Need assistance with heating bills?

The 2024-2025 Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program is now open!

LIHEAP (Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program) helps families and individuals pay their heating bills during the cold months with cash grants.

Learn more below or call our office at 412-364-0469 for more information.

Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)

About the Program

The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) helps families living on low incomes pay their heating bills in the form of a cash grant. Households in immediate danger of being without heat can also qualify for crisis grants. The cash grant is a one-time payment sent directly to the utility company/fuel provider to be credited on your bill. You can receive from $200 to $1,000 based on your household size, income, and fuel type. Remember: This is a grant and does not have to be repaid.

Are you experiencing an emergency related to your household’s heat? You may be eligible to receive additional funds through a crisis grant.

How does LIHEAP work?

LIHEAP offers both cash and crisis grants. Families may apply for:

Cash Grants

The cash grant is a one-time payment sent directly to the utility company/fuel provider to be credited on your bill. These grants range from $500 to $1,500 based on household size, income, and fuel type. Remember: This is a grant and does not have to be repaid.

Crisis Grants

Households experiencing a heating crisis may be eligible for additional benefits through the LIHEAP crisis program. Emergency situations include:

Broken heating equipment or leaking lines that must be fixed or replaced
Lack of fuel
The main heating source or second heating source (a source that is used to operate the main heating source or used if the main heating source is not working) has been completely shut-off
The danger of being without fuel (less than a 15 day supply)
The danger of having utility service terminated (you’ve received a notice that service will be shut off within the next 60 days)

How do I apply?

There are two ways to apply for LIHEAP:

Online: Apply for benefits online using COMPASS, the online tool for Pennsylvanians to apply for health and human service programs and manage benefit information.
On paper: You can download a paper application, print it, fill it out, and return it to your local county assistance office.

After your application is reviewed, you will receive written notice explaining your eligibility and the amount of assistance you will receive. Please allow 30 days for a response.

Who is eligible?

To qualify for LIHEAP in Pennsylvania, you must meet income requirements, which are set based on your household size. Renters and homeowners are both eligible for benefits.

You do not need to be on another public assistance program or have unpaid heating bills to qualify.

Household Size

A household includes the person or group of people who live together. When determining your household size, you must list those who live at the residence, including:

All children and adults
All relatives who are rooming at the residence
All unrelated people who are rooming at the residence and share household expenses

Income Requirements for 2024-2025

Your eligibility for LIHEAP is determined by the total annual income and size of your household. The income limit includes cumulative yearly earnings of all members of your household. To determine your household income, you should include the income of:

All related or unrelated household members
Renters who are related to you by blood, marriage, or adoption to a household member

Household Size	Income Limit
1	*$22,590*
2	*$30,660*
3	*$38,730*
4	*$46,800*
5	*$54,870*
6	*$62,940*
7	*$71,010*
8	*$79,080*
9	*$87,150*
10	*$95,220*

For every additional person, add $8,070.

More Information & Downloads

→ LIHEAP Policy Handbook

→ English LIHEAP Application

→ Spanish LIHEAP Application

→ Simplified Chinese LIHEAP Application

→ Arabic LIHEAP Application

→ Cambodian LIHEAP Application

→ Haitian Creole LIHEAP Application

→ Russian LIHEAP Application

→ Vietnamese LIHEAP Application

Other Programs that Can Help

In addition to Customer Assistance Programs (CAP) like LIHEAP, public utilities across Pennsylvania have a variety of ways to help consumers, including:

Budget Billing: A customer’s annual utility costs are averaged over 12 months so bills don’t jump up or down from month to month;
Payment Plans: These plans help address past-due bills or delinquent balances by paying down those balances over an extended period of time;
Hardship Funds: The assistance funds are supported by utilities and donations from utility customers along with non-profit and charitable organizations; and
Lifeline Service: A federal financial support program that helps eligible low-income consumers and households to keep their telephone and internet access. More information on Lifeline is available at www.lifelinesupport.org. You can also call Lifeline at 1-800-234-9473 between 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., seven days a week.