Pennsylvania LIHEAP 2026-27: Income Limits, Application & Crisis Grants

Pennsylvania LIHEAP, the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, is a federally funded cash grant that helps Pennsylvania households pay heating bills. The 2026-27 season opens November 2, 2026 and runs until April 23, 2027, paying between $200 and $1,000 directly to your utility or fuel company.

The grant does not need to be repaid, you do not need to be on other public assistance to qualify, and renters and homeowners are equally eligible.

This guide walks through the 2026-27 income limits, how much LIHEAP pays in PA, the COMPASS application process, what counts as a heating crisis, and what to do if your application is denied.

Two things to know before you start. First, funding: the final FY2027 state plan is built on an estimated federal block grant. If the actual amount is higher or lower, DHS may raise or lower benefit levels, and it can shorten or extend the season (PA DHS FY2027 State Plan).

Second, if funds run out before an application is approved, the program closes and there is no right to a fair hearing over it. Apply early in the season.

Key Takeaways

• PA LIHEAP 2026-27 cash and crisis grants run November 2, 2026 to April 23, 2027. Cash grants pay $200 to $1,000 toward your heating bill (PA Department of Human Services).
• Income limit for a household of one is $23,940, for a household of four it is $49,500. Each additional person adds $8,520.
• If your household already gets SNAP, Medical Assistance, or cash assistance from DHS, you can let DHS use the income it has on file instead of sending new proof.
• Crisis benefits arrive within 10 business days of applying, sooner for a time-sensitive, life-threatening crisis. Crisis grants range from $25 to $1,000.
• Apply online at the COMPASS portal, or mail or drop off a paper application at your county assistance office.

How Pennsylvania LIHEAP works in 2026-27

Pennsylvania LIHEAP is run by the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services using federal block grant money from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

The state writes the rules within federal limits, and county assistance offices process the applications. There is no separate national LIHEAP application. Everything happens through Pennsylvania’s COMPASS benefits portal or your local county office.

For county assistance office contacts and PUC shutoff protections, see our Pennsylvania utility shutoff and LIHEAP help by county page.

The program pays one of three benefits, depending on your situation:

• Cash grant, the standard benefit. A one-time payment between $200 and $1,000 sent directly to your heating utility or fuel provider as a credit on your account. The exact amount depends on household size, income, and fuel type.
• Crisis grant, for households in a heating emergency. Covers broken equipment, leaking lines, lack of fuel, a shutoff, less than a 15-day fuel supply, or a termination notice. Paid within 10 business days, sooner for life-threatening cases.
• Weatherization, for permanent home improvements like insulation and heating system repair. It is run by the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) through local weatherization agencies, not by county assistance offices.

The grant goes to your utility company, not to you. You will not receive a check. After approval, your gas, electric, oil, propane, kerosene, wood, or coal supplier credits the amount to your account, and you will see it on your bill or statement.

When does LIHEAP open in PA for 2026-27?

The 2026-27 LIHEAP season is scheduled to open on Monday, November 2, 2026. Under the final FY2027 state plan, both the cash and crisis components run from November 2, 2026 until April 23, 2027.

That is about a month earlier than last season, which opened December 3, 2025 and was later extended to May 8, 2026. Some websites still show an April 9, 2027 end date from the proposed plan. The final plan replaced it with April 23.

Before opening day, DHS mails applications to households that got LIHEAP in 2025-26, and past COMPASS applicants get a postcard pointing them online. Paper applications are always available on request.

Pennsylvania LIHEAP 2026-27 income limits, by household size

Eligibility for the 2026-27 program year is set at 150% of the Federal Poverty Income Guidelines for cash and crisis grants. DHS labels this table “Income Requirements for 2026-2027,” and it took effect February 1, 2026.

Use the household size that includes everyone living at the residence: all children and adults, relatives rooming there, and unrelated roomers who share household expenses.

Household size	Maximum annual income
1 person	$23,940
2 people	$32,460
3 people	$40,980
4 people	$49,500
5 people	$58,020
6 people	$66,540
7 people	$75,060
8 people	$83,580
9 people	$92,100
10 people	$100,620
Each additional person	+$8,520

Source: Pennsylvania Department of Human Services, Income Requirements for 2026-2027, effective February 1, 2026.

DHS counts the gross income of every household member, regardless of age, relationship, or citizenship. You choose whether it looks at the last 12 months or the calendar month before you apply, and either figure is converted to a yearly amount.

Counted income includes wages, self-employment profit, Social Security, SSI, pensions, unemployment, workers’ compensation, veterans’ benefits, support payments, and public assistance grants. SNAP benefits are not counted.

To compare your situation to the wider 2026 federal poverty thresholds, see our FPL calculator, which shows the 100%, 150%, and 200% lines used by most income-tested programs.

The income-on-file shortcut for SNAP, Medical Assistance, and cash recipients

Pennsylvania does not offer automatic (categorical) eligibility for LIHEAP. There is still a real shortcut. If your household already gets SNAP, Medical Assistance, or cash assistance from DHS, you can let DHS use the income it already has on file.

