SI KC00830.605 Home Energy Assistance and Support and Maintenance Assistance (HEA/SMA)

A. Background

Instruction SI 00830.605 and regulation 20 CFR 416.1157 provide for the exclusion of home energy assistance (HEA) and support and maintenance assistance (SMA) which has been certified by the appropriate state agency to be based on need, and is:

  • Provided in-kind by a private non-profit agency; or

  • Provided in cash or in-kind by a supplier of home heating oil or gas; or

  • A rate-of-return entity providing home energy; or

  • A municipal utility providing home energy.

The HEA/SMA received by an SSI claimant/recipient/deemor is excluded from countable income only when the designated state agency certifies that the assistance was based on need. State certification may be in the form of an individual certification of a particular case, or a “blanket” certification of a program or organization. A blanket certification serves as a precedent for assistance from the certified agency or program.

Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, and Kansas authorized SSA field office staff to certify whether agencies that provide energy assistance or support and maintenance meet the requirements for the HEA/SMA exclusion. Therefore, field offices are no longer required to request the RO to obtain the state certification for agencies in Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, and Kansas not appearing in the National Precedent Repository – State and Local Income Precedents.

B. Procedure for Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, and Kansas HEA/SMA Determinations

When technicians (who are Claims Specialists or above) identify an agency in Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, or Kansas providing needs-based assistance, as described in this section that is not already listed in the National Precedent Repository – State and Local Income Precedents, should make a determination whether the HEA/SMA exclusion criteria are met.

  • If you are familiar with the agency (e.g., well known churches, charitable organizations, utility companies, food banks) and know that the assistance is needs based, you may certify that the HEA/SMA meets the criteria to be included.

  • If the agency is not well known, or there is a question about whether the assistance is based on need, and it is not listed in the National Precedent Repository – State and Local Income Precedents, contact the agency to determine whether the HEA/SMA criteria have been met.

C. Documentation Requirements for Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska and Kansas HEA/SMA Certifications

1. Precedent exists in the National Precedent Repository – State and Local Income Precedents

If an organization is listed in the National Precedent Repository – State and Local Income Precedents, this means that the agency was previously established as meeting the “based on need” criteria. Therefore, no further development of the organization is needed. Follow the case documentation instructions in subsection C.3.

NOTE: Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska and Kansas HEA/SMA Certification Precedents were previously listed on the KCNet HEA/SMA Certification Precedent List. This information was manually migrated to the National Precedent Repository – State and Local Income Precedents. Migrated precedents have additional information in the Remarks section of the National Precedent Repository – State and Local Income Precedents.

2. Precedent determination established (Organization not listed in the National Precedent Repository – State and Local Income Precedents)

Once the SSA technician (Claims Specialist or above) has determined the assistance provided by the organization is excluded as HEA/SMA, the determination must be documented as a precedent.

If the technician determines that the assistance can be excluded, the precedent must contain the following information.

Required Information:

  • Organization Name

  • Organization Address

  • Date of Contact/Determination

  • Technician Statement: “I certify based on the authority granted by the State of (fill in the name of the State) that the HEA (or SMA, as appropriate) was provided based on need by a qualified organization.”

Recommended Information:

  • Phone Number

  • Contact Name

  • Fax Number

  • E-mail

Field offices must refer any new precedent determinations to the Center for Disability and Program Support for addition to the National Precedent Repository – State and Local Income Precedents. Referrals should be made via vHelp. If vHelp is unavailable, precedents can be submitted via email to ||KC CPS, Subject: HEA/SMA Precedent Certification. CDPS staff will review and upload the precedent to the National Precedent Repository – State and Local Income Precedents.

The addition of the new precedents will serve as blanket determinations and minimize field office contact with the support and maintenance assistance agencies for the purpose of establishing a precedent.

3. Case Documentation

If a precedent exists in the National Precedent Repository – State and Local Income Precedents or the SSA technician has established the new precedent determination using the instructions in subsection B, proceed in documenting the following information within the In-Kind Support and Maintenance page:

  • Input the name and address of the agency providing the support;

  • Indicate “No” when answering whether or not the funds being provided are countable;

  • Under “If no, reason:” input, “SMA per regional precedent” or “HEA per regional precedent;”

  • If the Claims Specialist is unable to document the information in the In-Kind Support and Maintenance page, proceed to post the information on a locked Report of Contact; and

  • If this is an SSI Claims system exclusion case proceed in documenting the information on an SSA-5002 (Report of Contact) and faxing it into EDCS or Evidence Portal.


To Link to this section - Use this URL:
http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0500830605KC
SI KC00830.605 - Home Energy Assistance and Support and Maintenance Assistance (HEA/SMA) - 04/02/2025
Batch run: 04/02/2025
Rev:04/02/2025