Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program

Energy Program Details

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Program Summary

The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) provides money to help low-income homeowners and renters pay for heating costs.

Am I Eligible?

The amount of assistance you may get from LIHEAP is based on your household size and income, energy costs, and other factors.

You may be eligible for assistance if your total household income falls within the income eligibility guidelines or 60% of the state area median income, whichever is less. Eligibility for households with incomes between 150% and 170% of the federal poverty guidelines is limited to those households with a member who is susceptible to hypothermia, such as elderly, a child twenty-four months of age or under, or with a doctor's diagnosis.

If your heat is included in your rent, you may still apply for LIHEAP.

Additional help may be available if you have less than a 3-day supply of heating fuel or are in danger of having utility services disconnected and you have no means to pay your energy company.

If you are eligible for LIHEAP, you also may qualify for other programs that require LIHEAP eligibility:

If you receive residential electric service from an electric utility and you are not living in government subsidized housing, you may be eligible for assistance with your electric bills from your electric utility’s Low Income Assistance Plan (LIAP).
If your home is not as energy efficient as it could be, you may qualify for home weatherization improvements through our Weatherization Program.
If your heating system is in need of repair or replacement, you may qualify for the Central Heating Improvement Program (CHIP).

How Do I Apply?

Please refer to our agency contact list to apply for LIHEAP and to be automatically considered for the Low Income Assistance Plan and the Appliance Replacement, Weatherization and Central Heating Improvement programs.

Applications for LIHEAP are accepted from August 15th through April 30th of each year.

Please refer to the sample application form for examples of what you will be asked at your appointment. The sample application form is available as a reference and cannot be filled out or submitted online. To apply, schedule an appointment with the agency that serves your county.

At the time of application, you should be prepared to provide:

Names and social security numbers of all people living in your household.
Proof of gross household income for the last 3 or 12 months. (Household income includes, but is not limited to: wages, social security, unemployment, pension, and disability payments.)
Proof of present address (for example, a rent receipt, lease, deed, or property tax bill).
Recent copies of your energy and utility bills.
The type of fuel used to heat your home (natural gas, heating oil, propane, wood, wood pellets, biobricks, coal, corn or kerosene).

For more information, see our related document and related links at the top of the page, download the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program brochure, or contact: