Food Stamps Utah Qualification And The Warning Points To Know

Food stamps Utah program is available under the responsibility of the Utah Department of Workforce Services (DWS). This benefits program has the goal, which is to provide the residents in Utah. In fact, those with little or no income at all, they will get this assistance to buy healthy foods. This program is the solution from the government to cut off the number of hunger in Utah.

Besides, it is possible for you to apply for the Food stamps Utah programs. To do so, you have to fill out an online application. After that, you should print the application and then bring it to the local DWS office. Alternatively, you can pick up the paper copy at the local DWS office and complete the paper there. Once you applied for the program, you have to follow the interview. A DWS worker will help you with the interview to complete the application and determine eligibility.

Food Stamps Utah – How It Works

Food Stamps Utah offers you so you will have enough money to purchase nutritious food. It means that the recipients have to spend some of their money. At the same time, they use their SNAP benefits to buy healthy food, as they need. Also, it is popular as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP. The purpose is to support low-income families so they can purchase nutritious foods. To achieve this goal, the program provides coupons or Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) cards.

We also call this card the “Horizon”. You will get the deposit with the amount based on your benefit allotment on the same day monthly. Nevertheless, you must be eligible so you will get the benefits. After that, you can spend the benefits to buy the eligible food. To buy the food, you have to visit the retail food stores that cooperated with the program. Once you got the card, you can use it at the register. The mechanism is like a debit card that pays for the foods.

This program offers assistance for a pregnant woman, a five-year-old child, or younger at your home. Besides, it is possible to get help from the Women, Infant, and Children Supplemental Nutrition Program (WIC). Well, this program provides food and get some insights into nutrition. Therefore, you can contact the local Health Department. Alternatively, you can visit WIC online to find further information about the program.

How much does the amount of SNAP you will get? In fact, each household gets a different amount of allotment. It depends on the number of people in their household and the amount of money they can earn per month.

Food Stamps Utah Requirement And Qualification

Since the program is the main goal to give crucial support to families in need, the government sets the requirement and qualification of Food stamps in Utah.

1. Become A Resident Of The State Of Utah

To be eligible for this benefit, you have to prove that you are a resident of the state of Utah. It does not matter if you are a US citizen or an immigrant as long as you are legal to stay there. Furthermore, you must have your Social Security Number. In some cases, just provide these things as the documentation for your evidence.

2. Meet The Criteria Based Groups

Besides, there are two groups available. First is for the group with a current bank balance, including savings and checking for less than $2,001. The second is for the group with the current bank balance, including savings and checking less than $3,001. The program will categorize you as the second group if you share your household with a person and persons age 60 or more, a person with disabled people (child, spouse, parent, and yourself)

3. Pre-Screening Tool

Furthermore, you may need a Pre-Screening Tool to determine your qualification for SNAP benefits quickly. Other than that, you can join this program if you are working in the employment and training program or Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWD). It is important to make sure that you are not quite from the job voluntarily even reduce your hours.

4. Students With Certain Requirements

For students, those who are between ages of 18 and 49 are able to get SNAP as long as they meet certain requirements. For example, they are eligible if they do not have children under 18. Besides, they may get this program but they only get food stamp participation within 3 months out of the 36-month period. Moreover, ABAWDs still have to comply with employment and work training requirements.

In case you are an ABAWD and you want to continue getting the benefits after the first third-month period, it is possible. Nevertheless, you must employ for 80 hours per month. Otherwise, you have to participate in the employment training activity with 20 hours of training for the working period per month or 24-hours at the work site per month.

Nevertheless, here are the people exempt from the ABAWD requirements:

Pregnant women
People who cannot work (Based on medical certification)
Unemployed people
People who have to take care of the incapacitated person
A person enrolled in a training or school program for about halftime or a student who passes the student eligibility.
A person enrolled in a drug or alcohol treatment program
Someone who lives under the distressed county (based on the DWS’s assessment)

5. Resources

Bank accounts, houses, cash, personal property, and land can be the factors to determine whether you are eligible or not to get the SNAP. In fact, the program counts some resources. For instance, this program does not count your car or your motorized vehicle. If you have any questions about resources, the eligibility specialist is able to answer those questions. Eventually, the specialist can explain the policy.

It is important to note that even though your family is able to make more than $2,250 of the countable resources besides the income per month, your family still qualifies for the program. Fortunately, if you have more than $3,500 of countable resources, exclude the income per month, you still qualify for SNAP as long as you have one member with age 60/ older/ disabled.

Food Stamps Utah Application

Based on the official website of the Department of Workforce Services, you have to apply for the SNAP today at first. After that, the benefits will start on the day of your application. You can apply for the program online. Alternatively, you can apply for the application at the employment center. The last option to apply for this program is by asking the department to mail the application. Nevertheless, you may lose the benefits if you take the last option because of the mailing delays. Besides, you do not have to add any documents to file the application.

