LIHEAP Application: How you can get an extra $100 this summer for energy?
As summer temperatures push air conditioners into longer hours, nearly 193,000 Pennsylvania households are set to receive an additional $100 toward their utility bills. The important detail, however, is that this isn’t a new benefit residents can apply for.
The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services is automatically issuing the one-time payment to qualifying households that received a cash grant through the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program during the 2025-26 season.
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A household must also include at least one person considered especially vulnerable to extreme temperatures. That means someone with a disability, an adult age 60 or older, or a child younger than six.
Residents who meet both conditions don’t need to submit another application, contact their county assistance office or request the money from their utility company.
The state is sending the credit directly to the same energy provider that received the household’s original LIHEAP grant.
“We know that even though winter is over, many Pennsylvanians may still need assistance with utility bills from last season,” Human Services Secretary Dr. Val Arkoosh said.
“LIHEAP helps some of the Commonwealth’s most vulnerable citizens, children, older Pennsylvanians, people with disabilities, and low-income families, make ends meet and keep their homes safer.”
Who qualifies for Pennsylvania’s $100 LIHEAP payment?
Eligibility is based on a household’s existing LIHEAP record rather than a new summer application.
The household must have received a LIHEAP cash grant during the recently completed season and include at least one qualifying vulnerable resident.
Only one $100 payment will be issued per household, regardless of how many family members meet those criteria.
Eligible households will receive a notice confirming the supplemental benefit. Payments began moving to utility vendors with a July 29 Treasury date.
The money won’t arrive as a paper check or direct deposit. It will appear as a credit on the recipient’s utility account.
Although LIHEAP is generally associated with winter heating assistance, the additional payment may also help with summer cooling expenses when it is sent to an electric company.
Residents who didn’t receive a LIHEAP cash grant during the 2025-26 season cannot apply now solely to obtain the $100 supplement.
What residents should do if payment doesn’t appear
Eligible customers should first allow time for their utility provider to process and post the credit. They should also watch for the eligibility notice from the Department of Human Services.
Anyone who believes they qualify but doesn’t receive a notice or account credit can contact Pennsylvania’s LIHEAP customer helpline at 1-866-857-7095. The line can also provide information about county assistance offices and future program applications.
The regular 2025-26 LIHEAP season closed on May 8 after being extended by the state. Details for the 2026-27 application period are expected to be announced later this year.
Until that season opens, households struggling with current bills can ask their utility companies about payment arrangements, hardship funds and other assistance programs.
The central message is straightforward: existing recipients do not need to chase the extra $100. Pennsylvania is identifying qualifying households through its records and applying the money automatically.
