What You Need To Know
A federally funded program, the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program has a name that speaks for itself. LIHEAP has been established to provide help to low-income households by assisting them in their home energy bills. This means providing the financial aid required to keep your house warm in winter and cool in the summer. LIHEAP aims to reduce any health and safety hazards through this financial assistance. Proper home energy can keep away any potential illnesses as well as other safety problems like fires and evictions.
There are three types of assistance provided in the Hawaii LIHEAP program. Among these, there is:
- Bill payment assistance
- Energy crisis assistance
- Weatherization and energy-related home repairs.
A one-time payment is made directly to the vendor. It can be either electric or gas, either utility bill is accepted. There are two ways that LIHEAP carries out this payment:
- Energy Crisis Intervention program, also known as ECI. It provides assistance to those households that are in crisis. It’s possible that either their electric or gas service has been disconnected or is bound to be. The household will be notified beforehand through a termination notice.
- Energy Credit (EC) program. This program has been set up to assist those residences that are not undergoing a crisis. However, these households do require financial aid with their heating or cooling.
The LIHEAP program in Hawaii begins from the first of October till the end of September. This allows all eligible households to apply once a year if they wish to receive its benefits.
Are You Eligible?
LIHEAP program has certain requirements that need to be fulfilled. These requirements determine the eligibility of the applicant. First and foremost, the person applying must be:
- A resident of the state of Hawaii
- In need of financial aid for his or her home energy costs
The name of the program suggests that the program is for low-income families. Therefore, the annual household income before any tax deductions must be equal to or below the amounts mentioned:
| Size of the Household | Maximum Annual Income Level ($) |
| 1 | 21,570 |
| 2 | 29,190 |
| 3 | 36,810 |
| 4 | 44,430 |
| 5 | 52,050 |
| 6 | 59,670 |
| 7 | 67,290 |
| 8 | 74,910 |
Households that have greater than eight residents must add in an additional amount of $7,620 per person. It is recommended that a person should stay in touch with their managing agency. This allows them to stay up-to-date with the most recent guidelines.
The Hawaii LIHEAP has some additional requirements that need to be met as well. Therefore, the people who wish to enjoy LIHEAP benefits must fulfill the following:
- The application must be signed by all adults. Picture IDs must also be provided.
- Social security number must be provided by household members of over one year.
- The applicant must have a place of residence.
- The applicant must be responsible for the utility bill.
Automatic eligibility is awarded to those people who are participants of the following benefit programs. They must be participants or their family members.
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program – SNAP
- Supplemental Security Income – SSI
- Temporary Assistance for Needy Families – TANF
- Certain needs tested Veterans benefits
How To Apply
The Hawaii.gov LIHEAP page allows people to easily start their application process. The online access makes it easier for a larger number of people to apply. It also makes the procedure simpler as it can be completed in the comfort of one’s home.
The website also provides information regarding the local community offices. The nearest one can be found through the listed ones and approached accordingly. The application will be reviewed by these agencies and the interview time appointment. The applicant needs to bring the following documents to their interview:
- Electric or Gas bill or the utility termination notice.
- Proof of residence. This can be any document that outlines the current address such as a phone bill.
- Picture IDs and Social Security cards
- A birth certificate as proof of age.
- Social Security Disability benefits as proof of disability.
- Proof of Earning. The income of all household members must be verified.
- Proof of Citizenship. This can include birth certificates, US passports, or any other such document.
For Further Information
In case of queries, there are two ways a person can gain assistance concerning LIHEAP. They can contact one of the following agencies:
- LIHEAP State or Territory agency
- LIHEAP Indian Tribe or Tribal Organization agency
Contact information about the LIHEAP Coordinator is also available on their website. Therefore, people can get in contact with him through the mail, email or phone, whichever proves most suitable for them.