Area served:

Barton, Jasper, McDonald, Newton

Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) may be able to help you pay your home energy bills through:

    Energy Assistance - A one-time payment for one fuel type for your heating or cooling costs from October-September.
    Energy Crisis Intervention Program (ECIP) - Helps pay your energy bill when you have a sudden, unexpected, uncontrollable loss of financial resources, life-threatening situation, or if there is any circumstance that threatens your stability if energy aid is not supplied. The amount of help you receive is based on the amount of money needed to settle your crisis with the energy provider.
        Winter ECIP is available November—May based on funding. The maximum amount you could get is $1,600.
        Summer ECIP is available June—September based on funding. The maximum amount you could get is $1,200.
    Contracted agencies may also provide emergency services such as blankets, emergency lodging, heating/cooling replacement or repair, window air conditioners, or wood stoves.


Eligibility:
You may be eligible for help if you:

    Are responsible for paying the utilities for your home (including if you rent)
    Are a Missouri resident
    Are a United States citizen (or have been legally admitted for permanent residence)
    Have $3,000 or less in your bank accounts, retirement accounts, or investments
    Meet or are below the income guidelines for your household size

How to Apply:
Apply by mail, fax, or in person
    Print the LIHEAP application. (https://mydss.mo.gov/utility-assistance/liheap)
    Complete the application and gather the required documents
    Submit your application and required documents to your Contracted Agency by mail, fax, or in person

Apply Online
    Complete the LIHEAP application (and save it to your computer or device (https://mydss.mo.gov/utility-assistance/liheap)
    Select the submit button at the end of the application
    Next, upload your saved application the required documents
    Select upload/submit

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 Economic Security Corporation of the Southwest Area ESC LIHEAP Utility Assistance service before? If so, please help our website users by answer these questions below.