LIHEAP & Fuel Assistance

The federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program is the cornerstone of U.S. government efforts to help low-income households afford their energy bills. NCLC advocates for adequate federal LIHEAP appropriations to help families stay current with their energy bills and avoid devastating utility disconnections.

Policy Analysis

Policy Briefs, Reports & Press Releases

• Fact Sheet: Utility Help in Massachusetts, January 2022
• Issue Brief: A Guide for Advocates to Recent Federal Covid-19 Relief to Help Consumers Pay for Essential Energy, Water, and Broadband Service, March 2021
• Issue Brief: How the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) Can Help Vulnerable Consumers After a Natural Disaster, March 2018
• Issue Brief: The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP): A Safety Net that Saves Lives, Feb. 2018
• Fact Sheet: Benefits of the Low-Income Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), National Energy Assistance Directors’ Association, March 29, 2017
• Issue Brief: Changes to the Heat and Eat Provision in the 2014 Farm Bill and How LIHEAP Participants May Be Affected, June 2014
• Issue Brief: Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), March 2012
• Press Release: Congressional Fuel Aid Cuts Threaten to Leave Millions of Families in the Cold, November 18, 2010

Letters 

• Letter to U.S. Senate leadership: Request for Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) in COVID-19 Response Bill, Mar. 21, 2020
• NCLC letter to the Secretary of U.S. Health and Human Services urging  reconsider the transfer of the remaining FY19 Low Income Home Energy Assistance funds and instead release these funds to the states to help low-income families households stay connected to essential energy services, March 15, 2019
• Letter to the Office of Management and Budget re approval of the LIHEAP model state plans form, Aug. 31, 2017
• Letters from NCLC and the National Energy Assistance Directors’ Association to HUD Secty. Price urging prompt release of remaining FY17 Low Income Home and Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) funding, May 18, 2017
• Letter to Senate re LIHEAP appropriations, Nov. 2010
• Governors’ LIHEAP funding letter, Nov. 2010

Testimony and Comments

• Testimony of the National Consumer Law Center before the House Committee re: FY 2023 Appropriations for the HHS Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, May 26, 2022
• Testimony of the National Consumer Law Center before the Senate Committee re: FY 2023 Appropriations for the HHS Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, May 11, 2022
• Testimony of Olivia Wein on behalf of the National Consumer Law Center before the Maryland Economic Matters Committee re: HB 998: Silver Energy Savers Program & Energy Assistance Fund, Feb. 28, 2022
• Testimony of Olivia Wein on behalf of the National Consumer Law Center before the Maryland Economic Matters Committee re: SB 905: Silver Energy Savers Program & Energy Assistance Fund, Feb. 28, 2022
• Testimony of Olivia Wein on behalf of the National Consumer Law Center before the Maryland Economic Matters Committee re: HB 1001: Uniform Redetermination Process, Feb. 28, 2022
• Testimony of Olivia Wein on behalf of the National Consumer Law Center before the Maryland Economic Matters Committee re: SB 719: Uniform Redetermination Process, Feb. 28, 2022
• Testimony of the National Consumer Law Center before the U.S. Senate Committee re: FY 2021 Appropriations for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), May 22, 2020
• Testimony of the National Consumer Law Center before the House Committee re: FY 2021 Appropriations for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), March 23, 2020
• Comments to USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) opposing their proposed rule, which would take away states’ ability to set their own Heating and Cooling Standard Utility Allowance (HCSUA), resulting in billions of dollars in SNAP benefits being taken from families in need, Nov. 27, 2019
• Comments to the U.S. Office of Management and Budget Opposing Proposed Changes to the federal poverty line adjustment methodology (Directive No. 14, “Consumer Inflation Measures Produced by Federal Statistical Agencies,” Docket No. OMB-2019-0002), June 21, 2019
• Testimony of the National Consumer Law Center before the U.S. Senate Committee re: FY 2020 Appropriations for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), June 3, 2019
• Group comments to the Office of Management and Budget Regarding Proposed Information Collection Activity for LIHEAP fuel assistance, 79 Fed. Reg. 32550, submitted July 31, 2014
• Group comments to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services regarding Proposed Information Collection Activity for LIHEAP fuel assistance, 78 Fed. Reg. 34105, August 2, 2013
• Testimony of the National Consumer Law Center before the House Committee re: FY 2013 Appropriations for the Health & Human Services Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), March 28, 2012
• Testimony of the National Consumer Law Center before the Senate Committee: FY 2012 Appropriations for the HHS Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), April 2011
• Testimony of the National Consumer Law Center before the House Committee re: FY 2011 Appropriations for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), April 15, 2010
• Testimony of the National Consumer Law Center before the House Committee re: FY 2010 Appropriations for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), May 1, 2009

Additional Resource

NCLC’s Energy and Utility Publication: Access to Utility Service