Pennsylvania Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)

Pennsylvania Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)

Pennsylvania’s Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) helps eligible households pay home-heating expenses and address heating emergencies. The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) administers the program with federal LIHEAP funding. A cash grant is a benefit, not a loan: the payment goes to the household’s utility company or home-heating fuel provider to be credited to the account.

DHS lists the 2025-2026 season as closed and schedules the 2026-2027 season to open November 2, 2026 and close April 23, 2027. The FY 2027 Final State Plan confirms those dates for both cash and crisis applications. The scheduled closing date is subject to change: DHS reserves the right to shorten or extend the season depending on funding, demand, or other factors. Applications for the new cycle are not yet being accepted. Check the DHS LIHEAP page again when the season opens and before submitting.

At a glance

What the benefit covers

The cash component helps with the household’s home-heating bill. Its payment is sent to the utility or fuel vendor and credited to the bill; it is not unrestricted money paid directly to the applicant. Eligible households do not repay the grant. The payment matrix takes account of household size, income, and fuel type, so the published minimum and maximum are a range rather than a promise that each applicant will receive a particular amount.

For the 2026-2027 season, the final state plan establishes a minimum cash benefit of $200 and a maximum of $1,000. The plan estimates how many households can be served from the available program funds and says DHS may increase or decrease proposed benefit levels if actual funding differs from estimates. The FY 2027 plan likewise establishes a $25 minimum and $1,000 maximum for crisis benefits. Those figures describe the state plan; check the program page for any later changes before applying.

Crisis grants respond to a household that is without heat or in imminent danger of losing it because of a weather-related or energy-supply emergency. DHS lists broken heating equipment or leaking lines that must be repaired or replaced, lack of fuel, a completely shut-off main or secondary heating source, a fuel supply below 15 days, and a utility termination notice as examples. A high bill or past-due balance alone is not automatically a crisis. A past-due amount matters for crisis eligibility when it places the household at risk of termination.

The state plan permits crisis assistance whether or not a household also applies for or receives a cash grant. However, if a household has already received a LIHEAP benefit during the season and later faces a heating emergency, DHS directs it to contact the local County Assistance Office (CAO) to report the crisis. If no regular benefit has been received that season, apply for LIHEAP to be considered for crisis help. A crisis request should explain what happened, which heating source is affected, and what evidence shows that the household is without heat or faces an imminent loss of heat.

Eligibility for 2026-2027

Cash and crisis applicants must meet the income limit for their household size. Pennsylvania sets the limit at 150% of the Federal Poverty Income Guidelines (FPIG) for the 2026-2027 program year. The DHS page lists these maximum annual household incomes, effective February 1, 2026:

DHS updates the FPIG-based income limits when the annual guidelines are posted. Since the upcoming season spans that update, applicants should use the income table on the DHS page at the time they apply rather than treating a saved copy as permanent. The household calculation includes people living together, including children and adults, relatives living at the residence, and unrelated people who room there and share household expenses. The official application information also explains that the income of household members is counted when determining total annual income.

Applicants do not have to be enrolled in another public assistance program and do not need an unpaid heating bill to qualify. Renters and homeowners are both eligible categories. They must, however, have a qualifying responsibility for home heating. The state plan describes cash eligibility in terms of responsibility for the primary fuel, paid directly to a vendor or included indirectly as an undesignated part of rent. For crisis benefits, responsibility may relate to the primary or secondary fuel source and can be paid directly or through a third party. If heat is included in rent, or a third party pays the bill, explain the arrangement and provide any verification DHS requests.

Income eligibility alone does not establish crisis eligibility. Crisis applicants also need to show that heat is off or in imminent danger of being lost. An ordinary cash grant is the route for eligible households seeking help with heating costs without an immediate crisis. If it is not clear which component fits the household’s situation, the applicant can ask DHS or the county office before submitting documents.

