Department of Health, Department of Health Facilities, and Department of Human Services

The West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR) today announced applications for the Emergency Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LIEAP) will be accepted beginning Monday, March 12, 2018, and ending Friday, March 16, 2018, or until funds are exhausted. The federally funded program assists eligible state residents who have a termination notice in paying their home heating bills.

Residents whose primary source of heat is either gas or electricity must provide their shut-off notice when applying for Emergency LIEAP. Those using other primary heating sources or bulk fuel may qualify for assistance if their heating fuel is at a low level during the application period. 

Households that received direct payment of regular LIEAP benefits must verify that the payment was used for home heating by submitting a current receipt with the Emergency LIEAP application. Failure to submit verification of payment may result in a denial of the application. 

Eligibility for Emergency LIEAP benefits is based on income, household size, whether or not the household is responsible for paying its home heating bill, and if a home heating emergency exists.  Income must be at, or below, 150 percent of the federal poverty guideline for the household size.  This program requires a face-to-face interview with a DHHR worker and clients must provide a copy of their termination notice with the application. 

The maximum allowable gross income levels for Emergency LIEAP Fiscal Year 2018 are listed below:

For each additional person, add $524.  

The program is limited to the amount of federal funding allocated to West Virginia under the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program Block Grant.

To apply, residents must go to their local DHHR office.  A list of local offices may be found at http://www.dhhr.wv.gov/bcf/Documents/DHHR.BCF.LocalOffices.pdf or by calling 304-356-4619.