Today, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra announced the award of more than $385 million to help families and individuals with their energy costs. This release follows recent significant investments in the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) through the American Rescue Plan (ARP), the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and congressional appropriations.

LIHEAP provides households with energy assistance, including help to lower cooling and heating bills, crisis assistance, weatherization, and budget counseling to help achieve safe and healthy indoor air quality and temperature. LIHEAP’s assistance with weatherization and energy-related minor home repairs, including the use of renewable energy, helps reduce energy consumption and make homes more energy efficient.

“HHS and the Biden-Harris Administration are working closely to maximize LIHEAP assistance for the families and individuals that need it,” said Secretary Becerra. “This funding builds off of the historic ARP investment to continue to promote weatherization and clean energy. LIHEAP is essential to protecting the health of households across the country by ensuring safe and healthy indoor temperatures.”

Today’s release is the fourth LIHEAP funding release over the past year. In May 2021, HHS released $4.5 billion in supplemental LIHEAP funding from ARP. This historic funding more than doubled the typical annual LIHEAP appropriation. HHS also released $3.37 billion in annual LIHEAP funding through the regular appropriations process. Furthermore, HHS released the first $100 million installment of President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Together, these funding releases total more than $8.3 billion – the largest investment in a single year since the program was established in 1981. HHS anticipates being able to serve more households in Fiscal Year 2022 than ever before in the program’s history due to this unprecedented level of funding. A state-by-state breakdown across all four funding releases can be found below.

ACF Assistant Secretary January Contreras, who oversees LIHEAP, stated, “This LIHEAP funding release comes at an important time as households across the country continue to struggle with higher energy bills. The funds released today will allow us to carry out our agency’s mission to promote the well-being of the children, families and communities we serve.”

LIHEAP provides a vital lifeline to households struggling to maintain continuous, safe and affordable home energy services. As the nation grapples with the impacts of climate change and the threat of extreme weather, which disproportionately impact communities of color and lower-income households, LIHEAP is a critical tool to promote both energy justice and racial equity. 

Today’s funding release coincides with the eve of Earth Day, a day to raise awareness of environmental issues and the urgency of climate change. “It is very appropriate that this funding release aligns with Earth Day given the link between LIHEAP and environmental and racial justice. We know that lower-income households and communities of color are more likely to be unable to afford adequate heating and/or air conditioning, and are more likely to be significantly affected by heat stress and natural disasters related to climate change. The additional LIHEAP funds released today will help us to address these disparities,” stated Director of ACF Office of Community Services Dr. Lanikque Howard.

Individuals interested in applying for energy assistance should visit energyhelp.us or call the National Energy Assistance Referral hotline toll-free at: 1-866-674-6327.

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HHS LIHEAP Funding Awards Available in FY 2022