LIHEAP: Help Paying Heating and Cooling Bills
If energy bills are hard to manage, LIHEAP may help eligible households pay heating or cooling costs. The federal program, the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, helps with home energy expenses. Help depends on where you live, your household circumstances, and local funding. The state or local LIHEAP agency that serves your address sets application steps and eligibility rules. A crisis benefit is extra LIHEAP help for a household facing an immediate threat to home energy service.
That support can matter when a heating bill competes with food, rent, or other household needs. LIHEAP may help with heating in cold weather or cooling during hot months, but the kind of support differs by location. Local rules and available funds shape who can get help and when. The program may not cover every bill or every home energy cost. Check the application dates and rules for your state before relying on a benefit.
How do you submit a LIHEAP application?
Start with your state or local LIHEAP agency, because each administrator sets its own application route. The federal program receives funding through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, while state, territory, and tribal administrators set local procedures. Your address decides which office and application process serve you.
A LIHEAP application online in 2026 depends on your location’s application window and official portal. Use the portal or form named by the administrator for your area. The LIHEAP Clearinghouse Directory or your state agency can help you find that official route.
An online portal works only during its local application window, so check the dates before you begin.
Apply through an online portal
Some locations let you complete and send the full application online. Others use a portal to share information or book an appointment, then ask you to send forms another way. The site should identify the local office, accepted services, and any steps needed to finish the request.
Read each page before you submit. A saved draft may not count as a complete application, and some portals ask you to upload files separately. If the official site does not make the next step clear, contact the agency using the phone number listed there.
Apply through a local agency
Community action agencies and county assistance offices may accept applications or help you find the correct administrator. Local providers may accept forms by mail or in person, as well as online. Where can you get a LIHEAP application? Your state agency or the office serving your county can point you to the right form.
Use this short process to keep your application on track:
- Identify the state or local LIHEAP administrator for your address.
- Check its dates and accepted submission methods.
- Submit the completed application and save its confirmation.
Keep a copy of the form and note when you sent it. Save the submission confirmation or application reference number so you can check on the case.
Who qualifies, and what income counts?
For 2025, federal guidelines cap LIHEAP eligibility at no more than 150% of the federal poverty guideline or 60% of state median income. States cannot set eligibility below 110% of the federal poverty guideline. Those federal limits do not create one national dollar cap, because states apply them using household size and their own income rules.
Your household size matters when an agency turns a federal percentage into a dollar limit. A state may use one of the federal measures allowed for the program, then set its own eligibility rules within those limits. That means two households with the same income may face different limits if their sizes or states differ.
Countable income can include wages, salaries, tips, and Social Security benefits. Social Security may count even when it is your main source of support. The local administrator decides which income types and household members count under its rules, so check how the agency treats each person’s income.
For example, a household with one worker and one person receiving Social Security may need to report both income sources. The agency may also use a set period to review income, such as recent pay records, based on local rules. Do not assume a benefit is excluded just because it comes from Social Security.
Families with low income may qualify, but income is only one part of a complete decision. Local rules can also shape how the agency counts people who share a home or pay household costs. Ask which members belong on the application before calculating a total.
The federal maximum answers how high a state may set its income limit, not the exact dollar amount for every household. Your state’s household-size calculation sets the dollar figure that applies to you. Compare your household’s income with the current limit published by the agency that serves your address.
What documents should you gather?
Gather identification, income records, and a recent energy bill before starting the application. Having the basics ready can make it easier to give the agency a clear picture of your household. Exact document rules come from your state or local LIHEAP agency.
A typical application may ask you to prepare these five items:
- Photo ID issued by a government agency for the applicant.
- Social Security cards or numbers for household members.
- Income records for household members.
- A recent heating or utility bill.
- Any shutoff notice or fuel-delivery information that applies to your household.
Income proof may include pay stubs or a Social Security benefit statement. The agency may ask for records for each adult household member, even when one person handles the application. Keep papers that show the dates covered, since a record may not match the period the office needs.
