LIHEAP Crisis Benefits: How to Get Help Quickly

What to do in the next hour

Find the right local office through the LIHEAP help and contacts site. The Energy Assistance Hotline is 1-866-674-6327.

The site lists staff hours on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Eastern. It also lists an email address.

The hotline can help you find an office. It does not award benefits.

If the shutoff is today or the office is closed: Ask the utility for its after-hours team. Tell them if a person uses an oxygen unit or other powered medical device. Ask how to send medical proof if they need it.

Do not rely on a medical note alone to keep power on. Plan for a safe backup with the person’s care team.

If you cannot reach the office, call 211. Ask for a Community Action Agency, an energy crisis worker, and a safe place to go. Our local help starting guide explains these groups. Never assume that a web form has stopped a shutoff.

2026–27 intake: regular aid and crisis aid differ

We checked each date on a state or county site on October 9, 2026. They are not a list of open crisis programs in all states. An open regular bill-aid program may still have a closed crisis part. Funds can also run out before a listed end date.

If your state is not shown, use the national office finder above. Tribal programs may have their own dates and office. A local utility fund or shelter may help while you wait for a seasonal program.

What may count as a crisis?

There is no one test for the whole country. An office may need proof that service is off, a shutoff is near, fuel is almost gone, or heat has failed. A medical risk may change how fast a case is handled.

• A shutoff notice for home heat or electric service.
• Power or heat that has already been cut off.
• Little or no oil, propane, wood, or other home fuel.
• A broken main heating unit, where equipment aid is offered.
• Heat or cold that puts a person at risk, if local rules cover it.

You may need to meet an income limit, show that you pay for home energy, and live in the service area. Renters can also qualify. Some offices count fuel costs in rent. Your age or health needs may affect priority, but they do not always make you eligible by themselves.

For renters: If the bill is in a landlord’s name, bring the lease and ask which energy costs count. If the home uses shared heat, ask what bill or letter the office needs. Do not give a landlord money for a new LIHEAP “fee.” Only send records to the office that serves your home.

Income rules may use the federal poverty guide or state median income. For the real cutoff, ask the office to check your household size and current income. Do not use a 2025–26 income chart as a 2026–27 promise. The federal eligibility overview explains why rules differ.

How fast should a crisis case be handled?

Federal law calls for help that resolves an eligible crisis within 48 hours of an application. For an eligible, life-threatening crisis, it says 18 hours. See the federal crisis law. A declared disaster can affect the rule.

This is a rule for crisis intervention, not a promise of cash in your bank in 18 hours. An office may arrange a pledge, delivery, repair, or another safe answer. A normal bill-aid request can take far longer. Ask staff if your case was entered as a crisis and what proof is still needed.

Apply for urgent help, step by step

1. Call the local LIHEAP worker. Tell them the problem first. Ask if crisis intake is open, how to apply, and whether a phone or home visit is an option.
2. Call the utility or fuel seller. Get the exact amount needed to stop or undo a shutoff. Ask if the company will take a promise of payment from LIHEAP.
3. Send the key proof right away. Use the portal, phone route, or office named by the real agency. Mark the case as urgent if the form allows it.
4. Get a receipt. Save the case number and a copy of what you sent. If there is no reply, call again and ask whether the file is complete.
5. Confirm the next action. Ask if the utility has a pledge, if fuel will be sent, or if the office has set up another safe plan. Do not guess based on an approval notice alone.

What proof should you have ready?

Start the call even if you lack some papers. The office will tell you what is needed. Keep these close when you can:

• Photo ID or other proof of identity, if asked for.
• Current bill, shutoff notice, or account number.
• Proof of address, rent, or home energy costs.
• Recent pay stubs, benefit letters, or proof of lost income.
• Fuel level or a note from a fuel seller, if needed.
• Doctor’s note or medical form, if local rules call for one.
• Repair notice or unsafe-equipment report, if the heat unit failed.

For a more detailed folder, use our application document checklist. Never send bank records or ID files to a stranger who texts you an offer.

What crisis help can pay for

Crisis aid may pay part of a past-due bill, help restore service, or buy needed heating fuel. Some offices may cover a fee or a small deposit. Other programs may pay for an approved heating unit repair. Each part has its own rules.

The help is usually a benefit or service, not a loan. It most often goes to the seller, utility, or approved provider. There is no set national cash amount. Funds, benefit caps, and the number of times you can get help vary.

LIHEAP is not a general home repair fund. It will not usually fix roofs, pipes, floors, or other work not tied to home energy. For help with heating and cooling equipment, read our LIHEAP equipment help guide. For no heat today, use our no heat emergency guide.

Ask before hiring anyone to fix a furnace or air conditioner. An agency may need its own worker to inspect the unit, approve a price, or choose the repair firm. Work done first may not be paid back. LIHEAP does not promise full replacement, a new system, or the use of any contractor you choose.

Does a shutoff notice stop service by itself?

No. A LIHEAP form does not always stop the utility from shutting off power. Some states offer medical or cold-weather holds. These may apply only to some power firms.

Use the state utility shutoff rules to find a regulator and check your rights. A hold may delay a bill, not erase it.

Ask about a payment plan, medical form, fee waiver, or hardship fund. A town utility or electric co-op may follow other rules. For more options through your energy company, see our utility assistance program guide.

If the office is closed, slow, or says no

Ask the worker for the exact reason. Is the crisis season closed or are funds gone? Is proof missing? Does a different office serve you?

Ask if you filed for regular aid, not crisis help.

The next step depends on the answer. If they need more proof, ask which item is missing. If the local office has no funds, ask for the name of a fund that is still open.

If you were denied, ask how to correct the file or seek review. Request the rule and the deadline in writing. If you have a health risk or no safe heat, say so again. Ask a supervisor how your urgent case was marked.

Keep a short call log. Write down whom you spoke with, when you called, the facts they gave you, and your next deadline. If a worker says the season is closed, ask what local crisis fund or other program is taking calls today. You can ask for help by phone if you cannot travel.

Call the utility at the same time. Ask it to confirm any pledge it got from the agency. Then seek other aid.

The 211 energy bill directory may point you to local charities, fuel funds, a warm place, or a safe cooling site. The USAGov energy help page lists more official routes.

Older adults and people with a disability can ask local support staff for help with calls and forms. If fuel or heat cannot be made safe soon, ask 211 or local emergency staff for a safe place tonight. Do not stay in a home that is not safe just to wait for a grant.

For long-term savings, weatherization may help with leaks, insulation, or energy work. It is usually not same-day aid. Check the federal weatherization steps or our weatherization program guide.