| The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has received funding for the 2026 Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) from federal partners. While the funding was delayed following the federal government shutdown, NCDHHS and county staff have been preparing so they would be ready to open for new Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LIEAP) applications once federal funds were received. LIEAP and the Crisis Intervention Program (CIP) are two programs supported by LIHEAP block grant funding. North Carolinians who are eligible for LIEAP assistance and did not receive an auto-renewal or notice of automated payment can apply for benefits starting on December 10, 2025.
“As the weather turns colder, heating and energy assistance is critical to help more than 130,000 households stay warm through the winter months,” said NCDHHS Deputy Secretary for Opportunity and Well-Being Michael Leighs. “I am grateful to our team and our county and local partners who have worked diligently to ensure people who need assistance can receive it as quickly as possible.”
The federally funded program provides low-income households with a one-time payment sent directly to their heating vendor to offset the high cost of warming their homes during the cold weather months.
LIEAP payments were automatically distributed at the end of November to heating vendors for households with a member of their household who met the following three criteria:
Households meeting the requirements for the automatic payment were notified of their eligibility through November 2025 and do not need to re-apply for LIEAP.
Any household with a person 60 or older or with a disability and is receiving services through the Division of Aging who did not receive notice of an automated payment, can apply online at epass.nc.gov starting on Dec. 10, 2025. Applicants can also call their county department of social services to apply by phone, in person or print a paper application from epass.nc.gov to mail, fax or drop off at their county department of social services.
To be eligible for the LIEAP program, a household must
- Have at least one U.S. citizen or non-citizen who meets the eligibility requirements,
- Have income equal to or less than 130% of the federal poverty limit, and
- Be responsible for their heating cost.
Beginning Jan. 2, 2026, all other eligible households who meet the eligibility requirements may begin applying. Applications will be accepted from Jan. 2, 2026, to March 31, 2026, or until funds are exhausted.
Last year, the LIHEAP program provided approximately $45 million to help more than 131,000 households pay their heating bills from December 2024 through March 2025. For more information on the program and eligibility, visit the NCDHHS website. |