The paper application asks this directly, and COMPASS applicants who choose it may get an automated eligibility decision. Your address and household members must match DHS records, and every other rule still applies.

You still report that income, but you do not have to document it again. The shortcut covers benefits DHS runs itself. If your household gets only SSI, bring your SSA award letter.

Renters, immigrants, and special situations

Renters can apply. If you pay the heating bill directly, attach a recent bill. If heat is included in your rent, the application asks for a note from your landlord saying heat is included and what type of fuel heats the home.

In some situations the bill can be in another person’s name, such as a deceased spouse. You then need written proof of your address and an explanation of why the bill is in someone else’s name.

Every member does not have to be a U.S. citizen, but LIHEAP requires citizenship or lawfully admitted non-citizen status. Household members without lawful status are not counted in household size, yet their income still counts.

The public charge rules also changed in 2026. DHS rescinded the 2022 rule, and for benefits received on or after September 18, 2026, officers face no limit on which means-tested benefits they can consider (Federal Register).

Many groups are exempt, including refugees, asylees, and T or U visa holders, so if anyone in your household has an immigration case, talk to an immigration attorney or accredited legal aid group before applying.

How to apply for LIHEAP in Pennsylvania: the COMPASS portal walkthrough

You have three ways to submit a Pennsylvania LIHEAP application. Online through COMPASS can give an automated decision if you use income on file. By mail works for everyone. Dropping off a paper application at your county office works if you want to hand in documents yourself.

DHS lists only online and paper applications. The LIHEAP Hotline answers questions, but it is not a way to apply.

Option 1: Apply online at COMPASS

The Commonwealth’s COMPASS portal at compass.dhs.pa.gov handles LIHEAP plus SNAP, Medical Assistance, and cash assistance, and you can apply for all of them on one online application. Create a free account, choose LIHEAP, and answer the questions.

Three things make the COMPASS application go smoothly:

1. Have every document scanned or photographed before you start. Having files ready means you are not hunting for papers in the middle of the form.
2. Finish in one sitting if you can. Gather your heating bill, income proof, and Social Security numbers first.
3. Save your confirmation number the moment you submit. You will want it when you check your status or call about your case.

Option 2: Apply by mail

Download the LIHEAP application from pa.gov, or ask your county assistance office to mail you one. In mid-October 2026 the posted form was still the 2025-26 version, so look for the 2026-27 form once the season opens.

Fill it out completely, sign at the red X, attach photocopies of your supporting documents (never originals), and mail it to your county assistance office. The address for your CAO is on the PA DHS county directory.

Option 3: Drop it off in person

You can hand in a paper application at your county assistance office during business hours. Staff can answer questions and confirm what they received.

If you are homebound, LIHEAP staff will mail you an application on request or refer you to an agency that makes home visits.

Documents you need before you start

Pennsylvania asks every cash applicant for a recent heating bill and proof of income for the household. Gathering everything first avoids the most common delay, a missing-information notice.

Household composition:

• Social Security numbers for every household member. Anyone without one completes an energy assistance affidavit (not needed for a child under age one)
• Names and dates of birth for everyone living at the address
• Proof of lawfully admitted non-citizen status for each non-citizen in the household

Income for every household member, for the 12 months or the calendar month before you apply:

• Wages: pay stubs covering the period you choose
• Self-employment: records of gross receipts and business operating costs
• Social Security or SSI: most recent SSA award letter
• Pension or retirement: 1099-R, bank statement showing direct deposit, or pension statement
• Unemployment: statement from PA Unemployment Compensation
• Child support or alimony: court order plus bank statements showing receipt
• DHS benefits: if anyone gets SNAP, Medical Assistance, or cash assistance, you can ask DHS to use the income on file
• Little or no income: evidence that explains how the household is meeting its bills and basic living needs

Housing and heating:

• A heating bill or fuel receipt issued within two months before you apply, for your main fuel: gas, electric, oil, propane, kerosene, wood, or coal
• If heat is included in rent: a note from your landlord stating heat is included and the type of fuel
• If the bill is in someone else’s name: written proof of your address and an explanation

For crisis grants, add proof of the emergency: a termination notice, proof that service is already off, or your statement that delivered fuel will last less than 15 days.

If something is missing, the CAO mails a notice within 10 workdays and gives you 15 days to send it. If you send it within 60 days of your original application, the CAO may redetermine eligibility without a new application.

How much does LIHEAP pay in PA?

Pennsylvania cash grants range from $200 to $1,000 per household per season. Three things set your exact amount: household size, household income, and your heating fuel type.

For a rough average, the FY2027 plan budgets $113.6 million in cash grants for about 393,356 households. That works out to roughly $289 per household, but DHS cautions that an average does not predict what any one household will receive.

Households with a member age 60 or older, a disabled member, or a child age five or under count as vulnerable. Subject to available funds, DHS may issue them a supplemental cash benefit on top of the regular grant.