In addition, the official website also mentioned that it is possible for you to be eligible for the expedited service. It means that you can receive the SNAP program for seven days. Once you are eligible for this expedited offer, the government needs your identity as the verification. It does not a big deal if you submit an incomplete application since you have added your name, signature, and address. Nevertheless, you must complete the application so the staff can determine the eligibility for your SNAP.

When You Will Get The Benefits

After you have submitted your application within 30 days, the government will tell you whether you are eligible to get the food stamps Utah benefits or not. Nevertheless, if you need the program urgently before the time, it is able to get it for seven days only.

Some people want to get expedited food stamps. Well, that is possible if your household does not have more than $100 in form of liquid assets and you do not have more than $150 of gross income per month. In addition, you may be eligible if you are a migrant or a seasonal farmworker.

Things You Can Buy Or Not With SNAP

Well, it is possible for you to use SNAP to buy some unprepared foods. Here are the following foods you can buy:

Plants and seeds so you can grow food
Dairy products
Meats, fish, and poultry
Vegetables and fruits
Bread and cereals

Nevertheless, you cannot use SNAP to buy the following foods:

Beer, liquor, wine, tobacco, or cigarettes
Fast foods, hot foods, and food that you can eat in the store
Nonfood items like pet food, paper products, cleaning supplies, and soap
Vitamins and medicines
Personal hygiene products like shampoo, toothpaste, deodorant, and cosmetics

From the explanation above, we hope that you use the SNAP benefits properly by following the regulations. Do not try to use it against the rule because the risk can be too bad for your life.

Food Stamps Utah Warning

It is important to note that when you are selling or trading your SNAP benefits or using your EBT card for cash and for non-eligible items, these actions mean, “trafficking”. In other words, this is illegal. When you sell and trade the benefits or the EBT card, eventually you will lose your benefits. In addition, you will get criminal penalties.

Here are several warning points you should not do:

Selling or trading the EBT card
Purchasing or trading the in-eligible items by taking advantage of SNAP benefits
Trading services for the benefits
Selling food items you have purchased with SNAP

Those warning points are important to note and you should not ignore that if you do not want to lose your benefits. In addition, if you use the food stamps for the future, it means that you are doing a big mistake as Corner University explained it. Based on the federal regulations, if you do not use the benefits after six months, the state agency will put it back in the storage. Besides, if you do not use the benefits after 12 months, they will permanently remove the benefits for you. Therefore, you should use it wisely and follow the regulations of the government.

Food Stamps Utah Phone Number

You can call the DWS customer service if you need any help at 1-800-331-4341. Alternatively, you can send e-mail inquiries to DWS_Constituent_Services@utah.gov

Also, use this Office Search page to identify and contact the local county Department of Workforce Service (DWS) office near you.

By using the phone number, e-mail address, and office search, we hope that you can maximize this opportunity to get more support. You can use this valuable information to start changing your life.

Summary

You can apply for Food Stamps Utah to get a card or a coupon for buying some foods you need by following the regulations from the application to foods you can and cannot buy. You can apply for the program online. Once you are qualified to get help, the staff will assist you. After that, the specialist will decide on the application within 30 days after they received it. It may take longer when it comes to medical decisions. For you who have little or no money, you should apply for SNAP and receive it for the urgent condition within 7 days.

On the other hand the government returned your application, which means that it is still incomplete. You should complete the requirements and return it to them within 10 days. Otherwise, let them know so they can help. After that, you will get the information to contact your worker for your application. The last important thing is to make sure that you complete the returned items based on the deadline. It is your application should be complete within 30 days. Otherwise, it can affect the benefits.

Once you have finished your application, you will get a letter in the mail to tell you about their decision. They may accept or reject your application. Besides, they may ask you to meet their employment counselor to complete the application process. Therefore, you should tell them anything that happened to you if it can change your situation.

References:

Utah Food Stamp Program – https://www.benefits.gov/benefit/1590
Basic Information for SNAP (Food Stamp) Applicants – https://jobs.utah.gov/customereducation/services/foodstamps/index.html
SNAP – The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (Food Stamps) – https://jobs.utah.gov/customereducation/services/foodstamps/requirements.html
What You Can Buy with SNAP – https://jobs.utah.gov/customereducation/services/foodstamps/groceries.html
Income and Resources – https://jobs.utah.gov/customereducation/services/foodstamps/deductions.html
How to Apply for Services – https://jobs.utah.gov/customereducation/apply/index.html
The Utah Food Stamp Program: How Long Does the Monthly Money Stay on the Card? – https://pocketsense.com/utah-monthly-money-stay-card-8251923.html
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