Learn About LIHEAP Income Guidelines and Requirements

What LIHEAP Is and How It Works

The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, or LIHEAP, is a federal program created to help households with low incomes pay their heating and cooling bills. The program started in 1981 and has been running ever since, providing money to states and territories that then distribute it to households in need. LIHEAP is not a loan—the money does not have to be paid back.

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LIHEAP works by giving federal money to individual states, who then create their own programs within federal guidelines. This means that each state can set its own income limits, decide what types of energy costs it will cover, and choose how much money each household receives. Because of this, a household that would receive support in one state might not receive the same support in another state. The program focuses on households struggling to pay their home energy bills during winter heating season or summer cooling season, depending on what the state offers.

The money from LIHEAP can be used for several purposes. It can help pay heating bills during cold months, air conditioning bills during hot months, and repairs to heating or cooling systems that are broken. Some states also use LIHEAP funds to weatherize homes—making improvements like adding insulation or sealing air leaks—to help households use less energy overall and therefore pay lower bills.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, LIHEAP served more than 750,000 households in 2022 across all states. The average help per household ranges from about $400 to $800 per year, though this varies significantly by state and individual circumstance. Some states provide more money because they have colder winters or hotter summers, which means residents spend more on energy.

Practical takeaway: Understanding that LIHEAP is state-administered means you should look into your specific state's program rules rather than assuming federal guidelines apply exactly as written to your household.

Income Limits and How They Are Calculated

Income limits are the maximum amount of money a household can earn in a year and still be considered for LIHEAP support. These limits are set by each state and are based on a percentage of the state median income—the middle point of what people in that state earn. The federal guidelines suggest that states use either 60% or 110% of the state median income as their limit, though some states choose different percentages within the allowed range.

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To understand what this means in practice, consider an example. If the state median income for a family of three in a particular state is $60,000 per year, and the state sets its LIHEAP limit at 60% of median income, then the limit would be $36,000 per year. A family earning $35,000 would be within the limit and could potentially be considered. A family earning $37,000 would exceed the limit. However, if the same state instead used 110% of median income, the limit would be $66,000, and both families would be within range.

Income limits are typically expressed as gross income, meaning the total money earned before taxes are taken out. Different states may count income differently. Some states count only the income of people living in the household, while others may count other income sources like Social Security, unemployment benefits, child support, or pension payments. A few states have different rules for counting child support or money from other assistance programs.

The federal government publishes suggested income guidelines each year, but states do not have to follow them exactly. According to 2024 federal guidelines, a single person in a state using the 60% standard might have a limit around $18,000 to $25,000 per year, depending on the state. A family of four might have a limit in the range of $30,000 to $40,000. These are general estimates—actual limits in your state could be higher or lower.

Income limits usually stay the same throughout the year, but they may change each program year, which typically runs from fall to spring in most states. Your state's LIHEAP office publishes the current year's limits, and you can find these on your state's website or by contacting the office directly.

Practical takeaway: Before learning more about other requirements, find your state's specific income limit by checking your state's LIHEAP website or calling the local office. Write down the limit that applies to your household size, since this is the first threshold that matters.

What Counts as Income and What Does Not

Understanding what counts as income for LIHEAP purposes is important because it determines whether your household falls within the program's income limits. The most straightforward income sources are wages from jobs and self-employment earnings. If you work and receive a paycheck, that income counts. If you run a business, your net business income counts.

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Several types of regular income also count toward LIHEAP limits. These include Social Security benefits, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), unemployment benefits, workers' compensation, pension or retirement payments, and regular child support or alimony received. Veterans benefits count as income. Disability payments count. Housing subsidies or rental assistance you receive also count. Any money that comes in regularly and is used to support the household typically counts.

However, some types of money do not count as income for LIHEAP purposes. These exclusions vary slightly by state, but federal guidelines suggest that certain items should not count. Money from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly food stamps) does not count as income. Federal education benefits, including Pell Grants and student loans, are typically not counted. Money from certain assistance programs designed to help families with specific needs, like programs for refugee resettlement or services for people with developmental disabilities, often are not counted. In some states, a portion of child support is excluded. Some states do not count lump-sum payments like tax refunds or gifts from family members.

One income source with special rules is child support. Some states count all child support received as income. Other states allow a percentage to be excluded, such as allowing the first $50 to $150 of monthly child support to not count. The reasoning is to help families that are receiving child support but still have very low incomes.

A practical example: A single mother earning $18,000 per year from her job receives $200 per month in child support, bringing her total household income to $20,400 by a strict count. However, if her state allows $100 of child support to be excluded, her countable income would be $20,200 instead—$18,000 from wages plus $100 per month from child support. This difference might matter at the margin.

Practical takeaway: Gather documentation of all types of income your household receives, then ask your state LIHEAP office which types count in your situation. Some sources you think count might not, and vice versa.

Who Lives in Your Household and How It Affects Income Limits

Household composition—who lives in your home—affects the income limit your household must meet for LIHEAP. Income limits increase with household size because a larger household needs more money to cover basic living expenses. A single person has one income limit, a family of two has a higher limit, a family of three has an even higher limit, and so on.

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Determining who counts as part of your household for LIHEAP purposes is usually straightforward but can have complex edges. Generally, anyone who lives with you and is related to you by birth, marriage, or adoption counts. Your spouse counts. Your children count. Your parents, grandparents, or other relatives living in the home count. Foster children living in your home typically count. People not related to you do not count, even if they live in your home, unless there are special circumstances.

One important distinction: People living in the home must be part of the household that will benefit from the energy assistance. This means they should share in the benefit of the heating or cooling. If someone lives in a completely separate unit within the same building—for example, a basement apartment with its own furnace—they typically would not be counted as part of your household because they have their own energy bills. However, if family members share one heating system or one air conditioning system, they count as one household for income purposes.

A practical example demonstrates how household size affects limits. In a hypothetical state using 60% of median income, the limit for a single person might be $20,000. For a family of two, it might be $26,000. For a family of three, it might be $32,000. For a family of four,