Provided by the Office of Gov. Tom Wolf:
Snow at Core Creek Park in Middletown
Credit: Jill Hartman
Gov. Tom Wolf recently announced that the Department of Human Services has received approximately $185.5 million in federal funding for the 2016-17 Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) season. This season marks the commonwealth’s 35th anniversary participating in the program.
“Making sure all Pennsylvanians are safe and healthy is my top priority,” said Governor Tom Wolf. “It is essential that we ensure that every Pennsylvanian has a warm home and I encourage anyone who needs this assistance to apply through COMPASS or at their local county assistance offices.”
LIHEAP provides assistance for home heating bills to keep low-income Pennsylvanians warm and safe during the winter months. The program is available to both renters and homeowners. The support comes in the form of a grant, so the individual does not have to repay assistance, and goes directly to their utility company or home heating fuel provider.
The LIHEAP cash and crisis program opens November 1, 2016 and is scheduled to close March 31, 2017.
“This federally funded program provided hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvanians a warm place to live during last winter,” said Secretary Dallas. “That numbers includes thousands of the commonwealth’s most vulnerable citizens including elderly, children and individuals living with a disability. The administration is proud of the work the program provides and encourages recipients who need assistance with heating bills to apply before the worst of the winter weather arrives.”
During the 2015-16 LIHEAP season, 345,791 households statewide received $156.3 million in assistance. These households received an average of $452.
Eligibility for the 2016-17 LIHEAP season is set at 150 percent of the federal poverty income guidelines. The chart below shows the maximum income allowed for eligibility based on household size.
Online applications can be completed by visiting www.compass.state.pa.us. Paper applications are still available through local county assistance offices, or interested applicants can download and print an application from the department’s website.Each additional person in the household adds $6,240 to the maximum income allowed for eligibility.
For helpful tips on keeping warm throughout the winter while saving money on utility costs, visit www.energysavers.gov.
For more information on the LIHEAP program, or to download an application, visit www.dhs.pa.gov.
