As utility costs continue to strain household budgets, approximately 193,000 Pennsylvania families will receive an additional $100 energy assistance payment through the federally funded Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP).
The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services announced the one-time supplemental payments will go to households that received LIHEAP assistance during the 2025-26 heating season and include at least one senior citizen age 60 or older, a person with a disability, or a child under the age of six.
Unlike many government programs that rely on state tax dollars, LIHEAP is funded entirely through federal dollars. State officials say the supplemental payments are being made possible through remaining funds from the 2025-26 LIHEAP season, allowing eligible families to receive additional assistance without creating a new state-funded program.
The $100 payments will be sent directly to the same utility company or home heating fuel provider that received the household’s original LIHEAP benefit. In cases where assistance is applied to an electric utility provider, the funds may also help offset cooling costs during the summer months.
Eligible households do not need to apply for the supplemental payment. Benefits began being distributed on July 29, and recipients will receive notice that they qualify for the additional assistance.
For many seniors, working families, and Pennsylvanians living on fixed incomes, rising energy costs remain a significant challenge. Programs like LIHEAP are designed to help households maintain essential utility services and avoid dangerous situations caused by the loss of heat or electricity.
During the 2025-26 LIHEAP season, which concluded on May 8, more than 278,000 Pennsylvania households received assistance to help cover heating costs during the winter months. Officials confirmed that receiving the supplemental payment will not affect eligibility for the upcoming 2026-27 LIHEAP season.
Residents seeking information about LIHEAP or other public assistance programs can visit www.dhs.pa.gov/COMPASS or contact their local County Assistance Office for assistance.
As families continue to face the pressures of inflation and rising utility bills, the supplemental payments provide targeted relief to some of Pennsylvania’s most vulnerable residents while utilizing unused federal funds already allocated for energy assistance.
