Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)

LIHEAP is a Federally funded grant program that is administered at the State level. Through this program, low income Americans are able to access cash to help pay their heating or cooling bills. The money comes from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, and States then use the allocated funds to help individuals with their energy bill payments, energy related home repairs, and with energy crisis management. The goal is to ensure that the homes people live in are safe and healthy for those who live there.

The US Department of Housing and Urban Development received over $34 billion to allocate to various housing grant programs, including grants to help pay bills such as heating bills. Within HUD, the US Administration of Children and Families, through the Division of Energy Assistance in the Office of Community Services, is responsible for program administration at the federal level.

Energy assistance is not provided to individuals directly from the federal government. The Low Income Home Energy Assistance program is administered by each of the 50 States, as well as the District of Columbia, the US territories, and Indian tribes or tribal organizations.