What Is LIHEAP?
The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is a federally funded program that helps eligible low-income households pay their heating and cooling bills, weatherize their homes, and handle energy-related emergencies like a utility shutoff notice. Because LIHEAP funding is distributed as block grants to states, territories, and tribes, each administers its own program with its own income limits (generally around 150% of the federal poverty level or 60% of state median income) and benefit formulas, so amounts vary widely across the country.
This calculator applies representative national-average benefit amounts by household size, split into a larger winter heating benefit and a smaller summer cooling benefit, to give you a rough sense of what you might receive. To apply and get an exact figure for your state, contact your state or local LIHEAP office — you can find contact information through the National Energy Assistance Referral hotline or your state's department of health and human services website.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is a federally funded program, run by states, that helps low-income households pay heating and cooling bills.
LIHEAP funds are distributed to states, which each set their own income limits and benefit formulas, so amounts differ significantly by state and even by fuel type.
Yes, many states offer emergency LIHEAP assistance for households facing utility disconnection, in addition to the regular seasonal benefit.