Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)

liheap

The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), a federally-funded program, assists low-income homeowners and renters to meet the cost of home heating by providing a one-time payment to the heating utility. This program is not designed to pay your total winter heating cost.

What are the Benefits of LIHEAP?

  • Helps keep families safe and healthy through initiatives that assist families with energy costs.

  • Receive a one-time payment to assist with household heating costs, regardless of heating fuel type.

  • Both home owners and renters may qualify

  • Program available from November 1st to April 30th annually

  • Protects qualified applicants from being disconnected from natural gas or electric service during the annual winter moratorium, normally November 1 through April 1.

What is Required for Program Eligibility?

  • Meet income guidelines

  • Must have a heating and/or electric vendor, including an account number for the address you live at to receive the moratorium protection

  • Households with a member 60 years of age or older, those who are disabled and those in crisis can apply beginning October 1st

  • Must prove Legal U.S. status

LIHEAP is offered in the following counties:

  • Buena Vista
  • Clay
  • Dickinson
  • Emmet
  • Hamilton
  • Humboldt
  • O'Brien
  • Osceola
  • Palo Alto
  • Pocahontas
  • Webster
  • Wright

How Do I Apply?

You will need three groups of documents:

  1. Proof of identity for everyone living in your home. 
    • Social security cards are best because they don't expire. If you applied the year before, we may still have this on file for you. 
    • Adults can also use an unexpired Iowa driver's license or a REAL ID (with a star symbol) from any State, or a current United States passport. 
  1. Your gas, electric and/or water utility bills. We will verify your account numbers with your vendor.
  2. Proof of income for every adult living in your home. 

 

Choose from the links below to:

  • Access a map of all Outreach Offices. Choose the county where you live to access contact information and to schedule an appointment.
  • Access a downloadable LIHEAP application to complete, print, and mail to your local county Outreach Office.
  • Access the online LIHEAP application to complete and submit.