Not everyone has switched on their heat yet, but it’s not too early to think about ways to afford those high utility bills that arrive in the colder months.
Applications are now being accepted for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, better known as LIHEAP. Qualifying homeowners and renters can receive grants of between $200 and $1,000 to cover heating costs. The money is sent directly to the recipient’s utility company and does not need to be repaid.
Households are eligible if their income is at or below 150% of the federal poverty level, which varies by family size. The limit this year is $23,940 a year for an individual and $49,500 for a family of four.
LIHEAP participants do not need to be enrolled in other public assistance programs or have an unpaid balance on their utility bill.
Last winter, nearly 279,000 Pennsylvania households successfully applied for the program, according to the commonwealth’s Department of Human Services. The average benefit was $289, officials said.
The LIHEAP application period began Nov. 2 and is scheduled to run until late April, though Philadelphia Gas Works representatives noted that it could end early if funding runs out. The program is first-come, first-served.
Residents can apply online at compass.dhs.pa.gov or receive an application by texting the word “CASH” to 77037. Individuals can also schedule an appointment at a Neighborhood Energy Center or visit the state LIHEAP office at 1163 S. Broad St.
PGW will be holding a LIHEAP day, where customers can get in-person help signing up for the program, on Thursday, Nov. 19, from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. at The Center in the Park, 5818 Germantown Ave.
Forms are available in English, Spanish, Chinese Simplified, Vietnamese, Haitian Creole, Arabic, Nepali, Khmer, and Russian.
For more information about LIHEAP, visit dhs.pa.gov/liheap or pgworks.com/liheap.
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