Kansas helps pay winter heating bills through LIEAP and free weatherization
Kansas runs the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program under a slightly different name: LIEAP, the Low Income Energy Assistance Program. It gives qualifying households one payment a year toward the cost of heating their home, whether the heat comes from electricity, natural gas, propane, or another fuel.
The program is run by the Kansas Department for Children and Families, and applications go directly to DCF — there is no separate local agency to go through. This page covers what LIEAP pays, who qualifies, how to apply, and how to get free weatherization work on your home through the Kansas Housing Resources Corporation.
- SCAM WARNING: LIHEAP / LIEAP are programs commonly targeted by scammers, whether using social media, texts or others means. As this page covers, the only legitimate place to apply is through DCF.
What LIEAP pays
Each approved household gets one payment per year, and it goes toward heating costs. The amount depends on household income, how many people live at the address, the type of home, the heating fuel, and how much federal money Kansas received that year.
If two companies are involved — say gas heat plus a separate electric bill — the benefit can be split between them, as long as both bills are in an adult household member's name. In some years, when money remains at the end of the season, the state has sent a second, smaller payment to households that already received a benefit. No one applies for that separately; DCF notifies the households that will get one.
Who qualifies
An adult living at the address must be personally responsible for the heating costs, whether those are paid to a utility company, a fuel supplier, or a landlord. Kansas LIEAP is available to homeowners and renters. This includes people living in apartments, manufactured homes, and rural areas where heating may come from propane or other fuels instead of natural gas.
Income limits are set by household size, and the income of everyone living at the address is counted together. The whole household applies as one, and every adult in the home signs the application.
When and how to apply
Kansas usually accepts LIEAP applications during a limited winter enrollment period, typically beginning in January and ending in late March. Because funding is limited and processing can take time, households should submit an application as soon as the season opens.
You can apply online through the DCF self-service portal, pick up a paper application at any DCF service center, or call 1-888-369-4777 and ask for one by mail. DCF has also typically held in-person application events around the state during the season for people who want help filling out the form. Current details and the online application are on DCF's energy assistance page at https://www.dcf.ks.gov/services/ees/Pages/EnergyAssistance.aspx.
Before you start, gather proof of income for everyone living at the address, copies of your fuel and utility bills, proof of any child support received, and a copy of your rental agreement if you live in subsidized housing or your heat is included in rent. Having those ready means the application will not sit waiting on paperwork.
Older households can stay eligible for three years
There is one shortcut worth knowing. When everyone in the home is 62 or older, Social Security or KPERS is the only income, and the household has not moved since its last benefit, the state may keep the household eligible for up to three years without a new application. DCF sends a notice when it is time to reapply. If you help an older parent with their bills, this saves them a yearly trip through the paperwork.
Free weatherization through KHRC
Weatherization is the second program on this page, and it is free for households that qualify. The Kansas Housing Resources Corporation runs it statewide through regional agencies. Work begins with an energy audit of the home, and from there crews add insulation, seal air leaks, and inspect the furnace, repairing or replacing it when it is broken or unsafe.
Homeowners and renters can both get the work done, though a landlord has to agree before anything starts on a rental. If anyone in the home receives SSI, TANF, or a LIEAP benefit, the household automatically meets the income test. Applications are taken year-round and there is often a waiting list. Older adults, people with disabilities, families with young children, and homes with a dangerous furnace move up that list.
Apply through the statewide application on KHRC's weatherization page at https://kshousingcorp.org/category/programs/weatherization/ or contact the agency assigned to your county, which the same page lists. Getting a LIEAP benefit also helps here, since the two programs share funding and LIEAP recipients are among those referred for weatherization.
If LIEAP is not enough
One payment does not always cover a hard winter. Calling 211 can tell you which churches and charities in your county are helping with utility bills right now, and the Salvation Army in Kansas (see the NHPB Salvation Army page) helps with utilities in many communities when funds allow. Your utility company may have its own payment plan or help fund, and that includes co-ops and city utilities. Our NHPB list of community action agencies in Kansas can point you to local money too, and some of them handle the weatherization work in their part of the state.
Only apply through the state's own website
A LIEAP application contains everything an identity thief wants: Social Security numbers, income records, and signatures for every adult in the house. During application season, look-alike websites and social media posts appear offering to file your LIEAP for you or check whether you qualify. The real application is free, and it only goes through DCF, whose web addresses end in .gov. No legitimate person charges a fee to submit it, and DCF will not contact you through Facebook asking for your documents. When in doubt, call 1-888-369-4777 and ask.
This page provides general educational information about the Kansas Low Income Energy Assistance Program and the Kansas Weatherization Assistance Program. It is not legal or financial advice. Income limits, benefit amounts, and application periods are set each year and may differ from what is described here. Confirm current details with the Kansas Department for Children and Families or the Kansas Housing Resources Corporation before applying.
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