The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is a United States federal social services program first established in 1981 and funded annually through Congressional appropriations.
Funding is distributed to each of the fifty states, U.S. territories and tribal governments through the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Administration of the program is left up to state, territorial or tribal governments. Congress also provides the President of the United States with limited contingency funds each year, which are reserved for emergency situations and released at the President's discretion.
State legislatures often provide additional appropriations each year to supplement federal LIHEAP funds.
LIHEAP offers one-time financial assistance to qualifying low-income households who require support in paying their home heating or cooling bills. Applicants must have an income less than 150% of federal poverty level or 60% of state median poverty level to be eligible, however some states have expanded their programs to include more households (for example, in Massachusetts, applicants must be within 200% of the federal poverty level).
In most states, the program is run on a first come-first served basis. This typically results in a rush to apply and receive assistance, because once the funding pool is empty most energy assistance offices close their doors. In some states, the legislature or governor may make a politically popular gesture of extending eligibility to additional individuals through an emergency bill or executive order, even though this may result in funds being claimed earlier in the winter season.
Many state LIHEAP agencies also offer weatherization support, in which contractors are sent to residences to make physical changes to help retain heat or install more fuel-efficient furnaces. Occasionally, acceptance of the weatherization process is mandatory with approval for LIHEAP assistance.
Some states have attempted to enact Percentage of Income Payment (PIP) plans within or in addition to the traditional LIHEAP block grant model.
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LIHEAP is funded by annual appropriations to the Department of Health & Human Services. The funding for the fiscal year 2011 was $4.5 billion[1]. Republicans proposed cutting that in half, and then House Resolution 1 in March 2011 proposed cutting LIHEAP by $400 million.
Low Income Home Energy Assistance Programs (LIHEAP) and Weatherization Assistance Programs (WAP) work together to help low-income individuals and families pay energy bills and reduce energy costs. This article gives of overview of each program and describes how they work together. LIHEAP and WAP literature is also examined. Finally, a section detailing literacy in low-income consumers is included.
The mission of the Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LIEAP) (also known as Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)), created in 1981, is to assist low income households, particularly those with the lowest incomes that pay a high proportion of household income for home energy, primarily in meeting their immediate home energy needs. The program, part of the United States Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), is funded by grants appropriated from the federal government.
LIHEAP pays partial winter energy bills for eligible individuals and families. Payments are usually made directly to local utility companies or vendors. To be eligible, an individual's income level must not be more than 150% of the federal poverty level. The payment amount is figured according to the size and type of your home, as well as type of fuel.
The United States Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) was created in 1976 to help low-income families reduce energy consumption and costs. WAP is governed by various federal regulations designed to help manage and account for the resources provided by the Department of Energy (DOE). WAP funding is derived from annual appropriations from Congress. Each year, the Senate and House Interior Appropriations committees decide how much funding to allocate to the Program.
WAP technicians perform energy audits on a home to help locate efficiency problems. Once an audit is complete, the program can help by insulating walls and windows, replacing broken glass, and testing, repairing, and/or replacing combustion appliances. Like the LIEAP, an individual's income level must be at or below 150% of the federal poverty level to be eligible for the WAP. Many state WAPs and LIEAPs work together to provide the best energy services for low-income households.
LIHEAP and WAP are the cornerstones of any public energy assistance program. Oftentimes, the two programs not only work together, they automatically encompass each other. At the Montana energy assistance offices, clients are automatically enrolled in the WAP when they are enrolled in the LIEAP.
This association is fitting being that the LIHEAP and WAP are usually located in the same office. In Butte, Montana, the Energy Assistance office and Weatherization departments (which are part of the Human Resources Council, District XII) are in charge of LIEAP and WAP. Each department offers several other programs that assist low-income individuals and families with heating and energy issues.
When a client completes and turns in an application for LIHEAP, they are automatically enrolled in WAP. After the application is processed, it usually takes one to two weeks to receive financial assistance for their heating and energy bills. During this time, the applicant is contacted by the WAP department. Before a client's home can be weatherized, an auditor comes to the home to complete an energy audit. The auditor is trained to determine the most cost-efficient weatherization measures for the home.
Weatherization measures may include caulking, weather-stripping, insulation, vent dampers, replacement of broken glass, repair or replacement of primary doors, and furnace tune-ups. Weatherization workers may not be able to install all the materials, but they will do the most important weatherization within the dollar limits allowed.
When a home is scheduled for weatherization service, a crew will come to install the necessary materials in the home. After the work is completed, the client will be asked to sign a statement saying the work was done properly and to the client's satisfaction. Surveys have shown that weatherizing a home can significantly decrease winter heating or energy bills.
Besides working together to provide energy assistance, LIHEAP and WAP programs around the country have been emphasizing energy conservation lately. The program literature contains more than just information about the program, the literature offers tips on how to reduce energy consumption. Tips include replacing light bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs and using Energy Star appliances.