LIHEAP application period opens November 1
The general application period for the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), which provides assistance with heating bills for qualifying Iowa households, begins November 1.
LIHEAP is not designed to pay a household’s total energy costs. The program provides supplemental assistance based on several factors, including total household income, household size, dwelling type, and type of heating fuel. Residents may be eligible for LIHEAP, administered by the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, if:
- household income is 200% or below the Office of Management and Budget’s federal poverty guidelines
- the household has an energy burden
- residents can verify citizenship status for all household members.
Community action agencies in every county help Iowans apply for LIHEAP and disburse energy assistance funds. If you qualify for LIHEAP, your utility company will be notified. A LIHEAP payment is made directly to your utility or heating fuel vendor, with limited exceptions for applicants whose heating source is included in their rental payments.
Disconnection protection
LIHEAP-qualified Iowans are also eligible for protection from disconnection of heating service for nonpayment during Iowa’s annual winter disconnection moratorium, November 1 to April 1. Iowa Administrative Code rules require that electric and natural gas utilities do not disconnect service during the five-month period for households certified as eligible for LIHEAP or its companion weatherization assistance program.
Additionally, customers who inform their electric or natural gas provider that they are applying for LIHEAP receive a 30-day stay of disconnection to allow that application to be processed by the customer’s community action agency.
Although qualified applicants cannot be disconnected for nonpayment during the moratorium period, the IUC recommends LIHEAP-certified customers continue paying toward their energy bills to avoid accumulating high debt and facing potential utility service disconnection once the moratorium period ends.
How to apply
The application period for LIHEAP continues until April 30, 2027. Visit your local community action outreach office to apply for LIHEAP and other programs. For assistance in finding your community action agency, call 515-776-8871.
Use the LIHEAP eligibility tool to see if your household is eligible for LIHEAP assistance by providing basic information such as income and household size.
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