(a) The social services worker will compute financial assistance payments by beginning with the Bureau standard of assistance and doing the following:

(1) Subtracting from all resources calculated under §§ 20.307 through 20.310;

(2) Subtracting the rateable reduction or maximum payment level used by the state where the applicant lives;

(3) Subtracting an amount for shelter (see paragraph (b) of this section for details on how to calculate a shelter amount); and

(4) Rounding the result down to the next lowest dollar.

(b) The social services worker must calculate a shelter amount for purposes of paragraph (a)(3) of this section. To calculate the shelter amount:

(1) The shelter amount must not exceed the amount for shelter in the state TANF standard;

(2) If the state TANF does not specify an amount for shelter, the social services worker must calculate the amount as 25 percent of the total state TANF payment; and

(3) If there is more than one household in a dwelling, the social services worker must prorate the actual shelter cost among the households receiving General Assistance; this amount cannot exceed the amount in the standard for individuals in similar circumstances. The head of each household is responsible for his/her portion of the documented shelter cost.

(c) The social services worker must not provide General Assistance payments for any period before the date of the application for assistance.