3 On Your Side: LIHEAP Funds Available To Help With Home Heating Costs
By Jim Donovan
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- As the temperature has now dropped to levels that we would expect to see during winter, for many of us that means heating your home is now top of mind. It's also the time when gas and electric bills begin to rise. If you think you'll have problems paying your home heating bills, 3 On Your Side Consumer Reporter Jim Donovan finds that in some cases, financial help to pay those bills may only be an application away.
If you think that you may not be able to pay your energy bills this winter the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program may be able to help. Commonly known as LIHEAP, the federal program funds money to each of the 50 states. In Pennsylvania $206 million dollars has been allocated for LIHEAP this year.
"LIHEAP is first-come first-served, so it's important to get your LIHEAP application in now before money runs out," says Ben Armstrong of PECO. He says that PECO customers have already received assistance totaling $6.8 million dollars so far.
According to Armstrong, "The LIHEAP program provides grants for up to $1,000 to pay your heating bill or up to $500 to restore service or to help service from being terminated."
The grants are based on a number of factors like the type of heating fuel used and your county of residence. Also, Armstrong says, "LIHEAP is an income based program, also based on the total number of people living in the household."
For example in Philadelphia a family of four with an annual income of $36,375 can qualify for help.
Income guidelines vary from state to state. In order to apply you'll need to provide recent utility bills, copies of your pay stub and be able to show proof of how many people live in your home. You can contact your utility company for more information and to apply.
For more information about applying through PECO, visit:
https://www.peco.com/CustomerService/AssistancePrograms/Pages/LIHEAP.aspx
