Help Paying Energy Bills: LIHEAP, Weatherization and Utility Programs

If you are struggling with high utility costs, help paying energy bills is available from federal, state and utility programs, and many households that qualify never apply. The two biggest federal programs are the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), which helps pay bills, and the Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP), which makes homes cheaper to heat and cool for good. This guide explains who qualifies, what each program covers, and exactly how to apply.

What help is available for energy bills?

There are three main layers of help. LIHEAP pays toward heating and cooling bills and energy emergencies. Weatherization lowers future bills with free upgrades. Your utility may offer payment plans, budget billing, discount rates or hardship funds. Most households can use more than one of these at the same time.

USA.gov’s energy bill page is a good official starting point. It links to LIHEAP, weatherization and state shutoff rules in one place.

What is LIHEAP and what does it pay for?

LIHEAP is a federal program run through state and local agencies. According to HHS, it helps reduce the costs of home energy bills, energy crises, weatherization, and minor energy-related home repairs. It can help you stay warm in winter and cool in summer, and it covers several types of need.

LIHEAP can help with:

• Heating assistance: paying toward winter heating bills, including electricity, gas, oil, propane or wood, depending on your state.
• Cooling assistance: help with summer electric bills in many states, especially where heat is dangerous.
• Crisis assistance: preventing a shutoff, reconnecting service or delivering fuel in an emergency.
• Equipment repair: repairing or replacing unsafe or broken heating equipment in some states.
• Weatherization: states may use part of their LIHEAP money for weatherization, generally up to 15%, or up to 25% with a federal waiver.

LIHEAP payments usually go directly to your utility or fuel supplier, not to you as cash. Benefit amounts vary widely by state, household size, income and energy costs.

Is LIHEAP funded in 2026?

Yes. Congress funded LIHEAP for federal fiscal year 2026 through the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026 (H.R. 7148). HHS released the final block grant funds, about $421.5 million, on April 17, 2026, according to its funding release notice. Funding for fiscal year 2027 depends on future appropriations, so state programs may open or close on different dates.

Who qualifies for LIHEAP?

Each state sets its own eligibility rules within federal limits. Federal law caps income eligibility at 150% of the federal poverty guidelines or 60% of state median income, whichever is higher. States may not set the limit below 110% of the poverty guidelines. Many states give priority to households with older adults, people with disabilities or young children.

HHS publishes the poverty guidelines and state median income figures states must use for fiscal year 2026 in its LIHEAP information memorandum IM-2025-02. Because each state uses its own median income, the actual dollar limit can differ a lot from state to state. Your local office will tell you your exact limit.

If you already receive other benefits, such as SNAP or SSI, ask your local office whether that makes it easier to qualify in your state.

How do I apply for LIHEAP?

The quickest way to apply is to find your local office through the National Energy Assistance Referral (NEAR) line at 1-866-674-6327. HHS also links to an online energy help search tool available in English, Spanish and Chinese. Many states take applications online; others ask you to apply in person or by mail through a community action agency.

1. Find your office. Call 1-866-674-6327 or use the search tool linked from the HHS LIHEAP page.
2. Ask about deadlines. Heating programs often open in fall; crisis help may run year-round while funds last.
3. Gather documents. Typically photo ID, Social Security numbers or other identification for household members, recent proof of income for everyone in the household, and a recent energy bill.
4. Submit and keep a copy. Write down your application date and any reference number.
5. Tell them if it is an emergency. A shutoff notice, an empty fuel tank or a broken furnace may qualify for faster crisis help.

What is the Weatherization Assistance Program?

The Weatherization Assistance Program is a DOE program that makes homes more energy efficient at no cost to eligible households. DOE says households at or below 200% of the poverty income guidelines qualify, and households receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI) do too. Some states use the LIHEAP limit of 60% of state median income instead.

According to the DOE Weatherization Assistance Program, the program has served more than 7.2 million families since 1976, and a national evaluation found weatherized households save $372 or more every year on average. USA.gov notes that you may also qualify if you receive Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF).

What does weatherization include?

The DOE application guide describes three stages:

1. Energy audit. A professional reviews your bills, uses a blower door to measure air leaks, and inspects equipment and living spaces for efficiency and health and safety problems.
2. Work plan. The auditor recommends the most cost-effective upgrades for your home, often air sealing and insulation.
3. Installation and inspection. Crews install the work, and an inspector checks it against DOE’s Standard Work Specifications and confirms equipment runs safely.

DOE says priority goes to older adults, households with a member who has a disability, families with children, high energy users and households with a high energy burden. Homeowners and renters can both apply, but renters need landlord permission before work begins. Waitlists are common.

To learn what an audit finds and how to read the results, see our home energy audit guide. Many weatherization measures match what we cover in the air sealing guide and attic insulation guide.

What can my utility do to help?

Call your utility before a bill becomes a crisis. Most utilities offer payment arrangements that spread a past-due balance over several months, and budget billing that evens out monthly payments. Many also run hardship funds, discount rates for income-eligible customers, or free efficiency kits and audits.

Questions to ask your utility:

• Can I set up a payment arrangement for my past-due balance?
• Do you offer budget billing, and how often is it adjusted?
• Is there a low-income discount rate or hardship fund?
• Do you have a medical certificate program that delays shutoff for a household member with a serious illness?
• Do you offer free or discounted energy audits or efficiency upgrades?

Budget billing does not lower your total cost over the year. It only makes payments predictable. To lower the total, combine it with steps from our guide on how to lower your energy bill.

Are there protections against utility shutoffs?

Yes, but they vary by state. USA.gov says each state has its own policy on when utilities can and cannot disconnect electricity or natural gas for nonpayment. Protections may depend on the weather, your age, a disability, and which utility you have. A shutoff notice usually gives you some time to act.

If you receive a disconnection notice:

1. Call your utility right away and ask for a payment arrangement.
2. Apply for LIHEAP crisis assistance and tell the office it is an emergency.
3. Ask whether a medical certificate or winter or summer protection applies to you.
4. Contact your state utility commission if you believe the utility is not following the rules.
5. Dial 211 for local emergency help with bills.

What if I need bigger upgrades, not just bill help?

Bill help solves this month; upgrades lower every month after. Weatherization is the main free option for income-eligible households. Some states also run federal Home Energy Rebates that cover a large share of upgrade costs for low- and moderate-income households, though only some states have launched them.

Check NASEO’s Home Energy Rebates tracker and our state-by-state rebate guide to see whether your state has a program. Rules changed in 2026, and many programs now start with insulation and air sealing.

Bottom line

If you are behind on energy bills or worried about the coming season, apply for LIHEAP through the NEAR line at 1-866-674-6327, call your utility about a payment plan or budget billing, and apply for free weatherization to cut future bills. Act early, because funds are limited and waitlists are common. Never pay a fee for LIHEAP. This is general information; your state or local agency makes the final eligibility decisions.