TN 111 (09-23)
Separate purchase of food exists when an individual (or at least one member of an eligible couple) physically shops for their own food or gives instructions and money to someone to buy the food for them. Any ISM received is subject to the PMV rule (SI 00835.300, SI 00835.320).
An individual is not subject to the VTR when they separately purchase food during a month because the individual does not receive both food and shelter from the household in which they reside.
Separate purchase of food can exist when an individual shops for their own food but does not use their own money. The money used to buy the food may constitute cash income (SI 00810.020).
Separate purchase of food can exist when the individual uses the same condiments or facilities (e.g., refrigerator, stove) as the rest of the household, or consumes meals at the same time as the rest of the household.
Separate purchase of food can exist when an eligible spouse or a person whose income may be deemed to the individual buys food on behalf of the individual, but not necessarily only for the individual.
Example: Child Gets Food Only from Parent
Donald Weston, an eligible child, lives with one parent, a sibling and their grandparents. Donald's grandparents own the home and pay all of the shelter expenses for the household. Donald's parent, who works part time, buys all of the food for the household. Even though Donald does not separately purchase their own food with their own money, Donald is determined to be separately purchasing their own food because Donald's parent (deemor) purchases all of Donald's food. The VTR does not apply because Donald does not receive both food and shelter from the household. Development must be done to determine whether Donald receives ISM in the form of shelter.
As a step in the sequence of household LA development, consider separate purchase of food when:
The individual lives in a household with at least one person who is not a spouse, a child (as defined in SI 00501.010), or person whose income is deemable to the individual, and
The individual, living-with spouse, or deemor does not have ownership interest (SI 00835.110) or rental liability (SI 00835.120), and
A public assistance household does not exist (SI 00835.130), and
The individual (or both members of an eligible couple) eats meals in the household during a month. If the individual alleges eating no meals in the household, see SI 00835.140,and
The individual or at least one member of an eligible couple alleges buying their food apart from the food of other household members.
Obtain the individual's signed statement regarding separate purchase of food.
Verify the individual's allegation of separate purchase using:
a signed statement from a knowledgeable adult member of the household other than the individual's spouse; or
documentation of a contact with a knowledgeable adult member of the household other than the individual’s spouse on a Report of Contact page in the Consolidated Claims Experience (CCE).
NOTE: If the individual is the householder, the individual’s statement, signed or on a Report of Contact page, is sufficient documentation.
If separate purchase of food is established, develop whether the individual gets ISM from within the household in the form of shelter (SI 00835.340).
Verify separate purchase per SI 00835.150B.1. above only when:
The individual alleges separate purchase during a redetermination and the allegation cannot be confirmed in CCE, on the SSR, or through review of a prior file, if available. The allegation of separate purchase is confirmed by the SSR if the LA code is “A” and the CG field shows “LA 71” (SM 01005.525C.); or
The individual changes residence and alleges separate purchase for the new residence; or
The individual alleges having begun to separately purchase in the same residence.
If separate purchase is established, develop whether the individual gets ISM from within the household in the form of shelter (SI 00835.340).