LIHEAP: Help with heating and cooling bills.
Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
Federal help paying your home heating, cooling, and energy-crisis bills, apply through your state, tribe, or territory's LIHEAP office.
Reviewed by SubhaVerified
Benefit size
Varies
Each state sets its own benefit schedule
Standard processing
Varies
Ask your local LIHEAP office
Crisis help
Within 48 hrs
Some help by federal rule; 18 hrs if life-threatening
Where to apply
Your state
Your state or local LIHEAP office
Figures on this page were last verified October 16, 2026. Amounts and rules change, so confirm them with HHS Administration for Children and Families: Office of Community Services before you apply.
What is LIHEAP?
LIHEAP (Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program) is a federal block-grant program funded by HHS Administration for Children and Families and administered by states, tribes, and territories.
It helps low-income households pay heating and cooling bills or resolve energy emergencies like shutoff notices, empty fuel tanks, or broken furnaces. About 5.9 million households were served in FY2024, according to the HHS ACF LIHEAP fact sheet.
Benefits vary sharply by state, and each state publishes its own minimum and maximum amounts. For a crisis, federal law requires some form of help within 48 hours, or within 18 hours if the situation is life-threatening. States set their own income limit.
It cannot be higher than 150 percent of the federal poverty guidelines or 60 percent of state median income, whichever is greater, and cannot be lower than 110 percent of the poverty guidelines. Households already receiving SNAP, TANF, or SSI often qualify automatically.
Contact your state office through the LIHEAP Clearinghouse or call 1-866-674-6327.
LIHEAP is the federal block-grant program that helps low-income households pay their heating and cooling bills.
The program is funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and administered by states, tribes, and territories, each one sets its own benefit amounts, eligibility specifics, and application windows.
Most states offer two main types of help: a regular heating or cooling benefit (paid annually, often via a credit to your utility account) and a crisis benefit for households facing imminent shutoff or a no-heat emergency. Some states also fund weatherization (insulation, furnace repair) through LIHEAP.
Demand far exceeds supply, historically only a fraction of eligible households are reached each year, and crisis funds often run out before the heating season ends. HHS publishes annual funding totals and state-by-state allocations at acf.gov.
Which households LIHEAP helps first
- Income under your state's limit. States can set it no higher than 150% of the federal poverty guidelines or 60% of state median income, whichever is greater, and no lower than 110% of the poverty guidelines
- Some states automatically qualify households already receiving SNAP, TANF, or SSI
- Priority typically goes to households with an elderly member, a person with a disability, or a young child
- U.S. citizenship is not required, but non-citizens must have a qualified immigration status under federal rules
- You must pay for home energy, directly or through your rent. Federal law requires states to treat owners and renters fairly, so ask your state how it handles heat included in rent
Only the agency that runs the program can decide eligibility.
What LIHEAP can pay toward energy bills
Benefit size
Varies
About 5.9 million households served in FY2024 (HHS ACF LIHEAP fact sheet)
What the amount depends on
Each state sets its own benefit schedule. The LIHEAP Clearinghouse state profiles list each state's minimum and maximum heating, cooling and crisis amounts. Exact amounts depend on your state, household size, income and fuel type.
Applying before your state's LIHEAP funds run out
- 01
Find your state's LIHEAP office
Use the LIHEAP Clearinghouse state-by-state directory or call the National Energy Assistance Referral (NEAR) hotline at 1-866-674-6327 (open Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Eastern).
- 02
Note your state's application window
Many states open applications November 1 and close once funds are exhausted, often by February or March. Cooling-assistance windows typically run May to August in hot-climate states.
- 03
Gather required documents
Most states require: photo ID, Social Security numbers for everyone in household, proof of income for last 30 days, your most recent utility bills, and proof of address.
- 04
Submit your application
Most states accept online, mail, and in-person applications. If you face an imminent shutoff, ask specifically about crisis assistance. For a crisis, federal law requires some form of help within 48 hours, or within 18 hours if the situation is life-threatening.
Start with the official source
HHS Administration for Children and Families: Office of Community Services
LIHEAP questions about bills and shutoffs
Benefits vary widely by state, household income, energy costs, and household size. There is no single national amount, your state's LIHEAP office sets its own benefit schedule each year. Crisis benefits for active shutoffs are usually paid directly to your utility company.
The LIHEAP Clearinghouse publishes each state's plan, including the maximum benefit available.
Yes, in most states. LIHEAP covers any home energy source, natural gas, electricity, oil, propane, kerosene, wood, even bottled gas. If electricity is your main heating or cooling fuel, the program covers your electric bill.
It depends on your state. Federal law requires states to treat owners and renters fairly, and many states help renters whose heat is included in the rent, sometimes at a lower amount. Ask your state office how it handles your situation.
Most heating-assistance programs open November 1 and close when funds run out. Cooling-assistance programs in hot states open May 1 or June 1. Many states allow you to apply year-round for crisis benefits if you have an active utility shutoff notice.
Sources & further reading
- HHS ACF, LIHEAP Program Overview
- LIHEAP Clearinghouse: State Low-Income Energy Profiles
- LIHEAP Clearinghouse: Help & Office Search Tool
- HHS ACF, LIHEAP Fact Sheet
- HHS ACF, LIHEAP Data Dashboard (FY2024 participation, funding by state)
- National Energy Assistance Directors Association (NEADA)
- NCOA: What is LIHEAP?
Use official sources to confirm current requirements and benefit amounts.
Reviewed by Subha
Every rule and figure here was checked against the sources above on October 16, 2026. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.
Not legal, tax, or financial advice. GrantsHubUSA is an independent editorial site. We are not a government agency and we do not run this program. See our full disclaimer.
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