YORK, Pa. — If you’re struggling with heating your home this winter season, there may be help for you. The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) helps families pay their heating bills through a grant.
There are two kinds of grants: cash and crisis. The cash grant is a one-time payment directly to the utility company that’s available to those who need assistance with paying the heating bill.
The crisis grant is for those who are in an emergency and may be in jeopardy of losing their heat. The emergencies can be:
- 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)
According to the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services, you do not have to receive public assistance to be eligible for LIHEAP or have unpaid heating bills. You can also rent or own your home and apply for assistance. To be eligible for LIHEAP, you must meet the income guidelines, which can be found based on your family size here.
To apply, you can head to COMPASS, which is an online tool for Pennsylvanians to apply for health and human service programs.
You can also apply in person by printing out the document below, filling it out, and submitting it to your local county assistance office.
Once the application is submitted, a representative will reach out to you explaining your eligibility and the amount of assistance you will receive.
