IN THE NEWSROOM WITH MORE. HEY, JAY. HEY, MICHAEL. AND LIGHTSHIP IS THE PROGRAM THAT HELPS RENTERS AND HOMEOWNERS LIVING WITH LOW INCOMES PAY THEIR HEATING BILLS. AND IT COMES IN THE FORM OF A CASH GRANT. NOW IT’S CALLED THE LOW INCOME HOME ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, OR LIHEAP FOR SHORT. AND IT’S A FEDERALLY FUNDED PROGRAM THAT, AGAIN, HELPS LOW INCOME RENTERS AND HOMEOWNERS PAY THOSE HEATING BILLS. NOW, THE GRANT, BY THE WAY, DOESN’T NEED TO BE PAID BACK IN THE MINIMUM AMOUNT OF THIS GRANT IS $300, WHILE THE MAX IS 1000. NOW, THAT’S AN AMOUNT THAT’S BASED ON YOUR HOUSEHOLD SIZE, YOUR INCOME, AS WELL AS THE TYPE OF FUEL YOU USE. NOW, LIHEAP ALSO HAS CRISIS GRANTS FOR HOMES THAT ARE IN DANGER OF HAVING THEIR HEAT TURNED OFF. NOW, TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR LIHEAP, YOUR GROSS INCOME HAS TO BE 150% OF THE FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL. THAT’S $21,870 FOR A SINGLE PERSON. WHILE FOR A FAMILY OF FOUR, THAT’S $45,000 A YEAR. NOW, DHS DIRECTOR DR. VALERIE ARKOOSH SAYS THAT PEOPLE WHO MAY NOT CURRENTLY QUALIFY SHOULD KEEP THAT PROGRAM IN MIND JUST IN CASE THINGS CHANGE. WE UNDERSTAND THAT CIRCUMSTANCES CAN CHANGE THROUGHOUT THE SEASON, SO EVEN IF A HOUSEHOLD APPLIES TODAY AND ISN’T ELIGIBLE RIGHT NOW, IF SOMETHING CHANGES OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS, MAYBE A CHANGE IN JOB OR A CHANGE IN FAMILY CIRCUMSTANCES, YOU CAN ALWAYS APPLY AGAIN. NOW, LAST YEAR, MORE THAN 300,000 HOUSEHOLDS ACROSS THE COMMONWEALTH RECEIVED MORE THAN $125.5 MILLION IN LAHEEB CASH BENEFITS. THAT BREAKS DOWN TO ABOUT AN AVERAGE OF $400 PER HOME AND THE APPLICATIO
Low-Earnings House Vitality Help Program utility course of opens for 2023-24 season
Up to date: 4:59 PM EDT Nov 1, 2023
The appliance course of for Pennsylvania’s Low-Earnings House Vitality Help Program is now open for the 2023-24 season.The federally funded program helps renters and owners pay their heating payments.LIHEAP is distributed on to utility firms or residence heating gasoline suppliers within the type of a grant, so households do not need to repay help.The minimal money grant is $300, and the utmost is $1,000. The quantity relies on family dimension, earnings and gasoline sort.A disaster grant can be accessible to people who find themselves in quick hazard of being with out warmth. The disaster grant ranges from a minimal of $25 to a most of $1,000.The LIHEAP utility interval runs till April 5, 2024.How one can applyThere are two methods to use for LIHEAP:On-line: Apply for advantages utilizing COMPASS, the web instrument for Pennsylvanians to use for well being and human service applications and handle profit data.On paper: You possibly can obtain a paper utility, print it, fill it out and return it to your native county help workplace.EligibilityThe earnings restrict for LIHEAP is 150% of the Federal Poverty Degree.For a person, that may be a gross earnings of $21,870 per yr.For a household of 4, that may be a gross incoming of $45,000 per yr.Individuals who might not at present qualify ought to nonetheless hold this system in thoughts for later.”We perceive that circumstances can change all through the LIHEAP season. So, even when a family applies as we speak and is not eligible proper now, if one thing modifications over the following few months – possibly a change in job or a change in household circumstances – you may at all times apply once more,” Division of Human Companies Secretary Val Arkoosh mentioned.Contact DHSFor extra details about LIHEAP, contact your county help workplace. You too can name the LIHEAP hotline at 1-866-857-7095, Monday by Friday.Help with residence heating disaster conditions is out there 24 hours a day. In most counties, it is best to contact your county help workplace.2022-2023 LIHEAP seasonLast yr, 312,169 Pennsylvania households obtained $125,572,518 in LIHEAP money advantages. These households obtained a mean season advantage of $402. Greater than 135,000 households statewide obtained $98,923,752 in LIHEAP disaster advantages, and these households obtained a mean cost of $688.
The appliance course of for Pennsylvania’s Low-Earnings House Vitality Help Program is now open for the 2023-24 season.
The federally funded program helps renters and owners pay their heating payments.
LIHEAP is distributed on to utility firms or residence heating gasoline suppliers within the type of a grant, so households do not need to repay help.
The minimal money grant is $300, and the utmost is $1,000. The quantity relies on family dimension, earnings and gasoline sort.
A disaster grant can be accessible to people who find themselves in quick hazard of being with out warmth. The disaster grant ranges from a minimal of $25 to a most of $1,000.
The LIHEAP utility interval runs till April 5, 2024.
How one can apply
There are two methods to use for LIHEAP:
Eligibility
The earnings restrict for LIHEAP is 150% of the Federal Poverty Degree.
- For a person, that may be a gross earnings of $21,870 per yr.
- For a household of 4, that may be a gross incoming of $45,000 per yr.
Individuals who might not at present qualify ought to nonetheless hold this system in thoughts for later.
“We perceive that circumstances can change all through the LIHEAP season. So, even when a family applies as we speak and is not eligible proper now, if one thing modifications over the following few months – possibly a change in job or a change in household circumstances – you may at all times apply once more,” Division of Human Companies Secretary Val Arkoosh mentioned.
Contact DHS
For extra details about LIHEAP, contact your county help workplace. You too can name the LIHEAP hotline at 1-866-857-7095, Monday by Friday.
Help with residence heating disaster conditions is out there 24 hours a day. In most counties, it is best to contact your county help workplace.
2022-2023 LIHEAP season
Final yr, 312,169 Pennsylvania households obtained $125,572,518 in LIHEAP money advantages. These households obtained a mean season advantage of $402.
Greater than 135,000 households statewide obtained $98,923,752 in LIHEAP disaster advantages, and these households obtained a mean cost of $688.
