What Do You Need To Know?
The Indiana Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LEAP) is a federally funded program which assists people from underprivileged backgrounds with utility payments. The main objective of the program is to help people from low-income backgrounds who are not able to pay their utility expenses. The assistance is provided to families with total income below 150% of the income level guidelines specified by the federal government.
The Indiana LIHEAP is administered through the Community Action Agency in the state. It mainly provides heating assistance during cold winter seasons to the residence of the state however, limited funds are also available for the summer season. It should be noted that the LIHEAP only helps households who pass the eligibility requirements.
Program Objectives
The main objective of the program is helping people from underprivileged backgrounds with low-incomes by paying their utility expenses so they can afford necessities of life. Through the program, people can afford to keep their power on during cold winters in Indiana as well as hot summers in the state.
LIHEAP Services
The Indiana Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) provides various services to people from low-income household including
- Utility bill payments
- Energy crisis grants
- Energy-related home repair assistance
- Weatherproofing of the house
- Assistance at times of emergency energy need
The selected households and individuals who meet the eligibility criteria are provided with a credit payment directly applied to their utility expenses per month.
Are You Eligible?
It is mandatory for the applicant to be a permanent and legal resident of the U.S and the state of Indiana to be able to apply for the Indian Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program. The applicant must need assistance in paying their utility bills.
The candidate’s eligibility is assessed on two important factors
- The candidate’s annual gross income
- The candidate’s household size
The table below provides a detailed understanding of the household size and the maximum gross income which should be either equal or less than,
Total Household Size | Gross Income Level (Per Year) |
1 | 18735 |
2 | 25365 |
3 | 31995 |
4 | 38625 |
5 | 45255 |
6 | 51885 |
7 | 58515 |
8 | 65145 |
If there are more than 8 members in the house than an extra amount of $6630 is added for each additional member. Therefore, check with local agencies for accurate information about the Indiana LEAP program.
You can also visit the official website of Indiana LIHEAP to check whether you are eligible for the program. The procedure is simple and you need to answer some questions related to
- Citizenship information of the candidate
- Gross income of the candidate’s household
- Household size of the candidate
- Whether or not you are receiving any other kind of assistance from the state
In case you or any of your family members are receiving benefits from any other kind of program then you might automatically get selected for the Indiana Low-income Home Energy Assistance Program.
How To Apply?
The applicants are required to have all the important documents with them at the time of applying, they will need a copy of their,
- utility bills including electricity, gas, heating, and cooling, propane, and others
- the income of all the household members working at the time
By clicking on the Energy Assistance Program link you will be taken to the official page of Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority you will find recent and most up-to-date information about the program. You can also find out about the program eligibility criteria, the application process, required documents and any other information about the program. The website also contains the “FAQs” section to help educate the applicants regarding the program.
You can apply in person for the Indiana Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program kindly search the Community Development’s Representative document to find an office in your county. You will be provided with an application form which you can fill out and submit through an agent working in the office.
It is important to note that before going to your local county office you should have copies of all the required documents to make sure your application is complete.
The above-mentioned website will help you learn more about the program and its requirements related to the application process and eligibility criteria. This makes it easy for the applicant to apply for the Indiana Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program.
It is also important to keep in mind the deadline for the Indiana LIHEAP so that your household is not deprived of the benefits provided by the program.