HARRISBURG – Gov. Tom Wolf has announced that Pennsylvanians struggling to pay home heating bills will now have until May 1 to apply for financial help through the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP).
The federally-funded program was slated to end April 3, but the Wolf Administration decided that given the severity and duration of this winter, Pennsylvania would extend the program, giving people extra time to apply for funding.
“Hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvania’s most vulnerable were able to heat their homes this winter because of LIHEAP,” said Wolf. “By keeping the program open longer, we hope to provide additional assistance to those who are struggling to keep their family warm.”
LIHEAP offers assistance in the form of a cash grant sent directly to the utility company or a crisis grant for households in immediate danger of being without heat. Cash grants are based on household income, family size, type of heating fuel and region. In addition to proof of income and household size, applicants must provide a recent bill or a statement from their fuel dealer verifying their customer status and the type of fuel used.
“Everyone deserves a safe, warm home. I encourage Pennsylvanians to apply today because with this unpredictable weather, we never know when winter’s going to end,” Acting Secretary Ted Dallas said.
Individuals can apply for a LIHEAP grant online at www.compass.state.pa.us or in person at their local county assistance office. They may also call the statewide toll-free hotline at 1-866-857-7095 with questions about the program.
For more information about LIHEAP, visit www.dhs.state.pa.us.