Need help with home heating bills? Here’s when you can apply for grants

• LNP|LancasterOnline Staff
  BioRecent Stories

  

The state’s Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program begins taking applications Wednesday, more than a month later than usual, because the federal government shutdown delayed the release of funding.

Pennsylvania typically receives more than $215 million from the federal government for LIHEAP each year, and in past years, more than 300,000 families across the state have qualified for help.

LIHEAP assistance does not need to be paid back and is available in the form of cash or crisis grants. The minimum 2025-26 LIHEAP cash grant is $200, and the maximum cash grant is $1,000. Individuals and households may receive one cash grant per LIHEAP season.

Separately, Pennsylvanians who qualify for a LIHEAP crisis grant will be eligible for a minimum grant of $25 and a maximum grant of $1,000. Individuals and households are eligible for a crisis grant if they meet the income guidelines and are in jeopardy of having their heating utility service terminated, have already had their heating utility service terminated, or who are out of or have less than two weeks’ worth of deliverable fuel, such as fuel oil, propane, coal or wood. Households may apply for and be eligible for more than one crisis grant – up to the $1,000 maximum – if they experience more than one emergency per LIHEAP season. The season runs this year through April 10, 2026.

LIHEAP benefits are applied for each year, so if an individual or household was approved or denied previously, they will need to apply again this year.

Individuals and households are eligible for LIHEAP if their incomes are at or below 150 percent of the federal poverty limit. For an individual this year, that is a gross income of $22,590 per year, and for a family of four, that is a gross income of $46,800 per year, according to the state Department of Human Services.

Pennsylvanians can apply for LIHEAP and other public assistance programs at dhs.pa.gov/COMPASS or by calling 866-550-4355. Applicants do not need to know their own eligibility to apply.

More information about LIHEAP is available on DHS’ website at dhs.pa.gov/liheap.

Utilities set rates

Utilities serving Lancaster County that provide energy for heating recently announced rate increases that went into place Monday for the energy supply portion of customers’ bills. By law, the cost of energy must be passed on without a markup. Here are the increases for those who have not switched to an alternative supplier by shopping at papowerswitch.com and pagasswitch.com.

UGI

A 0.9% increase boosts the average residential bill by $1.06 per month.

PPL

A 3.7% increase boosts the average residential bill by $4.63 per month.

Met-Ed

An 8.9% increase boosts the average residential bill by $7.97 per month.