When a household reports zero income, the CAO must take the following actions:
Ask the household to verify the previous month's income using HSEA-6.
If the household continues to report little or no income for the month, ask for evidence that satisfactorily explains how the household pays for rent or mortgage, food, personal-care items and utilities.
Ask appropriate follow-up questions to the household’s oral and written explanations. For example, if an applicant says “People pay my bills,” ask who pays and whether the money is paid to the household or directly to a vendor. If the money is paid to the household, it is counted as unearned income.
Thoroughly narrate the household’s zero-income circumstances.
Reissued November 30, 2016, replacing July 16, 2015