LIHEAP is short for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program. The long name is why a lot of people miss it. It can help eligible households with home heating or cooling costs. Some local programs also have crisis help when service is off or close to shutoff.
It is not one national check
The federal government sends money to states, territories, and tribes. Those offices set many of the local rules and take applications through local agencies. That means your friend across a state line may have a different income rule, season, form, or wait.
Use the official LIHEAP office finder. Pick your state or tribe. Then call or use the application link shown there.
Call before the bill becomes a shutoff
Do not wait because you feel embarrassed. Ask the utility what payment plan, hardship hold, or medical protection may be available. Then ask the LIHEAP office if it has regular help, crisis help, or a separate cooling program. Those are not always the same bucket of money.
Say this: “I have a shutoff date of ___ . Which application or crisis line should I use today?”
Have the boring papers ready
- A recent utility bill and any shutoff notice.
- ID and proof of address.
- Names of people in the household.
- Recent proof of income or benefit letters.
- Your landlord’s information if utilities are included in rent.
The office may ask for more or less. Ask for its current checklist. Do not guess at income. Ask what period it wants and what kinds of money count.
Renters should still ask
You do not have to own a house to ask about energy help. If your heat is included in rent, tell the office. The rules for included utilities are local, but “I rent” is not a reason to hang up on yourself.
Money can run out
LIHEAP funds are limited. Application windows and priority rules can change. A closed window does not mean the program is fake. Ask when it reopens, whether a crisis fund is separate, and what other local utility help exists.
Do not pay a stranger to apply
The official office does not need gift cards, wire transfers, or crypto to release a benefit. Be careful with a search ad that looks like a government page. Start with an address ending in .gov or the office listed by the federal LIHEAP clearinghouse.
LIHEAP approval is never automatic. The local office decides based on its current rules and funds.
If you get a denial
Read the reason. A missing document, a closed funding period, and an eligibility decision are three different problems. Ask how to correct the file and how to request a review. Keep the notice and mark the deadline.
Where we checked
Go straight to the source
- HHS LIHEAP home pageFederal overview of the home-energy assistance program.
- LIHEAP local office finderOfficial state, territory, tribal, and local contact finder.
- LIHEAP eligibility screenerA starting screen only; the local office makes the decision.
We link to the official office when one exists. A link is not an endorsement, and we do not control outside sites.
