Acceptable forms of verification include the following:
Written evidence, such as the following:
Pay stubs, benefit award letters or photocopies of these types of documents.
A letter from a person paying voluntary support that includes the person's address and telephone number, the amount of support paid and how often it is paid.
To verify residence, fuel bills, utility bills, rent receipts, mortgage statements or a landlord statement (PWEA-36).
Deliverable-fuel bills from any month in the past 12 months, utility bills dated two months or less from the date of application to verify heating responsibility, or a landlord statement (PWEA-36) to verify heat is included in the rent.
NOTE: In certain situations, such as the death of a spouse or credit problems, the heating bill may be in the name of someone other than the applicant. The applicant must give written proof of address other than the heating bill and explain why the bill is in another person's name. If the landlord’s name is on the heating bill, the applicant must show the lease or a statement from the landlord saying that the applicant is responsible for paying heating costs directly to the fuel supplier.
A utility termination notice or a statement from the applicant that his or her deliverable fuel supply will run out within 15 days.
A doctor’s statement or a letter from the Board of Health confirming the reason why the household is not living at its permanent residence.
NOTE: For acceptable forms of verification of noncitizen status, see Chapter 622, Appendix A.
A household composition verification statement (PA 1796).
Public records.
Automated sources such as CIS, e-CIS and exchanges 2 and 3 of the Income Eligibility Verification System (IEVS).
Other means that establish the truth of the client's statement.
Provided workers properly document third-party verification, the CAO can use websites, hotlines and other sources to verify a household’s heating responsibility or that a vendor has provided or will provide service to a household. If the workers use these forms of collateral contact, they must thoroughly narrate:
The name of the vendor.
The fuel type.
Whether it is a primary or secondary heating source.
The date and time they spoke to the vendor.
The name of the person they spoke to or the website and web address or hotline they used.
Any other important case details arising from the contact.
NOTE: CAOs may process the cash benefit and a crisis exception payment in e-CIS after receiving verbal confirmation from a utility company representative stating that the company agrees to reconnect service for the combined cash and crisis benefit amount. Thoroughly narrate these situations.
Reissued October 25, 2012, replacing September 28, 2011