More heating aid planned for state's needy
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The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, which uses federal funds to help citizens pay their heating bills, goes into effect Nov. 1 with changes intended to provide more people with more help.
Administered by the state Department of Public Welfare, the program has historically offered two types of assistance: the cash component and the crisis component.
The cash benefit, the more common of the two, is based on a number of factors, including household size and income, the applicant's location and fuel type.
This year's minimum cash benefit will be increased to $300, from $100 last year, while the maximum benefit is set at $1,000. The cash component will be available Nov. 1 through March 31.
The crisis benefit is for households that are either "without heat or in imminent danger of being without heat." In those cases, the plan proposes a minimum benefit of $25 and a maximum of $400.
The crisis component will run Jan. 3 through March 31, although a crisis exception program will make the benefit available Nov. 1 through Jan. 2 for those whose heat is cut off before January and for whom the cash grant would not be enough to restore heat.
"Vulnerable households" could be eligible for a new benefit for the program's cash component. A supplemental $100 cash benefit will be available for households in which at least one member is over age 60, disabled or 5 years of age or younger.
Benefits will be available to households with incomes up to 160 percent of federal poverty income guidelines. For a family of four, that would be $35,280.
All of the provisions assume that Congress will fund the program at the same level as last year, $5.1 billion. Of that, Pennsylvania would have $249.5 million available for benefits after set-asides for administrative costs and for the Department of Community and Economic Development's weatherization program.
However, President Barack Obama has requested only $3.29 billion for Liheap this year. Under his proposal, Pennsylvania's share would be $159.7 million; deductions for weatherization and administrative costs would leave $128.4 million available for Liheap benefits.
If the program is funded at that level, the minimum cash benefit will be $100 rather than $300, and the vulnerable household benefit will not be available.
Also, the income eligibility cap would be 150 percent of federal poverty guidelines, rather than 160 percent. That's $33,075 for a family of four.
The state Department of Public Welfare's written plan notes, "Historically, final Liheap funding is increased significantly from the amount identified in the president's annual budget request."
For more information, Peoples Natural Gas customers may call 1-800-400-9276 and choose the third option, "energy assistance." Equitable Gas customers may call 1-800-644-8090; and Columbia Gas customers, 1-800-272-2714.
First Published October 28, 2010 12:00 am
