The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, commonly known as LiHEAP, is a federally funded program that assists low-income households that are struggling to pay their electrical bills. Individuals must apply for this program and provide all the required documentation. Additionally, individuals will be educated on how to budget and manage their energy needs.

• Income qualified
• Have a high energy burden
• Have a resident in the household that is part of a vulnerable population (i.e. seniors over 60 years of age, disabled persons, and children under 5 years of age)
  
• The amount of HEAP assistance is calculated based on household size, household income and the percentage of income spent on energy bills, also known as the energy burden.

Individuals may apply for this program online or download and print the application to send it via mail. Please call (209) 468-1500 to request an application be mailed to your home. Telephone lines are open Monday through Friday from 9:00a.m. to 12:00p.m. and from 1:00p.m. to 4:00 p.m. 

The Low Income Home Energy Assistance program is called LIHEAP. They assist low income people and families with their heating and cooling bills. This program is therefore, a year long program that is available 12 months a year. To qualify for the LIHEAP assistance, you need to qualify. We provide the current Federal Poverty Rates nationwide below.

You are automatically qualified for LIHEAP assistance if you participate in the SNAP food stamps program, TANF Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, or the SSI program through Social Security.

Federal Poverty Guidelines for 2024

Persons In Family	Earnings (100% Fed Poverty Guideline)
1	$15,060
2	$20,440
3	$25,820
4	$31,200
5	$36,580
6	$41,960
7	$47,340
8	$52,720

*Alaska and Hawaii have different rates for HUD federal poverty guidelines.
These numbers above represent 100% of the Federal Poverty Rate. In order to get legal aid from some offices, they use a sliding fee scale. When they use a sliding fee scale, the 100% rate can be different than 100%. In those cases, using for example a 200% federal poverty level, you will only need double the 100% number listed above to 200%.

User questions & answers

Have you used the San Joaquin County Department of Aging and Community Services - LIHEAP service before? If so, please help our website users by answer these questions below.