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LIHEAP
Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program

Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)

Millions of families with low incomes will have a tough time choosing between paying high heating bills and providing food for their families during winter months.

This is particularly acute for lower income single mother families who spend a much larger percentage of their income on utility bills than the average family. When the water, gas, and electric bills start piling up, the financial burden can become really overwhelming.

What is LIHEAP?

The federal government’s Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, or LIHEAP, provides by far the largest source of funding in the nation to help the poor with heating and cooling bills, most of that going to home heating costs.

In 2025, the government had a block grant amount of $4.2 billion for LIHEAP where States, Indian tribes, and territories use to provide heating and cooling assistance to roughly 6.7 million households.

The formula for fund distribution is dependent on the state’s low-income population and weather. Both heating and cooling costs for residential dwellings are included.

LIHEAP covers just a fraction of the poor families eligible for assistance and is distributed by local officials on the basis of greatest need.

In almost all cases, LIHEAP pays only part of the monthly utility bill, and the family pays the rest.

How much does LIHEAP pay in 2026?

The LIHEAP program is offered in every U.S. state, the District of Columbia, 140 Indian Tribes, and five U.S. territories to families with qualifying incomes — including many elderly.

The map compares the maximum LIHEAP heating benefit available in each state. Select a state to view its eligibility rules, benefit details, and how to apply.

LIHEAP benefits vary by each state and are calculated based on income, household size, the fuel type and the region where you live. 1

STATECoolingCoolingHeatingHeatingCrisis
Alabama$320$520$280$580—
Alaska——$350$6,125$6,125
Arizona$160$640$160$640$500
Arkansas$60$344$60$570—
California$283$932$94$1,500$1,500
Colorado——$200$1,000$4,800
Connecticut——$75$645710
Delaware$1$1,000$100$2,464$10,000
D.C.$200$1,800$200$1,800$500
Florida$400$1,350$400$1,350$2,000
Georgia$400$500$400$810—
Hawaii——$375$1,400$700
Idaho——$122$1,285$1,500
Illinois——$58$2,564—
Indiana——$100$625800
Iowa——$80$800$5,200
Kansas——$130$4,3014,301
Kentucky$41$250$15$250400
Louisiana$200$800$200$800$1,000
Maine——$88$1,012—
Maryland——$25$1,100—
Massachusetts——$200$600—
Michigan——$1$2,205$900
Minnesota——$200$1,400—
Mississippi$1$1,500$1$1,500$1,500
Missouri——$153$495—
Montana——$180$3,228$9,999
Nebraska$273$700$154$1,050$500
Nevada——$360$3,136$3,136
New Hampshire——$100$2,177—
New Jersey$118$1,278$118$1,278—
New Mexico$70$490$70$490$490
New York$10$1,000$21$996—
North Carolina$1$600$300$500$600
North Dakota$1$1,000$1$7,500$500
Ohio—$800$24$4411,200
Oklahoma$150$650$40$500$750
Oregon$250$750$250$750$1,000
Pennsylvania——$200$1,0001,000
Puerto Rico$110$605$110$605—
Rhode Island——$50$861—
South Carolina$200$775$200$850$1,000
South Dakota——$668$3,437$2,400
Tennessee$174$750$174$750$750
Texas$1$2,400$1$2,400$2,400
Utah$140$800$140$800$1,500
Vermont——$21$2,089$1,664
Virginia$50$700$181$634—
Washington——$250$1,250$13,000
West Virginia$1$2,000$1$2,000—
Wisconsin——$30$2,147$1,200
Wyoming——$48$1,901—

LIHEAP Cooling Assistance

Cooling assistance through LIHEAP is available in 28 states and the District of Columbia, with each jurisdiction offering different amounts of money. Families who struggle to keep their homes cool during the hot summer months may apply for Summer LIHEAP.

Applications open at varying dates depending on the state. Most cooling applications open as early as March 1 and close as late as September 30.

Is LIHEAP available year-round?

Most states run LIHEAP as a seasonal program, often offering heating assistance in colder months and cooling assistance in summer.

Here are the states that have cooling applications open year-round :

FAQ

How do I know if I’m qualified for LIHEAP?

Each state can create its own LIHEAP income guidelines, but they must fall within certain limits set by the government.

In general, to be eligible for LIHEAP, your household income must not exceed the greater of 60% of the state median income (SMI) or 150% of the poverty level AND no less than 110% of the poverty level. 2 Use our LIHEAP calculator below.

Priority is given to households with the highest needs or home energy costs in relation to income, particularly households with elderly members, disabled members, and households with young children.

