Assistance Programs in Illinois

Free home energy-efficiency work for income-eligible Illinoisans: air sealing, insulation, and heating-system repairs that lower future bills. Run through Community Action Agencies and overseen by the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. The Help Illinois Families call center is 1-833-711-0374.

Illinois LIHEAP helps low-income households pay heating and cooling bills, with priority help for emergencies. Apply during your assignment month at helpillinoisfamilies.com or through a local Community Action Agency; the Help Illinois Families hotline is 1-833-711-0374. For the 2025-2026 program year, applications run from fall 2025 through August 15, 2026, or until funding runs out.

Healthy food on a WIC EBT card, nutrition education, and breastfeeding support for pregnant and new mothers, infants, and children under 5. Find your local office through the DHS Office Locator and make an appointment; the State WIC Office is 1-844-901-0962.

Illinois SNAP loads monthly food money on the Illinois Link card, which works like a debit card at grocery stores. Apply online at ABE (abe.illinois.gov), by phone, or at your local Family Community Resource Center. The DHS Help Line is 1-800-843-6154.

All Kids is Illinois' health coverage for children, covering doctor visits, dental, vision, and more. Many families pay no premiums or co-payments. Apply online, on paper, or with help from a partner; the All Kids Hotline is 1-866-255-5437.

Illinois Medicaid is free or low-cost health coverage run by the Department of Healthcare and Family Services. Adults 19 to 64 can qualify with income up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level under the ACA Adult category. Apply online at ABE (abe.illinois.gov), by phone at the DHS Help Line 1-800-843-6154, or at a Family Community Resource Center.

Illinois' state Earned Income Credit is a refundable tax credit worth 20 percent of your federal Earned Income Tax Credit. If you qualify for the federal EITC, you qualify for the Illinois credit. Claim it on your Illinois state return; free tax-prep sites can file it.

Illinois TANF pays monthly cash to pregnant people and families with children, loaded on the Illinois Link card. Adults are limited to 60 months of cash assistance in a lifetime. Apply online at ABE (abe.illinois.gov) or at your local Family Community Resource Center; the DHS Help Line is 1-800-843-6154.

Temporary weekly payments if you lost work through no fault of your own, from the Illinois Department of Employment Security. File your claim online, or call IDES Claimant Services at 1-800-244-5631. Certify for each week you claim through the automated Tele-Serve line at 1-312-338-4337.

Free, plain-language legal information for Illinoisans, guided court-form tools, and a directory to find a local legal aid provider. Illinois Legal Aid Online covers eviction, benefits, family law, debt, and more.

Dial 2-1-1 from any Illinois phone, or text your zip code to 898211, for free, confidential help finding local assistance: housing, utilities, food, healthcare, and mental health. As of 2026, 211 covers all 102 Illinois counties around the clock.