Home heating assistance: Here’s how to apply in Ohio and Pa. - WKBN.com

by: Allison Shinskey, Michael Bartiromo, Nexstar Media Wire

Posted: Nov 3, 2022 / 11:09 AM EDT

Updated: Nov 3, 2022 / 11:41 AM EDT

(WPRI/NEXSTAR) — Billions of dollars successful national assistance are being made disposable to assistance Americans with their heating bills done the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP).

The Biden medication said Wednesday that astir $4.5 cardinal has been allocated for LIHEAP this winter, to assistance low-income families wage their vigor oregon inferior bills, or, successful immoderate cases, to screen the outgo of weatherization oregon repairs.

Ohio received implicit $140 million, portion Pennsylvania has implicit $182 million.

The funds volition beryllium distributed to states, territories and tribal governments this week.

LIHEAP, established successful 1981, is funded by grants approved by Congress. Typical yearly backing is determination astir $3.5 billion, the Associated Press reported, though past year’s allocations amid the coronavirus pandemic totaled $8 billion.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which operates the assistance program, said LIHEAP helped 5.3 cardinal families successful 2021.

“For much than 40 years, this program has helped low-income families wage their location heating and cooling bills,” HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra stated successful a news release issued Wednesday. “As heating costs increase, it is much important than ever to assistance families struggling to marque ends meet. With this funding, we volition assistance support the wellness and well-being of Americans by keeping them harmless and lukewarm this winter.”

Officials from states crossed the country, meanwhile, are continuing to support a adjacent oculus connected upwind forecasts up of winter. Resources person tightened amid the warfare successful Ukraine, and ostentation has contributed to rising substance costs implicit past year. Even the U.S. Department of Energy projects crisp price increases for location heating compared with past winter, the Associated Press reported.

Families seeking assistance from LIHEAP tin learn more and use for assistance successful Ohio present oregon assistance successful Pennsylvania here with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Assistance is distributed done states, territories oregon tribal governments, and availability is based connected income, household size oregon the availability of resources.

In summation to the $4.5 cardinal allocated for LIHEAP, the Department of Energy is allocating “nearly $9 billion” for states and tribes to enactment toward location ratio programs, to assistance with upgrades for up to 1.6 cardinal homes, the White House announced Wednesday.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.