Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program Deadline Extended

The deadline to apply for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) has been extended from March 29th to April 26 . 

LIHEAP, is a cash program offering a minimum of $100 to help pay a heating bill. In addition, the LIHEAP crisis program is available to people without heat and, from January 3-April 26, for people who are about to lose heat. The crisis program provides grants of up to $400 to restore heat or prevent heat loss. LIHEAP crisis weatherization is open until April 26 and provides free heater/home repair for people who need the repairs to have heat in their home. Income eligibility is 150% of the federal poverty level. See the chart below:

LIHEAP Cash                                Pays at least $100 to help with a heating bill.  This includes bills for electricity, gas, water, oil, propane, kerosene, or other fuel types.  OPEN Nov. 1, 2012- April 26, 2013	LIHEAP Crisis Exception Pays up to $400 to get utility service turned back on or to get fuel if a household is out of fuel.                                                                OPEN Nov. 1, 2012- Jan. 3, 2013	LIHEAP Crisis                   Pays up to $400 to stop a shut-off of utility service, to get service turned back on, or to get fuel if a household is out of fuel or about to run out of fuel. OPEN Jan. 3, 2013- April 26, 2013	LIHEAP Crisis Weatherization Help for home-heating emergency:  broken furnace, broken windows, frozen pipes, little or no insulation, cracks or other damage to roofs. OPEN Nov. 1, 2012- April 26, 2013 Apply early, funds can run out.
	Crisis Exception & Crisis together cannot total more than $400.

For more information or for help in applying, call us between 9:30 a.m.-1 p.m. at (215) 587-9377.

• Click here for LIHEAP information featured on the PA Department of Public Welfare’s website and to print LIHEAP Applications in English and Spanish
• MAIL, FAX OR WALK IN the application to the LIHEAP office (formerly Tioga District) at:

                                                1348 W. Sedgley Avenue (near Broad and Allegheny)

                                                Philadelphia, PA 19132

                                                Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.

                                                FAX:  215-560-2260

 

• If the LIHEAP office already approved your Cash application, call the Crisis Hotline Number, 215-560-1583 to activate Crisis Exception, Crisis or Crisis Weatherization.

Checking off #10 for weatherization on the LIHEAP application will not get you on the list for Crisis Weatherization, which is for emergencies.  Call 215-560-1583 or walk in for Crisis Weatherization. 

• Medical Certification Reminder:  Don’t use medical certifications during low-income moratorium (Dec 1-March 31), but make sure PGW and PECO knows customer is low-income (CRP, CAP and/or LIHEAP enrollment is enough). 

For PGW or PECO, a medical certification will put a 30-day hold on the shut-off. A customer can only renew for two more 30-day periods, if s/he does not pay at least the current monthly charges since the first medical certification. Additional renewals are available if current monthly charges were paid while the medical certifications were pending, even if the balance from before the medical hold is still unpaid. If PECO or PGW refuses additional renewals when current charges have been paid, call the PUC at 1-800-692-7380 to request further renewals.

PECO’s low income customers (up to 150% FPL) can call PECO for the two renewals;                                        PGW customers must have doctors submit written renewals.

For Water Revenue, the rules remain the same: The medical certification will put a hold on shut off for up to 30 days and can be renewed one time, in a 12 month period.

• PGW CRP bills and LIHEAP Cash.  LIHEAP Cash grants will reduce the CRP bill again this year.  A few years ago, Cash grants did not pay down the CRP bill and were pooled to pay for the overall CRP program.  Please let customers know that Cash grants will reduce CRP bills.  (This policy may change soon, stay tuned.)
•  PECO and Crisis.  PECO will restore service to a shut off account, with just a Crisis grant (up to $400) even if the PECO balance is higher, as long as the balance is not more than $4,000.  PECO will cancel a shut off notice with just a Crisis grant, if the balance is less than $4000.  The rest of the balance will be put on a payment plan. 

NOTE: PECO will restore service to residential customers (with their permission) whose total balance is less than $250 or who can bring their balance down to $250.

• UESF:  Maximum UESF assistance amounts are for PECO – either $500 or $1500, for PGW –  $1500, and for Water Revenue – $500.  Income eligibility is at or below 175% of poverty.  Grants must bring balance to zero.  See uesfacts.org for more information on this and other programs. 

 

Source: Community Legal Services Energy Unit