The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) helps low-income households pay some energy costs associated with heating their home. In response to the global coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the United States Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The CARES Act, in part, has provided additional funding for LIHEAP to aid households that have been negatively financially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. In order to get this much needed assistance to as many households as possible, the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services has created the LIHEAP Recovery Crisis Program. If your household is experiencing a heating emergency, such as being out of fuel or having a past due balance that may result in your electricity or natural gas being shut off, LIHEAP may be able to help.
Check the below table to see if you and your family qualify. For more information on this special Recovery Crisis Program, click here.
2019-2020 FEDERAL INCOME GUIDELINES: LIHEAP
| 1 |
$1,561 |
$18,735 |
| 2 |
$2,114 |
$25,365 |
| 3 |
$2,666 |
$31,995 |
| 4 |
$3,219 |
$38,625 |
| 5 |
$3,771 |
$45,255 |
| 6 |
$4,324 |
$51,885 |
| Each additional |
$553 |
$6,630 |
For more information, please 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
Crisis grants typically are offered in emergency situations, such as:
- Broken heating equipment or leaking lines that must be fixed or replaced
- Lack of fuel
- Termination of utility service
- Danger of being without fuel (less than a 15-day supply) or if you received a letter indicating your bill is past due and encouraging you to pay to maintain bill affordability
If you are without heat or are in danger of being without heat, you can request a LIHEAP crisis grant in one of the following ways:
To apply for a Crisis grant, you will need:
- Names of people in your household
- Dates of birth for all household members
- Social Security Numbers for all household members
- Proof of income for all household members
- A recent heating bill
Remember: You have the RIGHT TO CHOOSE Duquesne Light Company to receive your LIHEAP Crisis grant. You can direct your grant be paid directly to Duquesne Light or you can split your grant between the electric company and your gas company.