Income Guidelines for Low Income Energy Assistance
Maintaining a nice temperature in our homes can keep us healthy and happy. However, not all families can afford to heat their homes in the winter or cool their homes in the summer. Low income energy assistance is available to help families by covering a portion of their energy bills or by improving home energy performance to make energy bills lower.
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Types of Assistance
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Federal programs are the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) administered by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) administered by the Department of Energy (DOE). States, utilities and nonprofit agencies also contribute money to LIHEAP and WAP programs. Services are provided through utilities and nonprofit agencies that act as subgrantees for the states and certain territories.
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Federal Income Guidelines
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The federal government sets guidelines for assistance based on income and size of household. According to the HHS, the maximum income level for eligibility for LIHEAP is 150 percent of the poverty level, and grantees cannot set their own maximum income levels below 110 percent of the poverty level for that state. For WAP, the federal household income limit is 200 percent of the poverty level. However, states set their own income limits for WAP just as for LIHEAP.
Based only on federal income and poverty guidelines, if a family of four earns $31,800 or less it could be eligible for LIHEAP funds; and if this family earns less than $42,400, it could be eligible for WAP assistance. Some states may have a higher limit based on their median incomes; in New York, a family of four must earn less than $45,312 to qualify for weatherization assistance.
Beyond Eligibility
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Many more households are eligible than can be served by the funding that is available. Households that are eligible for assistance must first apply. According to DOE, preference is generally given to households where there are children, elderly or disabled members. Preference for LIHEAP assistance is sometimes given to those households that have received a disconnection notice from a utility. Certain households can be categorically eligible for LIHEAP when one or more members are already receiving assistance in the form of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI).
Definition of Income
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What part of a household's income is counted can make a difference in eligibility. LIHEAP does not have a set definition of income, so grantees must define income in a way that maintains consistency. LIHEAP money received by a household does not count as income.
For WAP, income is "total annual cash receipts before taxes from all sources," with some exceptions like child support and college scholarship income. Updated definitions are provided annually; income levels are found in section 5.9 of Weatherization Program Notice 09-1B, "Determining Eligibility Levels and Defining Income."
Where to go for help
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Applications are required for LIHEAP and WAP. Contact the state agency responsible for energy assistance to find a local service provider. Households in need of LIHEAP assistance may be directed to the appropriate office after contacting their heating (electric or gas) utility. Applications can take time and they usually require an appointment; be sure to bring proof of income to the appointment to avoid additional delays.
Some charitable organizations and religious groups also offer assistance to households that may not qualify or need assistance faster than can be provided by LIHEAP or WAP programs.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit "Slimmy" is Copyrighted by Flickr user: dyobmit (Tim Boyd) under the Creative Commons Attribution license.
