Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) - Federal Financial Assistance Programs

The mission of the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is to assist low income households, particularly those with the lowest incomes that pay a high proportion of household income for home energy, primarily in meeting their immediate home energy needs.

LIHEAP is a Federally funded block grant program that is implemented at the State, Tribal, and Insular Area levels. Grantees serve from low income households who seek assistance for their home energy bills. LIHEAP has been operating since 1982 and its purpose is: "to assist low-income households, particularly those with the lowest incomes, that pay a high proportion of household income for home energy, primarily in meeting their immediate home energy needs. "The program encourages priority be given to those with the " highest home energy needs", meaning low income households with a high energy burden and/or the presence of a "vulnerable" individual in the household, such as a young child, disabled person, or frail older individual.

Some forms of assistance available to low income households through State LIHEAP programs include: financial assistance towards a household's energy bill, emergency assistance if a household's home energy service is shut off or about to be shut off, and a range of other energy-related services that States may choose to offer, such as weatherization improvements, utility equipment repair and replacement, budgeting counseling and so forth.

Applying for LIHEAP assistance

Unlike some Federal programs, applications, eligibility rules, types of assistance, and benefit levels can vary greatly among LIHEAP programs. The Federal government does not send or take applications for LIHEAP assistance. For information on applying for LIHEAP assistance, please contact your:

* LIHEAP State grantee (A number of State LIHEAP offices provide toll-free numbers and web sites for public inquiries.)
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ocs/liheap/grantees/states.html

* LIHEAP Indian Tribe or Tribal Organization grantee
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ocs/liheap/grantees/tribes.html

* LIHEAP Insular Area grantee
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ocs/liheap/grantees/insular.html

You may want to contact the National Energy Assistance Referral (NEAR) project. NEAR is a free service for persons who want information on where to apply for LIHEAP help. NEAR can be contacted by e-mail energy assistance@ncat.org (please include your city, county and state along with your e-mail message) or by using NEAR's toll-free phone number 1-866-674-6327 (or 1-866-NRG-NEAR).

If you are interested in other Federal benefits that you may qualify for, please visit the following web sites:

* An overall resource for consumers on a variety of topics can be found at
http://www.consumer.gov/index.htm

* GovBenefits.gov is the Federal government's benefits web site. This is a free, confidential tool that can help you find government benefits that you may be eligible to receive.
http://www.govbenefits.gov/govbenefits_en.portal

Health and Safety

Adequate home heating and cooling are a necessity of life. The inability to heat or cool your home adequately can put persons in your home at risk for health and safety problems.

Resources for Consumers

The following Federal consumer resources about home energy-related topics are available:

* Disaster Assistance Resources for older persons, their families, practitioners, and the Aging Network.

* Eldercare Locator for contacting local agencies that can provide services to older persons.

* Home Energy Saver

* Insulate to Save Money

* Tips on Savings Energy & Money at Home

* What You Need to Know When the Power Goes Out Unexpected

* Winter Chill Temperatures

* Winter Storms and Extreme Cold

* National Weather Service

* Winter Storms - FEMA for Kids

* The Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Clearinghouse answers citizens' about how to save energy to lower their heating/fuel bill costs, etc. The public can contact the Clearinghouse either by completing its "Ask an Energy Expert" form or by calling 1-800-363-3732, Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m., (Eastern Standard Time)

* The three brochures below explain the factors that influence the prices of oil, propane, and natural gas.
o Residential Heating Oil Prices: What Consumers Should Know provides a breakdown of the cost of a gallon of heating oil, and the factors that cause heating oil prices to fluctuate and sometimes change dramatically in a short period of time.

o Propane Prices: What Consumers Should Know discusses how the use of propane varies according to customer, season and region.

o Residential Natural Gas Prices: What Consumers Should Know explains what customers pay for in their residential gas bills and what consumers can expect during the 2000-2001 heating season.