LIHEAP (Energy Assistance)
Last updated August 2026
Georgia LIHEAP helps pay energy bills through your local Community Action Agency. Its calendar is the thing to memorize. Heating help opens the first workday of December for people 65 and older or medically homebound. Everyone else starts the first workday of January. Summer cooling help opens in April for seniors, May for everyone else.
Mark those dates and apply that first week, because yearly funds are limited. Older articles say November and December; the current schedule is December and January.
The income limit is 60 percent of Georgia's median income, before taxes. The main heating bill must be your responsibility. Citizens and legally admitted immigrants qualify.
The program has three parts. Help paying the energy bill. Crisis help for emergencies. And free home repairs that shrink future bills. Your local agency runs all three, so one visit can work every angle.
Find your agency on the DFCS LIHEAP page's statewide provider map, or call (877) 423-4746. And if you are turned away when funds run dry, dial 2-1-1; local churches and funds fill gaps between seasons.
Phone 1-877-423-4746
Updated August 2026 Program details can change — confirm with the program directly.
Who qualifies
- Gross annual household income at or below 60 percent of Georgia's median income
- You must be responsible for paying the home energy bill; households with a $1,000+ credit on the account are ineligible
You may qualify. The program makes the final decision.
How to apply
- 1
Find your Community Action Agency on the DFCS LIHEAP provider map, or call (877) 423-4746.
- 2
65 or older, or medically homebound? Apply the first workday of December (heating) or April (cooling).
- 3
Everyone else: the first workday of January (heating) or May (cooling). Apply that week; it is first come, first served.
- 4
Bring your energy bill in your name, income proof for the household, and ID.
- 5
In a shut-off emergency, ask the agency about crisis assistance directly.
- 6
Ask about free weatherization at the same visit; the same agency runs it.
What the application looks like
Common questions
When does Georgia LIHEAP open?
Heating: first workday of December for 65+ and medically homebound, first workday of January for everyone else. Cooling: first workday of April for seniors, May for the general public. Older Nov/Dec dates are outdated.
What is the income limit?
60 percent of Georgia's state median income, measured on gross annual household income. Your local agency runs the exact numbers.
Where do I apply for LIHEAP in Georgia?
At your local Community Action Agency, never DFCS county offices. The DFCS LIHEAP page has the statewide provider list and map.
Does Georgia LIHEAP help with summer cooling?
Yes, a separate Cooling Program opens the first workday of April for seniors and medically homebound residents, and May for everyone else.
What if funds run out before I apply?
Ask the agency about crisis assistance and when new funds arrive, and dial 2-1-1 for local churches and utility funds in the meantime.
Not sure this is the right program for your situation?
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