Need Help Paying Home Heating and Cooling Bills? Apply for Low-Income Energy Assistance

Energy costs can place stress on an individual or family's budget. States, generally in conjunction with a federally funded program, offer programs aimed at helping low-income households to reduce their heating costs and to pay for winter energy services.

Weatherization programs help participants to improve the heating efficiency of their homes, thereby reducing their energy consumption. Low income energy assistance programs pay part of energy bills for eligible individuals.

Eligibility for weatherization and fuel assistance is based on your income and assets. Generally, both homeowners and renters may apply for these programs.

Some states offer assistance with summer energy bills, as well.

Visit the following sites for information regarding the available programs:

Alabama - http://www.adeca.state.al.us/txtlstvw.aspx?LstID=76f70af2-e335-4516-9a69-e96372930daf

Alaska - http://www.hss.state.ak.us/dpa/programs/hap/

Arizona - http://www.liheap.ncat.org/profiles/Arizona.htm

Arkansas - http://www.arkansas.gov/dhs/dco/NewDCO/HEAP%20page.html

California - http://www.cpuc.ca.gov/PUC/energy/Low+Income/

Colorado - http://www.cdhs.state.co.us/leap/

Connecticut - http://www.ct.gov/dss/cwp/view.asp?a=2353&q=305188

Delaware - http://www.dhss.delaware.gov/dhss/dssc/liheap.html

Florida - http://www.dca.state.fl.us/fhcd/liheap/index.cfm

Georgia - http://dfcs.dhr.georgia.gov/portal/site/DHS-DFCS/menuitem.5d32235bb09bde9a50c8798dd03036a0/?vgnextoid=154a2b48d9a4ff00VgnVCM100000bf01010aRCRD

Hawaii - http://www.hawaii.gov/health/disability-services/neurotrauma/key-services-finance.html#liheap

Idaho - http://www.hud.gov/local/id/renting/energyprgms.cfm

Illinois - http://www.liheapillinois.com/

Indiana - http://www.citizensenergy.com/english/pages/40/indiana

Iowa - http://www.state.ia.us/government/dhr/caa/index.html

Kansas - http://www.srskansas.org/ISD/ees/lieap.htm

Kentucky - http://chfs.ky.gov/dcbs/dfs/liheap.htm

Louisiana - http://www.lhfa.state.la.us/programs/energy_assistance/low_income_energy.php

Maine - http://www.mainehousing.org/programs-services/energy/energy-assistance-programs

Maryland - http://www.dhr.state.md.us/meap/

Massachusetts - http://www.massresources.org/massachusetts_energy_assistance_d.html

Michigan - http://www.michigan.gov/dhs/0,1607,7-124-5453_5531-15420--,00.html

Minnesota - http://www.state.mn.us/portal/mn/jsp/content.do?agency=Energy&id=-536893810

Mississippi - http://www.mdhs.state.ms.us/cs_info.html

Missouri - http://www.dnr.mo.gov/energy/weatherization/wx.htm

Montana - http://www.dphhs.mt.gov/programsservices/energyassistance/index.shtml

Nebraska - http://www.hhs.state.ne.us/fia/energy.htm

Nevada - http://www.nevadapower.com/home/assistance/

New Hampshire - http://www.nh.gov/oep/programs/fuelassistance/index.htm

New Jersey - http://www.state.nj.us/bpu/assistance/programs/

New Mexico - http://www.hsd.state.nm.us/isd/liheap.html

New York - http://www.hud.gov/local/ny/renting/energyprgms.cfm

North Carolina - http://www.dhhs.state.nc.us/dss/energy/index.htm

North Dakota - http://www.nd.gov/dhs/services/financialhelp/energyassist.html

Ohio - http://www.odod.state.oh.us/cdd/ocs/heap.htm

Oklahoma - http://www.okdhs.org/programsandservices/liheap/

Oregon - http://www.ohcs.oregon.gov/OHCS/SOS_Low_Income_Energy_Assistance_Oregon.shtml

Pennsylvania - http://www.dpw.state.pa.us/foradults/heatingassistanceliheap/index.htm

Rhode Island - http://www.energy.ri.gov/index.php

South Carolina - http://www.energy.sc.gov/index.aspx?m=3&t=91

South Dakota - http://dss.sd.gov/energyassistance/

Tennessee - http://www.state.tn.us/humanserv/adfam/afs_hea.html

Texas - http://www.tdhca.state.tx.us/ea/index.htm

Utah - http://www.liheap.ncat.org/profiles/Utah.htm

Vermont - http://www.dcf.vermont.gov/esd/fuel_assistance

Virginia - http://www.dss.virginia.gov/benefit/ea/index.html

Washington - http://www.liheapwa.org/

West Virginia - http://www.wvdhhr.org/bcf/family_assistance/utility.asp

Wisconsin - http://www.homeenergyplus.wi.gov/

Wyoming - http://dfsweb.state.wy.us/economic-assistance/lieap/index.html

Washington, D.C. - http://ddoe.dc.gov/ddoe/cwp/view,a,1209,q,493111.asp