LIHEAP to help pay energy bills
Find how and where to apply for LIHEAP funds in your state. The Low Income Home Energy Assistance program is federal government funded. Financial help in the form of a free grant money, a voucher or credit on an account is provided to low income households, the disabled or elderly who need help paying for their home utility bills. Get LIHEAP applications for your state and find phone numbers to apply at below.
Note the exact name of LIHEAP can be different in your state. Much of the financial help from the government goes to paying winter heating, electric or gas bills. However, some states offeer LIHEAP during the summer months as well for air conditioning as well as electric bills. A major goal of the federal government low income home energy bill assistance program is to ensure the most vulnerable (seniors, the disabled, households with young children, single moms, etc.) stay warm during the winter or cool during the summer.
What is LIHEAP?
The program’s purpose is to assist lower income families, individuals, as well as households living in or close to poverty levels with meeting their immediate home energy needs. Funds are available in all states listed below on a first come and served basis. Customers will often get help paying for both their winter heating bills as well as summer cooling bills, so the LIHEAP program provides year round assistance.
The low income utility bill assistance grant program will always give priority to those families with the highest home energy needs, which usually means lower income households with a family member that is at risk. Most states will also give priority applications to senior citizens as well as the homebound first and allow them to apply before others. LIHEAP applications can be done online, over the phone, or face to face at an office after an appointment has been made.
Another focus is on homes with someone who is at risk of health or medical issues if they have no power. LIHEAP gives priority to ensure their power is not disconnected, thus preventing health risks from vulnerable individuals. This is when many states provide electric help during a summer heat wave.
There are several forms of energy bill assistance that is provided to low income households through local state governments or non-profit offices that will be near you. Depending on funding each year the exact uses of the grant money may change. Grants will pay for some or all of the following types of energy.
- Low income families will get assistance with utility bills. The money can pay for electricity; propane; natural gas; heating oil; firewood; propane; kerosene; and various other sources of fuel.
- Some governments will also use their funding to pay for utility equipment repair and replacement programs, which means a furnace or air conditioner can be repaired.
- LIHEAP will also normally incorporate, weatherization upgrades and improvements to an older home. This can pay for an entirely new furnaces or repairs to a house focused on energy needs.
- States will often have LIHEAP programs to pay for summer electric bills, including air conditioning or provide free fans to seniors or the disabled.
- LIHEAP grant money can also cover other costs ,depending on your state. Emergency bill assistance if a household's home energy service is either shut off or about to be disconnected Some LIHEAP grant funds will help pay for utility deposits as well as to help a low-income family turn on their heat or electric.
The exact services vary by state. As a wide range of other energy-related services are available if a states choose to offer them. Find a listing of programs below and how to apply. There is also information on other government of utility bill relief from the government for low-income households.
LIHEAP is offered for both renters and homeowners. The grants are provided to anyone who is responsible for paying their home energy and/or heating bills will apply for LIHEAP near them. Families living in public housing or section 8 can also get low-income energy help from LIHEAP. The applicant will need to have a low or fixed income in order to be eligible for this support. Applicants do not need to have an unpaid utility bill to receive energy assistance.
Each state will also have their own local criteria that need to be met when applying for the LIHEAP - Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, but many of the criteria will factor in poverty levels. Many governments automatically enroll low income families into LIHEAP if the household is already on public aid such as SNAP food stamps, Medicaid, TANF, or other benefits.
Other LIHEAP grant programs
The other type of financial assistance is The LIHEAP Crisis (or emergency) Grant. This is for people who have a home heating emergency (or lack of cooling help in the summer) and are are out of all other options. The application process has been streamlined for this form of financial aid and it will take a matter of a couple days for the family to be assisted. This Crisis Grant is above and beyond any help that was provided by the Cash Grant indicated above.
The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) will provide households with additional financial assistance or other forms of help with paying the bill to end the emergency. For example, if the applicant is in imminent danger of having their service shut off or are running out of heating oil or fuel, the Crisis Grants will provide immediate relief. It will also be used to provide for the repairs to a furnace during the winter months.
 Emergency situations for the crisis LIHEAP grant include the following. However each state government, or administering community action agency near you, will have their own criteria.
- Lack of fuel such as heating oil.
- Some states will allow LIHEAP to pay for deposits to reconnect electric or heating service.
- Cooling or heating equipment that does not work, or leaking lines that must be replaced or fixed.
- Termination of utility or heating service.
- Families who are in danger of being without fuel or who will be in danger of having their utility service turned off.
- LIHEAP will on occasion pay for a portion of an utility deposit or reconnection fee to turn the heat or electricity back on in the home.
- Other support is given too, and learn more on LIHEAP crisis grants.
Low income energy bill help from a local utility company
In addition to the application information for LIHEAP above, a local utility company near you (or that provides services to your home or apartment) can oftentimes direct their customers to an agency for applications. In addition, most energy providers will also offer other financial relief programs that are combined with LIHEAP grants.
The low income, elderly, unemployed, working poor, and disabled can often apply for their own company-wide resources that offer direct financial help. Or there may be weatherization or energy conservation measures combined with LIHEAP. Contact a local utility company to get additional information on the programs they offer, whether it is LIHEAP applications or some other form of relief. Find more details on energy bill help from companies for more information.
Apply for LIHEAP utility assistance near you
As noted, the state may call LIHEAP something else, but they are all part of the federal funded Low-Income Energy Assistance Programs. There are some conditions that need to be met in order to be able to receive help. Applicants usually need to make an appointment to apply for LIHEAP from a local community action agency or their local state government. The application deadlines are usually in the fall, but they will change based on where the family lives. Many states have a LIHEAP online application.
The administration of the programs themselves are run at the state level, but the funds come from the United States DOE. Select your state below. The states office will also give the status of a LIHEAP application. Or the general intake phone number to dial for more information on how to apply for a grant from the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program is 1-866-674-6327.
Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
Florida
Georgia
Hawaii
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
Washington
Washington DC
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming
If your state is not listed, click here to find a listing of other state government programs, non-profit organizations and community action agencies. Not only may they have information on the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) application sites near you, but staff will often have referrals to additional sources of utility bill assistance in a region.
Need additional assistance in addition to LIHEAP?
Please include your email address and state. It is needed to send a reply to your request for help or more details on LIHEAP. Or visit the DHS energy site or register in the community forum (the link is on the margin below) to find more programs or request financial aid, and we will reply to your request for assistance there. Send an email to info@needhelppayingbills.com Include your state.
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