Application timing and steps

The application window for the 2026-2027 cycle is scheduled for November 2, 2026 through April 23, 2027. The published DHS page says the 2025-2026 season is closed and announces the upcoming opening date. Do not submit an application for the new cycle before DHS opens it. Because the Final State Plan allows DHS to shorten or extend the season as funds and demand change, verify the live dates at the official LIHEAP page before applying.

DHS’s FY 2027 plan says applications for LIHEAP can be filed through COMPASS. It also says paper applications are available on request. As pre-season outreach, DHS plans to mail applications to households that received LIHEAP in the prior program year; people who previously used COMPASS are to receive a postcard directing them to apply online. A notice is an invitation and route to apply, not automatic enrollment. Every household must make a new application for each season.

A practical application sequence is:

1. Go to the DHS LIHEAP page and confirm that the 2026-2027 season has opened and that the closing date has not changed.
2. Start the application through COMPASS, or contact DHS to request a paper application if that is the method you need.
3. List the people who live together and share household expenses as instructed. Household size and the total annual income of household members determine the applicable limit.
4. Identify the primary heating fuel and the person or household responsible for the cost. A household may be responsible directly to a vendor or indirectly through rent.
5. Provide the information and verification requested by the current application. The state plan requires Social Security numbers for household members; where a member has no number or cannot provide one, the plan calls for an energy assistance affidavit, except for a child under age one.
6. Submit the complete application and keep a copy, a submission confirmation, and any case or tracking number.
7. Check application updates through Track My Benefits and respond by the stated date if DHS requests missing information.

For a heating emergency, explain the condition and heating source clearly and provide the evidence requested for that kind of crisis. If the household has already received regular LIHEAP assistance during the season, contact the CAO to report the emergency. DHS says eligible crisis applicants generally receive benefits within 10 business days, or sooner in a time-sensitive, life-threatening crisis. That is a crisis service standard, not a promised processing time for an ordinary cash application.

The state plan says DHS will send a written eligibility decision within 30 days of the application date, beginning from the program start date. An incomplete application can trigger a written request for missing information. Respond within the deadline in the notice and retain proof of what was sent. Contact the CAO if a status is not visible or an urgent heating issue needs attention.

Documents and preparation

Applicants should be ready to provide household members’ names, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, income information, and evidence of heating responsibility. The FY 2027 State Plan requires Social Security numbers for household members; a household member who does not have or cannot provide one may need to complete an energy assistance affidavit, subject to the plan’s stated exception for a child under age one. The LIHEAP application materials identify a recent bill from the main heating source and proof of income for household members as useful core records. Common income evidence includes pay stubs, award letters, or an employer statement. Use the checklist in the current application because DHS may request different documents depending on the household’s circumstances.

A home heated by a delivered fuel may need supplier or delivery information that identifies the fuel and the household’s account. When the source is included in rent, a lease or landlord statement may help clarify who pays for heat. If another person or agency pays the account, describe that arrangement accurately instead of omitting the heating expense. The program’s rules recognize some direct and indirect heating responsibilities, but DHS must be able to determine how the household is responsible for the fuel.

For a crisis request, keep the notice or record that shows the emergency. That may be a utility termination notice, confirmation that service has been shut off, a fuel supplier record showing a dangerously low supply, or information about required heating-equipment repair. A past-due bill without a termination risk may not establish a crisis. Make the evidence easy to understand and connect it to the household’s primary or secondary heating source.

Do not send original records unless DHS instructions specifically request them. Keep a copy of forms and documents, note the date and method of submission, and record the CAO contact details if you discuss the case by phone or in person. These steps make it easier to respond to an information request and to check that an application was received.

Decisions, crisis timing, and follow-up

After applying, households can use Pennsylvania’s application-status tracking service to review updates, or contact the local CAO if the record does not appear or if the household needs help. The FY 2027 State Plan says that, starting when the program opens, DHS will send a written eligibility decision within 30 days of the application date. This is the plan’s stated notice timeframe; missing or questionable verification may require follow-up, so watch for DHS notices and answer by the date stated in them.

