Verified Upon Receipt (VUR)

VUR means that the information provided is not questionable, the provider is the primary source of the information, and no further information is needed to take action.

Changes in benefits (increased or decreased as a result of a voluntary report) that are considered VUR, must take place as follows:

  • Benefit increases due to decreased income are effective the month of the report or the month of the change, whichever is later.
  • Benefit decreases due to increase income are effective the first of the month following the month in which the change was reported.

Changes that cannot be verified by client statement alone are:

  • Income;
  • Medical costs for a deduction
  • Legal obligations to pay child support and the amount paid.

Examples of information from the primary source considered VUR include:

  • BENDEX and SDX from the Social Security Administration
  • SAVE from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services
  • Unemployment compensation from the state unemployment agency
  • Worker’s compensation from the state agency.

Examples of internal agency information that is considered VUR include:

  • State agency determination of an IPV
  • Actions taken by other programs within the county agency that affect CalFresh income and expenses

    • Exception: Income information verified for Medi-Cal, using the Federal Verification Hub is considered verified. However, it cannot be used for CalFresh because the income information that is verified is not relevant to CalFresh eligibility determination due to the age of the information.

  • Information from a state, county or local work agency that a client failed to comply with work requirements.

If secondary information is requested for verification in order to act on a change in another program, such as Medi-Cal, then by definition it is not VUR.

Counties can hold the results of IEVS match until the SAR 7 or RC if the information is not considered VUR. Information not considered VUR includes, but is not limited to:

  • Quarterly wage match data
  • New hire match,
  • Unearned income matches form Internal Revenue Service, and
  • Wage data from the Social Security Administration.

When the information is received by the primary source of the information and no further information is needed to take action, it is considered VUR.

ExampleExample

January through December certification period. On March 15, the county receives an SDX report that indicates a SAR household has been determined eligible for $300 in Social Security benefits and the first regular payment will be April 3. This information is considered VUR because it was reported by the party that is responsible for the income. The EW narrates the information in the case record, sends a 10-day notice to reduce benefits and takes action for the April benefits.

Household Composition Changes

A voluntary report of household composition change by the head of household or responsible adult household member is considered VUR, and must be acted on PACF and NACF cases. For reports of household composition change by another source, the county must contact the household to verify eligibility.

ExampleExample

A mom calls and reports one of her children has left the home. The report is considered VUR, the EW must take action to reduce the household size and send out a timely notice of action (NOA).

ExampleExample

Same situation as above, but the report of the child leaving the home comes from a neighbor, a third party. This is not VUR since it was not reported by a primary source (i.e, the head of household). No action is taken until verified with the household.

  • If the new member’s income combined with the current HH’s income is exceed the IRT limit for the new HH size, then the EW
    • Terminates CF
    • Sends a10-day discontinuance NOA and
    • Documents case actions in the Maintain Case Comments window in CalSAWS.
  • If the new member's income combined with the current HH's income is below the IRT limit for the new HH size, then the EW
    • Adds new HH member to the case
    • Issues appropriate NOA to the HH and
    • Documents case actions in the Maintain Case Comments window in CalSAWS.

Note: If CF benefits decrease due to changes in HH composition, a 10-day NOA must be sent to the HH

Income under 130% of FPL

When a voluntary mid-period report of income less than the IRT that is not verified, the county must document the report of the change in the case record to be reviewed at the time of the next SAR 7 or recertification. Send out a “No Change NOA.”

ExampleExample

January through June SAR period. On March 15, mom reports she is eligible for Social Security and the first payment of $300 will be received April 3. This information is not VUR because the county needs further information in order to verify the change. If additional verification is not received, no action is taken. Send out a ‘No Change NOA’ and note in case record for the next SAR 7 or RC application.

If a household provides undisputed verification that requires no further inquiry and is VUR, then the county must act to reduce benefits.

ExampleExample

Same scenario as above. On April 7, mom reports she is eligible for Social Security and sends in a copy of the first payment of $300 that was received April 3. This information is considered verified because the county needs no further information in order to verify the change. The EW narrates the information in the case record, sends a 10-day notice to reduce benefits and takes action to change for the May allotment.

Related Topics

Semi-Annual Reporting (SAR) Households