LIHEAP Heating Assistance: Criteria for Varying Benefits

NOTE: LIHEAP directors have historically operated the program in response to a Congressional mandate to "assure that the highest benefits go to households with the lowest incomes and the highest energy costs in relation to income, taking into account family size." In order to tailor their benefits to the needs of the households, states have used any or all of the criteria listed below in establishing benefit levels. In its 1994 reauthorization of the LIHEAP program, Congress broadened the purpose of LIHEAP as, in part, to "provide assistance to low-income households in meeting their home energy costs, particularly those with the lowest incomes that pay a high proportion of household income for home energy."

Congress also encouraged program administrators to consider "energy burden" and "energy needs" in establishing benefits, and it defined these as follows: "Energy burden" was defined as "the expenditures of the household for home energy divided by the income of the household." The phrase "highest home energy needs" was described as "taking into account both the energy burden of such household and the unique situation of such household that results from having members of vulnerable populations, including very young children, individuals with disabilities, and frail older individuals."

The table below shows typical criteria states use to vary benefits; for more specific information on use of energy burden and energy need in benefit levels, see LIHEAP Clearinghouse Memorandum 510.


State	Income	HH Size	Energy Cost	Fuel Type	Climate/ Region	Individual Bill	Dwelling Type	Energy Burden	Energy Need
AL	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No
AK	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
AZ	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
AR	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	Yes
CA	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
CO	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
CT	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
DE	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	Yes
DC	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No
FL	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
GA	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	Yes
HI	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	Yes
ID	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
IL	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No
IN	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No
IA	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No
KS	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No
KY	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No
LA	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	Yes	No
ME	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
MD	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes
MA	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	No
MI	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	Yes	No
MN	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	No
MS	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	Yes
MO	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No
MT	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes
NE	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No
NV	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	No
NH	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
NJ	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes
NM	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	Yes	No
NY	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
NC	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes
ND	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	No
OH	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No
OK	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No
OR	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
PA	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No
RI	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No
SC	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
SD	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	No
TN	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
TX	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
UT	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
VT	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No
VA	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	No
WA	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	No
WV	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	Yes	No
WI	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
WY	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No

Page Last Updated: July 31, 2008