To see what you qualify for, use Pennsylvania’s official LIHEAP Benefit Table. Pick your fuel, income range, and household size, and it shows your cash benefit amount. No third-party calculator can replace it.

Crisis grants are separate and additive. A household that already received the standard cash grant can still qualify for a crisis grant later in the same season if a heating emergency arises. Crisis grants range from $25 to $1,000, on top of the cash grant.

PA LIHEAP crisis grants: when to ask for emergency help

Pennsylvania’s crisis benefit follows federal LIHEAP rules but runs on its own track. If you have not received a LIHEAP cash grant this season, you must apply for the program to be considered for a crisis grant. If you already got one, contact your county assistance office to report the emergency.

Five situations qualify under PA rules:

• Broken heating equipment or leaking lines that must be fixed or replaced
• Lack of fuel
• Shutoff of your main heating source, or of a secondary source used to run the main one or used when it is not working
• Danger of being without fuel, meaning less than a 15-day supply
• Danger of having utility service terminated, meaning you have a notice that service will be shut off within the next 60 days

One catch: termination notices from regulated utilities dated December 1 through March 31 do not count as proof of a crisis, because those companies cannot shut off service in that period without permission from the PUC.

DHS says eligible applicants receive crisis benefits within 10 business days, or sooner for a time-sensitive, life-threatening crisis. For broken heating systems, the CAO may fix the crisis directly or refer it to the local weatherization office under the LIHEAP Emergency Services Program.

The state plan goes further: some form of help that resolves the crisis within 48 hours, or 18 hours for a documented medical emergency. Federal law sets the same 48-hour and 18-hour limits (42 U.S.C. § 8623(c)).

Crisis help is available 24 hours a day. In most counties you start with your county assistance office. For general questions, call the LIHEAP Hotline at 1-866-857-7095. Callers with hearing impairments can use 711.

After you apply, you can follow your case at trackmybenefits.pa.gov. Our LIHEAP application status guide explains what each status means.

What to do if your PA LIHEAP application is denied

DHS must send a written decision within 30 days of your application. A denial notice states the reason, cites the rule behind it, and explains your fair hearing rights. Many problems, such as a missing document, can be fixed.

Step 1: Read the denial letter carefully. Find the reason and the appeal deadline printed on the notice, and mark that date right away.

Step 2: Call your county assistance office. If the problem is a missing or unreadable document, ask what they need. Verification sent within 60 days of your original application can let the CAO redetermine your case without a new application.

Step 3: File a formal appeal. If that does not fix it, appeal in writing before the deadline using the instructions on your notice. Appeals are filed with the county office, which forwards them to the DHS Bureau of Hearings and Appeals.

Include your name, address, case number, the denial date, and a clear statement that you are appealing, plus any documents you did not submit the first time. LIHEAP staff will help with any part of the appeal if you ask.

Step 4: Attend the fair hearing. You can bring documents, witnesses, and a representative. One limit: there is no fair hearing if the program closes for lack of funds before your benefit is approved, or if you applied after the season closed.

Free help is available from legal aid programs such as those in the Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network. Ask early, because their schedules fill quickly during the heating season.

Other Pennsylvania utility assistance programs to know

LIHEAP is the largest energy-assistance program in PA but not the only one. If your LIHEAP application is denied, the program closes for the year, or your benefit does not cover everything, these are the next places to look:

Customer Assistance Programs (CAPs). Pennsylvania’s large utilities run their own income-based discount programs. PECO’s CAP sets your bill as a percentage of household income for customers at or below 150% of the poverty guidelines.

PGW’s Customer Responsibility Program (CRP) can cut a qualifying customer’s gas bill by more than half. Other utilities have similar plans, so call yours. LIHEAP and a CAP can work together: PECO lets LIHEAP grant recipients who agreed to data sharing use that as income proof for CAP.

Dollar Energy Fund. A nonprofit that gives Hardship Program grants for utility bills through partner utilities. Apply online or through a local community agency at dollarenergy.org. You need a utility bill and proof of income for everyone in the household.

Utility Emergency Services Fund (UESF). Philadelphia residents only. UESF helps PECO and Philadelphia Water Department customers facing termination or already shut off, and it requires you to apply for LIHEAP cash and crisis first during the season. Apply at uesfacts.org or call 215-972-5170.

Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP). Administered in Pennsylvania by DCED through local weatherization agencies, WAP pays for permanent home-energy improvements such as insulation and heating system work.

The weatherization income limit is 200% of the poverty guidelines, higher than LIHEAP cash, for example $66,000 for a household of four. Renters and owners both qualify.

PA 211. If you are in a shutoff right now or LIHEAP funds are gone, dial 211 from any phone in Pennsylvania to reach a local referral specialist, free and around the clock. They can point you to local charities that run heating funds in your area.

Not sure which programs you qualify for? Our free eligibility wizard cross-references federal and state programs in under a minute. No email required.