Pennsylvania is still able to provide extended LIHEAP assistance due to responsible, proactive planning.
Harrisburg, PA – Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) Secretary Dr. Val Arkoosh today announced the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) season has been extended from April 4 to April 18. The LIHEAP Program is vital for over 300,000 Pennsylvania families and is especially critical for older adults and low-income families so they can safely heat their homes during the colder months.
Despite news of federal staffing cuts to the office that oversees LIHEAP, there are currently no changes to this season’s program in Pennsylvania. Because DHS has adequate funding to continue the current season ending April 18, Secretary Arkoosh urged Pennsylvanians who are behind on or having trouble paying home heating bills to apply for LIHEAP Cash and LIHEAP Crisis benefits before the new April 18 deadline.
"The LIHEAP season is now closing for the year on April 18, so Pennsylvanians who may still need help with their heating bills from this winter should apply now," said Secretary Arkoosh. "LIHEAP helps our community's most vulnerable citizens – children, older Pennsylvanians, people with disabilities, and low-income families – make ends meet and keep their homes safer. If you are still having trouble paying your heating bills, please apply by April 18 so LIHEAP can help ease this burden."
While this season is not expected to be impacted, continued federal funding and support are critical to DHS’ ability to provide uninterrupted assistance for Pennsylvanians during the next winter season.
LIHEAP is a federally-funded program administered by DHS that provides assistance for home heating bills. The program offers LIHEAP cash grants to help reduce a household's monthly heating bill and LIHEAP crisis grants to help with heating emergencies; assistance is available for renters and homeowners.
LIHEAP assistance is available in the form of cash or crisis grants which are distributed directly to a household’s utility company or home heating fuel provider. Individual or households do not have to repay assistance. The minimum LIHEAP cash grant is $200 and the maximum cash grant is $1,000.
Pennsylvanians who need the LIHEAP crisis grant will be eligible for a minimum grant of $25 and a maximum grant of $1,000. Individuals and households are eligible for a crisis grant if they meet the poverty limits and are in jeopardy of having their heating utility service terminated, have already had their heating utility service terminated, or who are out of or have less than two weeks’ worth of deliverable fuel, such as fuel oil, propane, coal, or wood.
Individuals and families are financially eligible for the 2024-2025 LIHEAP season if their incomes are at or below 150 percent of the Federal Poverty Limit. For an individual, that is a gross income of $22,590 per year, and for a family of four, that is a gross income of $46,800 per year.
Pennsylvanians can apply for LIHEAP online at www.dhs.pa.gov/COMPASS, and for other public assistance programs online or by phone at 1-866-550-4355. Paper applications can also be submitted at a local County Assistance Office. Pennsylvanians do not need to know their own eligibility to apply for these programs. Households must apply for LIHEAP each year, so if a Pennsylvanian has been denied previously, DHS encourages them to apply again to see if they are eligible for the 2024-25 LIHEAP season.
In addition to LIHEAP cash and crisis grants, the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development's LIHEAP Crisis Interface Program (administered locally through its Weatherization Assistance Program offices) is available for individuals who need help covering crisis heating system repair or replacement costs. Funding is limited and applications for inoperative heating system assistance must still be submitted online through COMPASS or in person at your local County Assistance Office by April 4.
More information about LIHEAP is available on DHS’ website.