LIHEAP (Home Energy Assistance)
Last updated August 2026
LIHEAP helps Pennsylvanians pay for heat: a cash grant of $200 to $1,000 a season, sent to your utility or fuel dealer, that never has to be repaid. The season runs roughly December into spring; last season opened December 3 and closed May 8. Watch pa.gov for this year's opening and apply the first week.
The income limits: $23,940 a year for one person, $32,460 for two, $40,980 for three, $49,500 for four. Apply through COMPASS, on paper, or at your county assistance office.
Crisis grants are the emergency lane, and PA defines a crisis broadly: broken heating equipment, leaking lines, a shut-off notice with termination within 60 days, being out of fuel, or having less than a 15-day supply. Crisis benefits are paid within 10 business days, faster when life-threatening, and county offices handle heating emergencies around the clock. Hotline: 1-866-857-7095.
One warning about old articles: the season is not November to April, and the grant floor is $200, not $300. Trust the current DHS page over cached summaries.
Stack the help: free weatherization has an even higher income line (200 percent of poverty), so LIHEAP-eligible households qualify for it too, and it shrinks every future bill, and your utility may have its own hardship fund; 2-1-1 knows which ones have money.
Phone 1-866-857-7095
Updated August 2026 Program details can change — confirm with the program directly.
Who qualifies
- Household income at or below 150 percent of the federal poverty level
- You must be responsible for the home heating cost; apply each season, since a past denial does not carry over
You may qualify. The program makes the final decision.
How to apply
- 1
Watch for the season opening (early December recently) on the DHS LIHEAP page, and apply the first week; funds are seasonal.
- 2
Apply at compass.dhs.pa.gov, with a paper application, or at your county assistance office.
- 3
No heat, broken furnace, shut-off notice, or under 15 days of fuel? Ask for a CRISIS grant, paid within 10 business days, faster if life-threatening.
- 4
Off-hours emergency? County assistance offices handle heating crises around the clock: 1-866-857-7095.
- 5
Have your heating bill, income proof for the household, and ID ready.
- 6
Ask about free weatherization too; its income line is even higher than LIHEAP's.
What the application looks like
Common questions
How much does PA LIHEAP pay?
Cash grants run $200 to $1,000 per season, paid to your utility or fuel dealer, never repaid. Crisis grants for emergencies come on top.
What are the income limits for PA LIHEAP?
$23,940 a year for one person, $32,460 for two, $40,980 for three, $49,500 for four, plus $8,520 each additional person (150 percent of the poverty line).
When does LIHEAP open in Pennsylvania?
Early December recently; last season ran December 3 to May 8. The exact date posts on the DHS LIHEAP page each fall. Apply early; it is a seasonal pot.
My furnace died. Can LIHEAP help?
Yes. Broken heating equipment is a listed crisis, alongside empty fuel tanks and shut-off notices. Crisis grants pay within 10 business days, faster for life-threatening situations.
My shut-off is scheduled next month. Do I qualify for crisis help?
Yes, a termination notice counts as a crisis when service would shut off within 60 days. Call 1-866-857-7095 or your county assistance office.
Where do I apply?
COMPASS online, a paper application, or your county assistance office. The DHS site lists every county office.
Not sure this is the right program for your situation?
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