The Low-Income Heating Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) opened on November 1, 2016 and is expected to close March 31, 2017, subject to earlier or later closing depending on funding.
LIHEAP has 3 components:
- LIHEAP Cash Grant: Pays at least $200 to help with a heating bill. This includes bills for electricity, gas, water, oil, propane, kerosene, or other fuel types.
– Supplemental Grant of up to $175 for “Vulnerable Households”
– $50 if household contains an individual age 60 or over;
– $50 if household contains an individual with a disability;
– $75 if household contains a child five and under.
- LIHEAP Crisis Grant: Pays up to $500 to stop a shut-off of utility service, to get service turned back on, or to get fuel if a household is out of fuel or about to run out of fuel.
- LIHEAP Crisis Weatherization: Help for home-heating emergency: broken furnace, broken windows, frozen pipes, little or no insulation, cracks or other damage to roofs.
Applications and more information are also available on the DHS LIHEAP homepage. If you are unsure about your eligibility for the program, the LIHEAP Benefit Table can provide assistance.
The Pennsylvania Utility Law Project (PULP) has published the latest edition of the 2016-2017 LIHEAP Advocates Manual PA, as well as a LIHEAP Fact Sheet, that provide a wealth of information for anyone interested in accessing LIHEAP. PULP encourages advocates to forward and copy as needed. Contact Patrick Cicero at pciceropulp@palegalaid.net for questions or to provide feedback.