EDITORS/NEWS DIRECTORS:
Millions of low-income families may face delays in receiving home heating aid due to the ongoing federal government shutdown. The federally funded heating and cooling assistance program, known as LIHEAP, serves 5.9 million households. Many of these families are also at risk of losing federal food benefits.
States like Pennsylvania and Minnesota have warned applicants about potential delays in receiving heating benefits this winter. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services blames the delay and government shutdown on congressional Democrats. As temperatures drop, advocates worry the delay could have serious impacts on vulnerable households.
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READ AP'S STORY
Government shutdown threatens to delay home heating aid for millions of low-income families
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WHAT IS THE LOW-INCOME HOME ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (LIHEAP)?
LIHEAP, created in 1981, assists families in covering utility bills or the cost of paying for fuels delivered to homes, such as home heating oil. It has received bipartisan congressional support for decades.
States manage the program. They receive an allotment of federal money each year based on a formula that largely takes into account state weather patterns, energy costs and low-income population data.
While President Donald Trump proposed zero funding for the program in his budget, it was anticipated that Congress would fund LIHEAP for the budget year that began Oct. 1. But since Congress has not yet passed a full 2026 spending bill, states have not gotten their new allocations yet.
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FIND YOUR STATE: POLICIES FOR DISCONNECTIONS
Forty-two states have some sort of policies in place to protect some people from utility disconnections during the cold weather depending on their circumstances and the temperature. Here’s a list. Click on your state to see the policies and resources for consumers.
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FIND YOUR STATE: HEATING ASSISTANCE FUNDING
View the FY 2025 final numbers by state and U.S. territory for LIHEAP block grant funds. This table includes the total funds granted to tribes. View funding for individual tribes or tribal organizations in this table.
More details on the FY 2025 funds here.
These are funds that have been allocated through Sept. 30. Because of the shutdown, Congress has yet to pass a new spending bill that would have reupped funds beginning Oct. 1, so states have not gotten new allocations yet.
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ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
National Energy Assistance Directors Association (represents all state LIHEAP directors and a good resource)
They have a map that shows all the state LIHEAP contacts too: https://neada.org/state-energy-assistance-directors-2/
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CONSIDER THESE REPORTING THREADS
— States are handling the delay in federal LIHEAP aid differently. Some have stopped accepting applications for the program altogether. Some are still accepting applications but warning recipients the funding will be delayed. Others have some remaining funds available and are planning to award grants in November and possibly December, depending on how much money they have left. What's happening in your state? What are your energy assistance directors telling applicants? Are your officials being pressured to fill the gap with state or local funds?
— The National Energy Assistance Directors Association has called on utilities to maintain continuous service for all customers until the federal LIHEAP funds are released. How are your utilities reacting to this call to immediately suspend service disconnections for nonpayment? Has there been pushback? Forty-two states have some sort of policies in place for disconnections. Here's a list. Is your state one of them? If not, why? If your state is on the list, which services does the no-shut-off policy apply to? Is it adequate?
— Often, municipal utilities, rural electric cooperatives and providers of deliverable fuel such as heating oil and propane, are not regulated by public utility commissions and therefore aren't impacted by state winter disconnection policies. How will they deal with LIHEAP customers if this federal shutdown continues into the winter? How does this situation financially impact their own businesses?
— The federal shutdown and the delay of home heating assistance comes as energy prices are on the rise. The National Energy Assistance Directors Association predicts prices for home heating this winter will increase, on average, by about 7.6% from last year's. That's a jump from $907 to $976. NEADA cites the rising cost of electricity and natural gas. Meanwhile, electric bills are rising more than 15% in 10 states plus the District of Columbi a. What does energy affordability look like in your state? How are the high costs impacting your readers?
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