Applications to be taken for heating help
By Steve Herring
Published in News on November 14, 2014 1:46 PM
The Wayne County Department of Social Services next month will begin accepting applications for the Low Income Energy Assistance Program.
The county has received $782,264 in LIEAP funding -- a federal program that provides for a one-time, straight-to-vendor payment to help eligible households pay their heating bills.
The county also has $424,903.26 through the federally funded Crisis Intervention Plan for people in a heating or cooling crisis.
Applications for that program are accepted throughout the year.
LIEAP applications will be accepted Dec. 1 through March 31 or until the funds are exhausted.
People may apply at the Peggy Seegars Senior Center on Ash Street or at the Wayne County Department of Social Services at the corner of Ash and Herman streets.
The first round of applications is only for households that have an elderly person, 60 or older, or a disabled person who is receiving services through the Division of Aging and Adult Services.
If approved, those households are eligible to potentially receive benefits from Dec. 1 through Jan. 31 or until the funds are exhausted.
The second round of applications, if there is money still available, is open to any household that has at least one U.S. citizen or non-citizen who meets the eligibility criteria -- an income test, has reserves at or below $2,200 and is responsible for its heating bills.
Any of those households can potentially receive benefits from Feb. 1 through March 31 or until the funds are exhausted.
The one-time amount approved depends on the heating source.
People who heat with fuel oil, kerosene or LP gas are eligible for $400.
People who heat with wood, natural gas, coal or electricity are eligible for $200.
Payments are made directly to the service provider, such as power, gas or oil companies during the month of the application.
Eligible households may receive CIP assistance multiple times during the state's fiscal year that runs from July 1 to June 30.
However, the yearly total cannot exceed $600.
There are no automatic approvals.
Applicants must meet an income test, and at least one person in the household must be a U.S. citizen or a non-citizen who meets eligibility criteria.