LIHEAP opens November 2 in Pennsylvania: what you get, who qualifies, and how to apply

Not a government agency. Applying is always free at the official sites.

Pennsylvania’s heating help — LIHEAP, the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program — opens for the 2026–27 season on Monday, November 2, 2026, and runs through April 23, 2027. Last year’s season was delayed by the federal shutdown, so if an old guide told you a different date, this is the current one. Here is how it works in Philadelphia.

What you can get

Two grants, both paid straight to your heating company — never to you, and never repaid:

• Cash grant: $200–$1,000, once per season, toward your main heating bill. You do not need to be behind on your bill to get it, and you do not need to be on any other benefit.
• Crisis grant: $25–$1,000 more (you can receive Crisis more than once, up to $1,000 total per season) if your service is off, you have a shut-off notice, you’re out of heating fuel, or your heating equipment is broken.

Who qualifies

Households with income at or under 150% of the federal poverty level — for the 2025–26 season that was $23,475 a year for one person and $48,225 for a family of four (the 2026–27 chart is published by PA DHS when the season opens). Renters and homeowners both qualify, including renters whose heat is included in the rent in some cases.

How to apply — step by step

1. Go to COMPASS (compass.state.pa.us), Pennsylvania’s benefits portal, and start a LIHEAP application. The same account applies for SNAP, Medical Assistance, and Cash Assistance, so apply for everything at once.
2. Answer the household questions — who lives with you, income, and your heating company and account.
3. Send your documents — ID and income proof can be uploaded in the portal. Don’t let a missing document stop you from submitting.
4. Watch for notices and respond fast if the County Assistance Office asks for anything else.

No computer? Apply at a Philadelphia County Assistance Office, call the LIHEAP hotline at 1-866-857-7095, or get free in-person help from BenePhilly (800-994-5537). Philadelphia’s dedicated LIHEAP office is at 1163 S. Broad Street (215-560-1583).

Stack it: LIHEAP is the first layer, not the whole answer

If you heat with PECO or PGW, apply for these in the same week:

• PECO CAP — if PECO is your electric or gas company, CAP sets your bill at about 2–4% of your income (6–10% if you heat with electricity), and forgives 1/12 of your past-due balance for each month you pay on time.
• PGW CRP — if PGW is your gas company, CRP sets your bill at about 4–6% of your income ($25 minimum) and forgives 1/36 of your old balance for each on-time month. Apply online, by mail, or by fax — PGW does not take CRP applications by phone.
• Water TAP — the Water Department’s program caps your water bill at about 2–3% of your income and forgives 1/24 of your old water debt with every payment.
• UESF — if a shut-off notice has already arrived, UESF grants (up to $1,250 for PECO, $3,000 for water) can bring the account to zero — but during LIHEAP season you must apply for LIHEAP Cash and Crisis first. That’s the rule, so LIHEAP really is step one.

Percentages for CAP, CRP, and TAP come from the utilities’ PUC-filed plans. Our Philadelphia utility help guide walks the whole stack in order, and the checker screens all of it from your answers in about two minutes.

The winter safety net

Pennsylvania’s winter shut-off moratorium runs December 1 to March 31 for protected customers — but a moratorium pauses shut-offs; it does not pay the bill. The households that come out of winter cleanest are the ones who apply for LIHEAP in November, before the Crisis money gets tight. Apply early.