Low Income Home Energy Assistance (LIHEAP): How to Apply

To apply for LIHEAP, contact your local administering agency — usually a community action agency, county human services office, or tribal organization — during your state’s open application season, and submit proof of identity, household income, and a recent energy bill. The fastest way to find the right office is the National Energy Assistance Referral (NEAR) hotline at 1-866-674-6327 or the website energyhelp.us.¹ LIHEAP is a federal block grant, but every state, territory, and tribal government runs its own program with its own forms, income limits, and deadlines, so the specific steps depend on where you live.

Check That You Qualify Before You Apply

LIHEAP eligibility turns on your household’s gross income. Federal law lets each program set its cutoff at whichever is higher: 150 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines or 60 percent of the State Median Income.² Many states use the 150-percent-of-poverty standard, which for 2026 is roughly $23,940 for a single person and $49,500 for a family of four in the contiguous 48 states.³ Alaska and Hawaii use higher figures. The agency counts income from every household member 18 and older, including wages, Social Security, pensions, and child support. Some states also apply an asset test; many do not.

If anyone in your home already receives SNAP, TANF, SSI, or certain means-tested veterans’ benefits, you may be categorically eligible and skip a separate income review.⁴ Households with elderly members, young children, or people with disabilities get priority when funding runs short.

Renters qualify in every state, but the rules get trickier when heat or electricity is bundled into your rent. Some states treat you the same as any other applicant, some require proof that you pay a real energy cost separate from base rent, and a few exclude renters whose utilities are fully included.⁵ Call your local office before assuming either way; you may need a landlord statement showing the energy portion of your rent.

On immigration status: U.S. citizens qualify if they meet income rules, and non-citizens must be “qualified” under federal immigration law, which includes lawful permanent residents, refugees, asylees, and certain other groups.⁶ Undocumented residents are not eligible for federal LIHEAP benefits.⁷ In mixed-status homes, the benefit is prorated: the agency counts only eligible members when calculating the payment, but counts income from everyone in the household when checking the income limit.⁸

Find Your Local LIHEAP Office

There is no single national application. Call NEAR at 1-866-674-6327 or visit energyhelp.us, and staff will direct you to the agency that serves your address and tell you what documents to bring.¹ Depending on the state, that agency may be a community action agency, a county human services office, or a tribal organization. Many programs accept applications online, by mail, or in person.

Apply During the Right Season

LIHEAP runs on a fixed annual cycle. Heating assistance typically opens in the fall, often between October and December, and closes in the spring. Cooling assistance, where it is offered, usually opens in the summer. Miss your state’s window and you wait until the next cycle. Standard benefits are first-come, first-served until funds run out, so apply early in the season rather than late. Crisis help tends to stay available whenever the program is active.

Documents to Bring

Gather these before you sit down with the application:

A government-issued ID for the applicant and Social Security numbers for every household member. Some states exempt infants under one year old from the SSN requirement.
Proof of your address, such as a lease, mortgage statement, or property tax record.
Income documentation covering the prior 30 to 60 days for every adult in the household: pay stubs, pension statements, Social Security award letters, or unemployment notices. Self-employed applicants generally need a recent federal tax return or a detailed ledger of business income and expenses.⁹
A recent utility bill or disconnection notice showing your account number, provider, and current balance. If you use delivered fuel like propane or heating oil, bring a recent delivery receipt.

If you are categorically eligible through SNAP, SSI, or TANF, some states will pull your income verification from those programs instead of asking for it again. Providing false information on an application can lead to criminal fraud charges, benefit repayment, and disqualification from future assistance.

Ask for the Right Kind of Help

LIHEAP is not a single benefit. When you apply, be specific about what you need.

The standard heating or cooling benefit is a payment toward your bill, usually issued once a year as a credit on your utility account. It covers electricity, natural gas, propane, fuel oil, wood, and other home energy sources. The dollar amount depends on your state’s funding, your income, household size, and local energy costs.

Crisis assistance is for households facing a shutoff, already without service, or out of fuel in dangerous weather. Most states resolve non-life-threatening emergencies within 48 hours of a complete application and life-threatening situations within 18 hours, though the exact response window is set by each state’s plan.¹⁰ Crisis funds can also pay for emergency repair or replacement of a broken furnace or air conditioner that creates a safety hazard. If you are in crisis, say so when you call; the intake process is faster.

Weatherization uses LIHEAP dollars to make your home more efficient, through insulation, air sealing, ductwork repair, or replacing an aging heating system. Ask whether your local program offers it and how the waiting list works.

After You Apply

You will receive a written notice telling you whether you were approved or denied and, if approved, the benefit amount and how it will be applied. Non-emergency applications commonly take 30 days or longer to process. Crisis applications are handled on the accelerated timelines above.

Most states pay the benefit directly to your utility company or fuel supplier rather than sending you a check. The credit appears on your account and reduces what you owe; the utility can only bill you for the difference between your actual charges and the LIHEAP payment. For delivered fuels, the agency pays the vendor after confirming delivery. A LIHEAP payment does not count as income or resources for tax purposes or for any other benefit program, so receiving it will not reduce your SNAP, SSI, or other assistance.²

If You Are Denied

Every state LIHEAP program must give you the chance for a fair administrative hearing if your application is denied or if the agency fails to act within a reasonable time.² Your denial notice should explain how to request one and the deadline for doing so. Common reasons for denial are income above the threshold, missing documents, or applying outside the active season. If the problem was missing paperwork, it is often faster to reapply with the complete file than to appeal. If you believe the decision itself was wrong, request the hearing; the agency must help you through the process if you ask.

1
The LIHEAP Clearinghouse. National Energy Assistance Referral
2
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 42 USC 8624 – Applications and Requirements
3
HHS ASPE. 2026 Poverty Guidelines – 48 Contiguous States
4
The LIHEAP Clearinghouse. LIHEAP Categorical Eligibility – States and Territories
5
The LIHEAP Clearinghouse. Subsidized and Rental Household LIHEAP Eligibility and Benefits – States and Territories
6
Administration for Children and Families. LIHEAP Assistance for Eligible Household Members Residing with Ineligible Household Members
7
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 8 USC 1611 – Aliens Who Are Not Qualified Aliens Ineligible for Federal Public Benefits
8
Administration for Children and Families. LIHEAP IM – HHS Guidance on the Use of Social Security Numbers and Citizenship Status Verification
9
The LIHEAP Clearinghouse. LIHEAP Income Verification Examples from States
10
The LIHEAP Clearinghouse. LIHEAP Crisis – States and Territories