What You Need To Know
The Maine 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 that 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 (FDL). It should be noted that the Maine LEAP only helps households who pass the eligibility requirements.
What services does LIHEAP provide?
The Maine LIHEAP provides support to low-income families through
- Utility bill payments
- Energy crisis grants
- Energy-related home repair assistance
- Weatherproofing of the house
- Assistance at times of emergency energy need
Are You Eligible?
To be able to qualify for the Maine Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) the applicant needs to be a permanent and legal resident of the state of Maine. The applicant has permanent citizenship of the United States of America. The applicant must need assistance in paying their utility bills. The eligibility of a candidate 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 $6,630 is added for each additional member. It is also important to check with the local agencies that manage the program and can give you the exact and the most current information regarding the Maine Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program.
You can also visit the Maine LIHEAP official website to check whether you are eligible for the program. The procedure is simple and you need to answer some questions related to your
- Citizenship information
- Gross income
- Household size
- Whether or not you are receiving any other kind of assistance from the state
In case you or any of your family member are receiving benefits from any other kind of program like the
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program
- Supplement Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
- Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
- Any need-based programs for Veterans
Then there are chances of you being automatically selected for the Maine LIHEAP program.
How To Apply
At the time of applying for the Maine Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, the applicant must have a copy of their
- The utility expenses ( electricity, gas, heating, and cooling, propane)
- All the documents that show salaries of all the members of the household who are currently employed
The applicant can use different methods to apply for the Maine LIHEAP. It makes the whole process very flexible and applicants can choose the method more easy for them.
- To apply online, the applicant can visit the official Maine LIHEAP website. The website provides significant information related to the program.
- To apply via phone call please use the toll-free number 1-800-452-4668 to contact the LIHEAP office and request an application form for the program. The application will be emailed to you which you can then return once you fill out the form to get the program’s benefits.
- To apply through fax, the applicant will be required to fax the application form along with all the attested copied of the required documents to the Maine State Housing Authority’s (MSHA) Energy and Housing Services.
- If the applicant is interested in submitting their application in person, they can visit the nearby office in their locality. To find a LIHEAP office in your community please visit the local Community Action Program (CAP) agency website.
For Further Information
In case of other queries related to the Maine LIHEAP kindly visit Maine LIHEAP website. This website provides complete and accurate information about the program. It 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 Maine Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP).
It is advisable to apply for the Maine Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program before the due date to be able to get the benefits. Also, note that any assistance in the form of cash that you might get from the program goes directly to your respected energy provider or utility company.