Your application may also need proof of address or household composition. A lease, a recent bill, or another record may help show who lives at the home, but the local office decides what it accepts. Do not guess if a requested item does not fit your situation; ask the agency what substitute proof it will take.
A shutoff notice is useful when you are making an emergency application, but a standard application may not require one. Fuel-delivery details can help show a household’s need when it uses delivered fuel instead of a utility service. Keep those records with the bill if they relate to your case.
Missing proof can slow a review while the agency asks you to fill a gap. A clear copy is often easier to read than a phone photo with cut-off edges or glare. Check the local agency’s document list before submitting, since missing proof can delay a decision.
What can LIHEAP pay for?
LIHEAP may help with heating or cooling costs, and the type of benefit depends on the local program. Local plans set the details, including which home energy expenses qualify. A grant may be a one-time payment credited to a utility or fuel company, not a monthly payment.
Some energy assistance plans focus on the cost of keeping a home warm or cool. They may cover part of a heating bill, cooling bill, or fuel cost. A benefit can help lower what you owe, but the amount and covered expense depend on the local plan.
Regular heating and cooling assistance
Regular assistance may apply to electricity, natural gas, oil, propane, or another fuel used for home energy. Local rules decide which bills and fuel types the program can support. If your utility account covers more than one service, ask which charge the grant may help pay.
Some programs pay the utility or fuel provider directly, while local rules determine how a grant is issued. A credited payment may reduce the balance on your account, but it does not mean the program pays each month. Keep track of your own bill, even after you receive an award notice.
Weatherization is a separate service that may improve a home’s energy efficiency. It can include work that helps the home use less energy, rather than cash for a current utility bill. Ask whether your local energy assistance program connects households with weatherization services.
Crisis assistance for urgent heating problems
Crisis assistance may help when a household faces an urgent heating problem. Examples include broken heating equipment, no fuel, or a threatened utility shutoff. The local plan determines which events count as emergencies and whether it offers extra support beyond regular help.
A household without fuel may need help with an emergency delivery, while another may need support after a heating system breaks. These cases do not all receive the same service. The agency may review the problem and apply its own crisis rules before deciding what help is available.
Tell the local administrator what has happened and which energy service is at risk. Ask whether the program covers your type of fuel or heating system, since plans differ. Ask the local administrator whether a grant goes to you or directly to the utility or fuel provider.
What should you do when energy service is at risk?
If a shutoff or loss of heat is imminent, contact your utility or fuel provider and local LIHEAP agency as soon as possible. Ask about crisis assistance and any separate hardship programs that may help your household. Act before service ends if you can, since an open account may allow more options.
LIHEAP received $4.045 billion in FY2026 funding, $20 million more than FY2025. Federal funding does not promise that a local office has money or open applications for every request. Call the agency and provider to learn what help they can offer for your case.
The Low Income Household Water Assistance Program has no funding available, and households cannot receive its benefits at this time.
For water-bill problems, contact your water provider or local social-service office about other options. The Low Income Household Water Assistance Program, or LIHWAP, cannot provide benefits now. A water provider may know about its own payment plans or local resources.
Calling 211 may connect you with local assistance where that service is available. Ask about energy help, housing services, and other community resources if a shutoff could affect your home. Keep a note of whom you spoke with and what they asked you to do next.
If you rent, tell the utility or agency who holds the account, since the account name can affect how a case is handled. A fuel provider may also need to know how much fuel remains or when delivery is due. Keep any shutoff notice or fuel-level information nearby when asking an agency about emergency help.
Conclusion
LIHEAP can be a useful starting point when home energy costs strain your household budget. The right local office can tell you whether its energy assistance program is open and what rules apply. Start by matching your address to the official state or local administrator.
Before sending personal information, confirm that the application belongs to that agency and that its instructions are current. Keep the agency’s contact details with your confirmation so you can follow up if needed. Contact the official LIHEAP administrator for your area to confirm the current application process.
