Which states use standard utility allowances (SUAs) versus actual utility expense methods in 2025?
Executive summary
The USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) says most states use Standard Utility Allowances (SUAs) for SNAP and that states may still allow households to claim actual utility expenses only where SUA use is optional; FNS published FY2025 SUA values and a final rule standardizing SUA methodology effective Jan. 17, 2025 with a compliance date of Oct. 1, 2025 [1] [2]. FNS guidance explains states must submit SUA methodologies for approval and may include internet costs beginning Oct. 1, 2025; specific lists of which states use SUAs versus actual-utility methods are provided in the FY2025 SUA materials on the FNS SUA page [1] [3].
1. What the federal rule changed and why it matters
The final FNS rule “Standardization of State Heating and Cooling Standard Utility Allowances” took effect Jan. 17, 2025 and requires states to standardize how they calculate and update SUAs, adds basic internet as an allowable shelter cost, and sets a compliance date of Oct. 1, 2025 for broader SUA changes [2]. The rule forces states to formalize methodologies and submit them for FNS approval at least every five years, a shift toward consistency across jurisdictions and a likely reduction in ad-hoc local variance [2].
2. How SUAs and actual-utility methods differ in practice
SUAs are flat, state-established deductions for utilities used in SNAP calculations that most states apply mandatorily; in states where SUAs are optional, households may instead document and claim their actual utility bills, but they must provide verification for all claimed costs [1]. FNS materials emphasize SUAs are updated annually to reflect utility cost changes and that the SUAs can be structured as single combined allowances or individual allowances for specific utilities [1] [4].
3. Which official sources list state choices and FY2025 values
FNS maintains FY2025 SUA values and explanatory materials; the SUA page and FY2025 SUA package are the authoritative source for state-by-state SUA values and implementation details [1]. FNS also issued an implementation memo requiring states to implement eligibility provisions by Jan. 17, 2025 and providing guidance that states may include basic internet starting Oct. 1, 2025 to limit household disruption [3].
4. Implementation timetable and practical impacts on states
States had to apply the household-eligibility provisions by Jan. 17, 2025, but were given until Oct. 1, 2025 to implement SUA methodology revisions and to include internet in SUA values—timing designed to align changes with SNAP Cost of Living Adjustments [3] [2]. FNS also provided a simplified FY2026 SUA adjustment option allowing states to update FY25 SUAs by the CPI-U change between June 2024 and June 2025, a step intended to streamline state action [5].
5. Where to find the definitive state-by-state answer
The only authoritative, up-to-date compilation of which states use mandatory SUAs, which offer optional SUAs allowing actual-utility claims, and the numeric SUA values for FY2025 is the FNS SUA materials and the FY2025 SUA tables referenced on the FNS SUA webpages [1] [2]. Available sources do not mention a single consolidated third‑party list in these search results; for exact per‑state method (mandatory vs. optional) and values, consult the FY2025 SUA files and the implementation memo on the FNS website [1] [3].
6. Competing perspectives and likely friction points
Advocacy groups and analysts framed the rule as both a standardization that protects benefit adequacy—particularly adding internet for modern needs—and as a potential source of short-term state administrative burden as methodologies are revised and approved [6] [2]. FNS encourages inclusion of internet costs beginning Oct. 1, 2025 but also warned states about timing and approval processes for alternate calculation methods [5] [3].
7. How to get an exact 2025 state list right now
To answer “which states use SUAs versus actual utility expense methods in 2025” with precision, retrieve the FY2025 SUA package and the state methodology submissions on the FNS SUA webpages referenced above; those files contain state-level SUA values and indicate whether SUA use is mandatory or optional for that state [1] [2]. Available sources do not provide a ready‑made table in this briefing; the FNS FY2025 SUA materials are the primary source for state-by-state determinations [1].
Limitations: This article relies solely on FNS rule texts and FNS implementation guidance and related reporting in the provided search results; the results include the FY2025 SUA materials and implementation memos but do not contain a precompiled third‑party list of states and their elective status beyond what the FNS package contains [1] [3] [2].