately, a written statement to this effect should be obtained from the household and placed in the case record as substantiation.)

Third, the relationship between the individuals applying as a separate household must be considered.

Unrelated or distantly related individuals (e.g~ - friends, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews or cousins) may participate as separate households as long as one of the individuals is not under the parental control of the other and the individuals do purchase their food and prepare their meals separately.

There are restrictions to participation as separate households which apply to parents and children who live together and to siblings living together. These restrictions apply to all parental and sibling relationships - natural, adoptive, and step. (See FSC 1640 for instructions on foster children/adults.)

NOTE:Aged, disabled individuals may participate as a~separate household under the provisions in FSC 1630, number 4, even if they are not able to purchase their food and prepare their meals separately.

**Children under a~e 18 - Children (other than foster children) who are under 18 years old and live under the parental control of an adult household member cannot be separate households. Minors (under age 18) who are dependents - financial or otherwise - of the household are considered to be under parental control. Also, see Appendix B, Glossary" for a definition of an emancipated minor.

NOTE:Children who are living with their own children or who are married and living with a spouse are considered to be independent units and not under parental control. Thus, the entire unit may be considered a separate household if they purchase food and prepare meals separately.

Children ~ 18 to 22 - Children who have reached their 18th birthday but are less than 22 years old and who live with a natural, adoptive or steP ~arent cannot be a separate household from that ~arent unless:

1)They have minor children in the home; and/or

2}They are married and living with their spouse.

NOTE:The child and spouse and/or children must be certified as one household.

Children jg& 22 or older - Adult children age 22 and older who live with a natural, adoptive or step parent can be a separate household if they purchase and prepare food separately. The child and spouse and/or children (if any) must be certified as one household.

Siblings - (This rule applies when siblings live together without a parent.) Siblings age 18 or older who live together can be separate households if they purchase and prepare food separately.

NOTE:Should one sibling be age 18 or older and the other sibling be age 17 or younger, the siblings cannot be certified as separate households unless the younger sibling is emancipated. If either sibling has a spouse and/or children, the spouse and/or children must be included in the sibling's household.