For eligible crisis applicants, DHS says benefits are generally provided within 10 business days of applying, or sooner for a time-sensitive, life-threatening crisis. That timing concerns crisis benefits and should not be read as a cash-grant processing promise. If a household has already received a standard LIHEAP payment in the current season and then encounters a crisis, it should contact its CAO rather than submitting the ordinary application route again without guidance.

A written eligibility notice explains whether the household qualifies and the benefit amount. An approval results in payment to the utility company or fuel provider. Applicants should ask their vendor or DHS how and when the credit will appear if the account does not show the payment after approval. If DHS needs more evidence, the notice will explain what is missing and how to provide it.

What to verify before applying

The official LIHEAP page identifies the 2025-2026 season as closed and announces that the 2026-2027 season is scheduled to open November 2, 2026. The FY 2027 Final State Plan sets April 23, 2027 as the scheduled close for cash and crisis applications and describes the benefit ranges, income standard, and pre-season notices. DHS may adjust the dates and benefit levels as funding and demand develop, so check for updated notices near the opening date and again before submitting an application.

The announcement of a season does not mean applications can be filed immediately. Before the opening date, households can gather income and heating records, identify the household size, and check whether they are likely to need ordinary cash help or crisis assistance. Returning recipients should watch for DHS’s mailed application or COMPASS postcard, but should still verify the correct application route and submit for the new season. People who did not receive a notice can consult the DHS page and request a paper form.

If an application is denied, delayed, or appears to use incorrect household information, read the decision notice and contact the CAO about the record and next steps. The FY 2027 State Plan describes an administrative fair-hearing process for applicants who believe an eligibility decision is inaccurate or unreasonably delayed. Keep application confirmations, copies of verification, and the notice so the case can be discussed with the office.

LIHEAP is seasonal and requires an application each year. A past approval does not automatically enroll a household in the next season. The upcoming season’s published schedule and benefit limits are useful for planning, but only DHS can confirm that a household qualifies and determine its final grant amount.

Frequently asked questions

Is LIHEAP accepting applications now? The 2025-2026 season is closed. DHS has scheduled the next season to open November 2, 2026, so applications for that cycle are not open before that date. Check the DHS page for any update before applying.

What is the upcoming season’s deadline? Pennsylvania’s FY 2027 State Plan sets April 23, 2027 as the scheduled close for cash and crisis applications. DHS may shorten or extend the season depending on funding and demand.

How much can a household receive? The FY 2027 plan lists cash grants from $200 to $1,000 and crisis grants from $25 to $1,000. Benefit levels may change if available funding differs from estimates, and the household’s amount depends on program rules.

Does a household have to be on public assistance? No. DHS says another public assistance benefit is not required.

Does an applicant need an overdue heating bill? No. An unpaid bill is not required for the cash grant. A crisis grant does require a qualifying heating emergency; an overdue balance alone is not necessarily enough.

Can renters apply? Yes. Renters and homeowners may qualify if they have responsibility for home heating. If heat is included in rent, explain that in the application and follow the verification instructions.

What counts as a heating crisis? DHS lists situations such as broken heating equipment, lack of fuel, a shut-off heating source, a dangerously low fuel supply, or a termination notice. Contact the CAO promptly if the household is already without heat or faces imminent loss of service.

Where does the payment go? LIHEAP pays the utility company or home-heating fuel provider, which credits the account. It is not a cash deposit to the household.

Official links

• Pennsylvania DHS LIHEAP program page
• FY 2027 LIHEAP Final State Plan
• Apply for LIHEAP
• County Assistance Office contacts
• COMPASS

The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services administers the program. Use its LIHEAP page as the final source for application status, current income limits, grant amounts, and any change to the announced opening or closing dates.