After having a North Carolina food stamps application denied, the applicant should review the reasons for denial to ensure they are valid and applicable. A Health and Human Services representative issues a food stamps denial when he or she feels the applicant does not meet all eligibility requirements of the SNAP program. The food stamps appeal process can be initiated by a denied applicant if he or she feels the reasons for denial are invalid. The steps for how to appeal SNAP benefits denial should be followed closely by the denied applicant if he or she hopes to schedule a fair hearing. The North Carolina food stamp denial appeal process can only be initiated by the denied applicant, and once requested, the applicant will need to begin preparing for the fair hearing trial. To learn more about how to appeal food stamps benefit denials and the common reasons for SNAP denial, review the sections below.
Common Reasons for North Carolina Food Stamps Denials
A North Carolina food stamps denial is issued to program applicants when they do not meet certain eligibility criteria. The denied SNAP application may have included too much monthly earned income for the household, deeming the applicant ineligible to receive assistance from the program. A denied applicant may file for an NC food stamp denial appeal if he or she feels the calculation of income is incorrect, or if a non-household member’s income is being used in determining financial eligibility.
A household that does not pass a resource test may result in a food stamps application denied in North Carolina. SNAP applicants can consider appealing food stamp denials if the assets are debatable or if they feel the specific assets should not have been used in calculations. Before following the steps to appeal the SNAP benefits denial, the applicant should be aware of all SNAP income and asset qualifications to ensure he or she is eligible for the program and that the denial was truly wrongful.
Common reasons for the denial of food stamps may also involve the requested documentation from the Health and Human Services representative. Failure to provide proof of citizenship, residency, income or expenses in a timely manner can result in a SNAP benefit denial in North Carolina. If attempts were made to present documentation or if the applicant feels he or she did show proper documentation to support the claims made on the application for SNAP, an appeal may be filed. The NC food stamps appeal process will give the denied applicant an opportunity to express his or her suspicion that the denial is wrongful and that all information provided on the SNAP application was truthful and thorough.
Learn About Notifications for a North Carolina Food Stamps Denial
After a food stamps denial is determined, the Health and Human Services office sends out a denial letter to the applicant. The denied food stamps applicant can review this notification to learn the details of the denial, including the specific program eligibility criteria that was not met. The steps in the North Carolina food stamps appeal process are also available on the denial notification, so a denied applicant can review the actions to take if he or she feels the denial is wrongful or is due to an error. To appeal an NC SNAP benefits denial, the applicant will need to first request an appeal by mail or in person using the instructions and office contact information provided on the denial notification.
After receiving an NC SNAP benefits denial notification, the denied applicant may first attempt to contact the Health and Human Services office where the notification was issued. Sometimes, the food stamp application denial is a misunderstanding, and the applicant can have the decision reversed simply by turning in required documentation or through scheduling an additional interview with the representative. However, the process for how to appeal SNAP benefits denial may need to be pursued by the applicant if no resolution is reached after speaking with the Health and Human Services office.
How to Appeal a SNAP Denial in North Carolina
After requesting a North Carolina SNAP benefit denial appeal, an applicant will receive a notification once a fair hearing is scheduled. As soon as the food stamps denial fair hearing trial is scheduled, the denied applicant should begin gathering and organizing evidence to present at the hearing that supports his or her claim of a wrongful denial. During the NC SNAP denial appeal process, the hearing judge will listen to the denied applicant and a representative from the Health and Human Services office to understand both sides of the case. The denied food stamps applicant has the right to legal counsel or the assistance of a friend or a family member throughout the food stamps appeal process. However, the denied applicant is responsible for all legal fees and charges incurred throughout the process, whether the denial is reversed or not.
The judge will mail out his or her denied food stamp benefits hearing decision to both parties once completed. If the judge decides the NC food stamps denial was justified, the denied applicant cannot receive SNAP benefits. If the denied food stamps application is overturned by the judge, the Health and Human Services office will be ordered to award the applicant with SNAP program benefits. Download our free guide to learn more about the SNAP appeals process.