In most states, LIHEAP has a priority system in place for:

  1. Senior and disabled households
  2. Single parent households with children under the age of 6
  3. General public

What is the income limit for LIHEAP?

Each state sets its own LIHEAP income limit within federal guidelines.2 Enter your state, household size and monthly income to see if you qualify for LIHEAP.

For a household of 3, the income limit for LIHEAP in Alabama is $3,415 a month ($40,980 a year), which is 150% of the federal poverty level.

Applications are processed by Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs.

This is an estimate: states can apply other rules, so check with your local LIHEAP agency. Limits are for the current federal fiscal year, October 1 through September 30.

Can I get LIHEAP if I rent?

Yes, renters can apply, but whether you qualify depends on how you pay for heat and where you live. According to the LIHEAP Clearinghouse, which tracks state plans, reports that some states, including Alaska and Kansas, do not serve renters whose heating costs are included in subsidized rent.

In Arkansas, Nevada, and Indiana, renters may qualify if they pay utility bills directly to a utility company. Other states may reduce the benefit when utilities are included in rent. Michigan, for example, reduces the credit by 50 percent in that situation.3

If your heat is in your rent, ask your local LIHEAP agency before you apply.

How fast can I get LIHEAP crisis assistance?

If you apply for LIHEAP crisis assistance, your state must provide help that resolves your energy crisis within 48 hours or within 18 hours if your situation is life-threatening. These deadlines do not apply during a natural disaster.4 Each state defines what counts as a crisis, so check the crisis column in the table above to see the maximum benefit available where you live.

Why do some states set a $1 minimum LIHEAP benefit?

A $1 minimum in the table is the lowest benefit amount a state reported in its LIHEAP plan. It does not mean that a household receives $1. The Texas plan, for example, states that the state does not have a minimum benefit amount.5

Some states also pay a small nominal LIHEAP amount so that SNAP households may claim the standard utility allowance, which is known as “Heat and Eat” when it applies to heating costs.

According to the Congressional Research Service, such a payment must exceed $20 a year to affect a household’s SNAP benefit.6 Michigan, for example, reports a nominal payment of $20.01 once per year.7 Since 2025, the allowance applies on this basis only to households with an elderly or disabled member.8

How do I apply for LIHEAP?

If you need help with utility bills, you can contact the state LIHEAP agency in which you reside to get more information about how to apply for this program. Alternatively, you can also use our AI assistant to find out where and how to apply for LIHEAP.

Options vary by state and local agency. Many agencies now accept applications online, by mail, or by phone. Walk-in drop-off is available at most county offices.

In addition to getting bill paying assistance, you may also receive weatherization, energy-related home repairs, and energy crisis assistance, when funding is available.

For a list of local intake agencies in each county,
LIHEAP Local Providers 

For a list of grantees at the state/tribe/territory level,
State and Territory ; Tribal 

Sources & notes

Data and figures on this page come from the sources and notes below:

Footnotes

  1. LIHEAP Clearing House , Benefit Levels for Heating, Cooling and Crisis ↩

  2. LIHEAP Clearinghouse , Eligibility: Household Income ↩ ↩2

  3. LIHEAP Clearinghouse , Subsidized and Rental Household LIHEAP Eligibility and Benefits: States and Territories, updated December 22, 2025 (from FY 2026 state plans). ↩

  4. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, LIHEAP Q&As on Disaster Relief . ↩

  5. LIHEAP Clearinghouse, Texas FY 2026 state plan , sections 2.6 and 3.6. ↩

  6. Congressional Research Service, The 2014 Farm Bill: Changing the Treatment of LIHEAP Receipt in the Calculation of SNAP Benefits , R42591, February 12, 2014. ↩

  7. LIHEAP Clearinghouse, Michigan FY 2026 state plan , section 1.7. ↩

  8. USDA Food and Nutrition Service, SNAP Provisions of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025, Information Memorandum , September 4, 2025 (Sec. 10103). ↩

About this information

SingleMotherGuide.com is an independent state-by-state reference guide and is not affiliated with any government agency. Program amounts and income limits are compiled from official federal and state sources, which are cited on the page, and are reviewed periodically and updated as those sources change.

The information is provided for general guidance and is not legal or financial advice. The administering agency makes the final determination of eligibility and benefit amounts. To report an error, please contact us.

Data freshness

Figures on this page are compiled from the public sources cited above and may change; refer to the cited sources for the most current information.

Last updated
Updated by
Ada Hu
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