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9:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.

Wisconsin Home Energy Assistance Program (WHEAP)

Wisconsin Home Energy Assistance Program (WHEAP) assists eligible households with their heating and electric bills. It is funded by the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and the ​​​Public Benefits (PB) program.

The two basic parts of energy assistance are regular benefits and crisis assistance. In addition, a furnace services program is operated under WHEAP.

​WHEAP benefits are not guaranteed to eligible households. When funds have been exhausted for a program year, there are no benefits issued to households regardless of eligibility.
Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program

The Low Income Home Energy Assistance​ Program (LIHEAP) is funded by the federal government and ​​​focuses primarily on heating assistance for low-income households.

- Apply at this location
OR
- Application online at: https://energyandhousing.wi.gov/Pages/AgencyResources/energy-assistance.aspx

The Low Income Home Energy Assistance program is called LIHEAP. They assist low income people and families with their heating and cooling bills. This program is therefore, a year long program that is available 12 months a year. To qualify for the LIHEAP assistance, you need to qualify. We provide the current Federal Poverty Rates nationwide below.

You are automatically qualified for LIHEAP assistance if you participate in the SNAP food stamps program, TANF Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, or the SSI program through Social Security.

Federal Poverty Guidelines for 2024

Persons In Family	Earnings (100% Fed Poverty Guideline)
1	$15,060
2	$20,440
3	$25,820
4	$31,200
5	$36,580
6	$41,960
7	$47,340
8	$52,720

*Alaska and Hawaii have different rates for HUD federal poverty guidelines.
These numbers above represent 100% of the Federal Poverty Rate. In order to get legal aid from some offices, they use a sliding fee scale. When they use a sliding fee scale, the 100% rate can be different than 100%. In those cases, using for example a 200% federal poverty level, you will only need double the 100% number listed above to 200%.

User questions & answers

Have you used the Columbia County CWCAC Community Action Portage WHEAP Energy Assistance service before? If so, please help our website users by answer these questions below.