LIHEAP is delayed in Pa. due to the federal government shutdown. Here’s what to know

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The federal government shutdown means hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvania families struggling to pay their utility bills will need to wait longer for help this year.

The state is pushing back the start of its Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program from early November to early December, while it waits to receive its yearly federal funding for the program.

The program helps more than 300,000 Pennsylvania households heat their homes annually. Many of these families live on less than $20,000 each year.

Here’s what to know.

What is LIHEAP?

The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, or LIHEAP, is a federally funded utility assistance program administered by states.

It provides grants to households below a certain income level, to help them cover their winter heating bills, and in some states, cool their homes in the summer. LIHEAP can also help families repair broken heaters and avoid or reverse shutoffs.

There are two types of LIHEAP grants: cash and crisis. You can apply for both.

Cash payments go directly to your utility company or fuel provider and show up as a credit on your bill. These grants range from $200 to $1,000 and don’t require you to be behind on your bills.

Crisis payments are meant for when your family is at immediate risk of losing heat. They can be used to avoid utility shutoffs or repair broken heating equipment. These grants range from $25 to $1,000.

In its plan for this year’s LIHEAP season, the state of Pennsylvania estimated that more than 360,000 households could receive cash grants and more than 100,000 families could receive crisis grants.

How is the government shutdown affecting Pennsylvania’s LIHEAP program?

Because of the federal government shutdown, Pennsylvania has not yet received its annual allocation of over $200 million in LIHEAP funding.

The state is not able to “backfill” these federal funds with state money, Pennsylvania’s Department of Human Services said in a statement.

This means that the program will remain on hold until the government shutdown ends and the state receives its federal allocation.

This spring, the Trump Administration fired the staff that oversees LIHEAP and proposed eliminating the funding from the federal budget. 

When will LIHEAP be available this year?

Pennsylvanians can start applying for LIHEAP Dec. 3, as long as the state receives its federal allocation by then, according to Pennsylvania’s Department of Human Services.

How to apply for LIHEAP

To qualify for LIHEAP, a household’s income cannot exceed 150% of the Federal Poverty Income Guidelines, which is $23,475 for an individual or $48,225 for a family of four.

Both renters and homeowners are eligible, and households can receive LIHEAP multiple years in a row.

Once the state opens its program, you can apply online through COMPASS, the state’s benefits portal, or in person through county assistance offices. In Philadelphia, applicants can also get help through a network of neighborhood energy centers.

The state will process the pre-season applications it has already received, but will not release payments until the federal funding comes through, officials said.

The state also runs a phone hotline at 1-866-857-7095.

What other utility assistance is available?

In the Philadelphia area, both Philadelphia Gas Works and PECO offer utility assistance programs that are separate from LIHEAP.

PECO offers an assistance program for low-income customers that caps customers’ bills at a percentage of their monthly income. The utility also offers due date extensions, payment plans and budget billing, which allows customers to spread out their bills throughout the year.

PGW offers a Customer Responsibility Program that the utility says can cut a household’s gas bills in half and forgive past debt.