The West Virginia Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LIEAP) helps low-income residents pay for their electric and heating bills. The Department of Health and Human Resources is responsible for managing this resource, as well as the weatherization program, for low income residents of West Virginia. The government offers cash grants, advice on utility bill assistance, conservation measures, and other assistance. The program provides financial assistance to eligible individuals, seniors and the disabled across West Virginia.
The application for these programs may be obtained at a Community Action agency, your local DHHR office, or at an Area Agency on Aging senior center. To apply the concept, one must first understand the basics of the concept. After that, they can begin to apply it to their own life. West Virginia families can often get help weatherizing their homes and paying for energy costs through the Low-Income Energy Assistance Program (LIEAP). These programs are funded by a federal government block grant.
Government grant money for utility bills from WV LIEAP program
The LIEAP Low Income Energy Assistance Program offers help with heating and utility bills. A one-time cash grant for ongoing bills may be available, as well as a crisis component for those facing a heating emergency, such as disconnection or lack of fuel.
The program helps people who qualify to pay for their heat during winter. LIEAP can provide low income families with direct cash payments or the grant payment will be made to your utility or natural gas company. The Weatherization Assistance Program provides free energy conservation measures to low-income households to reduce energy costs and improve comfort.
West Virginia provides a crisis component to help households that are facing an interruption in their heating service. This support is for people who have no other options or resources. The standard and crisis components of the Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LIEAP) are available to low-income households that meet certain criteria set by the state, including total heating costs, household income, and type of heating source and payment.
The amount of money given to people in West Virginia to help pay their heating bills, as well as how long the program lasts, is determined by how much money the federal government provides to the state. The program provides a one-time payment for electric and heating bills (primary utility) every year.
The LIEAP program provides reconnection assistance payments and emergency furnace repairs or replacements for applicants whose utility has been disconnected, for those facing disconnection, and families with a broken furnace or heating system.
The Division of Family Assistance is responsible for administering the Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LIEAP) in each of the DHHR field offices. For more information or to apply for grants, please contact your local DHHR field office. The government agency partners with Agency on Aging offices as well as Community Action Agencies to accept and process LIEAP applications at their local offices. If you would like to speak to someone, please dial (304) 558-0628.
Free weatherization programs
The West Virginia weatherization program is run by the Office of Economic and local community action agencies. This is another government program that can help reduce heating bills and energy costs for low-income families and working poor families. The program has a focus on helping senior citizens, the elderly, children, and people with disabilities. The program helps low-income families save money on heating and cooling costs by improving the energy efficiency and conservation of their homes while ensuring occupants overall health and safety.
Both the Low Income Energy & Heating Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and weatherization in the state are funded by the federal government and the US Department of Energy. The community action agencies and DHHR field offices are responsible for managing the resources.
They accept applications for both government assistance programs and also employ trained weatherization crews to install energy efficiency and conservation measures in the homes of low income families. This means that if you meet the requirements, you can get this for free. The agencies offer tests to determine how energy efficient a home is, as well as what might be causing inefficiency.
Weatherization in West Virginia begins with a computerized assessment to determine the energy efficiency of the heating system in a given home. This audit assesses the insulation, type of walls and windows, and analyses the proper size and capacity of a heating system, duct size, and its placement for the best comfort and energy savings.
The services we provide include, but are not limited to, performing heating and cooling tune-ups and modifications, installing insulation, and reducing air-infiltration. This means that people who come to these workshops and specialists will learn about how to use and maintain the equipment that they need for weatherization.
If your heating system needs to be replaced or repaired, our trained Service Specialists will use the most efficient equipment available. The weatherization process also assesses and replaces refrigerators based on their overall efficiency.
Apply for low income energy assistance in WV
To find out if you qualify for low income grants or energy conservation services, contact a community action agency program in your area and select your county/city from the list. The main government agency in charge of the application process is DHHR. Call (304) 558-0628 or 1-800-642-8589.