Pennsylvania - Department of Public Welfare

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Heating Assistance/LIHEAP

House and yard covered in snow.The Pennsylvania Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) helps low income people pay their heating bills through home heating energy assistance grants and crisis grants. You need not have an unpaid bill to receive home heating energy assistance. You can receive this money without being in the Cash Assistance program -- a family of four with an annual income of up to $33,075 can qualify for assistance. No lien is placed on your property if you receive this help.


Applications are no longer being accepted for the 2009-2010 LIHEAP Heating Season.


LIHEAP applications will be available when the program reopens in the fall of 2010.

The Department of Public Welfare may extend or shorten the program depending upon the availability of federal funds.

How to Apply:

The fastest way to apply and to check to see if we made a decision about your application is by applying through COMPASS, the online resource for cash assistance, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, help with child care, health care coverage, home heating assistance (LIHEAP), school meals, SelectPlan for Women and long-term living services.

For more information, please contact your local county assistance office or contact the LIHEAP hotline at 1-866-857-7095, Monday through Friday (individuals with hearing impairments may call the TDD number at 1-800-451-5886).

Crisis Grants

Additional money may be available if you have an emergency situation and are in jeopardy of losing your heat.

Emergency situations include:

  • Broken heating equipment or leaking lines that must be fixed or replaced
  • Lack of fuel
  • Termination of utility service
  • Danger of being without fuel or of having utility service terminated

Assistance with home heating crisis situations is available 24 hours a day; in most counties, you should contact your local county assistance office. However, residents of the seven counties listed below are encouraged to directly contact their local agencies that operate the crisis component in their areas:

  • Allegheny - Allegheny County Department of Human Services,1-800-851-3838;
  • Carbon - Carbon County Action Committee, (610) 377-6400;
  • Centre - Central PA Community Action Agency, (814) 765-1551, or Millheim Family Service Center, (814) 349-5850, or 1-800-822-2610;
  • Lackawanna - Scranton-Lackawanna Human Development Agency, (570) 963-6836;
  • Lancaster - Community Action Program of Lancaster County, 1-800-732-0018;
  • Luzerne - Commission on Economic Opportunity of Luzerne Co., 1-800-822-0359;
  • Wyoming - Commission on Economic Opportunity of Wyoming Co., (570) 836-4090.

General Information about LIHEAP:

LIHEAP Brochure - English
LIHEAP Brochure- EspaƱol

LIHEAP Eligibility Information

LIHEAP Benefit Amount Table: shows benefit amount based on user selected county and fuel type.

LIHEAP Policy Handbook

Operations Memorandum 09-10-01 2009-10 LIHEAP Policy Procedures and Form Changes

2010 LIHEAP Final State Plan

The Fiscal Year 2011 proposed LIHEAP State Plan may be viewed here.

LIHEAP 2011 Proposed State Plan

LIHEAP Vendor Information

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ATTENTION, VENDORS!

Please make note of the following important PROMISe dates:

  • All LIHEAP crisis claims must be submitted in PROMISe by midnight on June 16, 2010.
  • All attachments (trip tickets, cover sheets and other documents) must be received by DPW for processing by 5 p.m. on June 24, 2010.

To ensure payment for your crisis claims you must follow these deadlines. Contact the Vendor Helpline at 1-877-537-9517 with any questions.

__________________________________________________________________________


Information for LIHEAP vendors may be found on the Information for LIHEAP Vendors page.

PROMISe is now available online at http://liheap.dpw.state.pa.us/ . Vendors may now log on to register and set-up their account. If you have any questions, please call the LIHEAP Vendor Helpline at 1-877-537-9517.


Additional Low Income Energy Programs

You may be eligible for other energy assistance programs for low income households in addition to the LIHEAP program.

Visit the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission for information on energy programs available for low-income households.

If you live outside of Philadelphia, visit the $1 Energy Fund at www.dollarenergy.org or contact your utility company for information on programs that may help you pay your utility bill.

If you live in Philadelphia, visit the Utility Emergency Services Fund (UESF) at www.uesfacts.org or call (215) 972-5170 for information on a program that may help you pay your utility bill.

Information on the LIHEAP Advisory Committee

General Information about the Advisory Committee