Program For Low-Income Residents Offers Help With Winter Heat Bills
The Low-Income Energy Assistance Program provides a one-time annual vendor payment to help eligible families pay their heating expense. If you received a LIEAP payment in 2023-2024, someone in the household was disabled and receiving services through the Division of Aging and Adult Services OR households containing a person aged 60, an automatic payment will be generated to that same account this fiscal year. It is not necessary to re-apply. The state mailed notices in October 2024 to each family from the 2023-2024 pre-populated application information, according to Cassandra Hart with the Vance County Department of Social Services.
The notice contains instructions about how to report changes to the department. The recipient can contact or return the notice with changes to their local DSS office within 10 business days. If the recipient does not contact or report any changes to DSS, the information from the 2023-2024 LIEAP application will be used to approve the household for 2024-2025 benefits. The recipient will be informed that an automated LIEAP payment was approved.
Households not included in the target population will be able to apply following regular LIEAP application policy. Regular application policy is as follows:
- Application period begins Dec. 1 for households with a disabled person who is receiving services through the Division of Aging and Adult Services OR households containing a person aged 60 and above are potentially eligible during the month of December or until funds are exhausted.
- Applications for general public will be taken from Jan. 1 through Mar. 31 or until funds are exhausted.
This program is being administered by:
Vance County Department of Social Services
500 N. Beckford Dr. Ste. C
Henderson, NC 27536
office 252.492.5001 ext. 3900
fax 252.438.5997
email Vance.County.DSS@vance.nc.gov
Applications may be submitted by mail, email, fax, dropped off, in person, or online (epass.nc.gov/),
When applying, the following information may be needed to determine eligibility:
- Information about your household’s income. If anyone works, provide wage stubs for the month prior to the month of application
- Recent statement for savings or checking accounts
- Name, date of birth, and social security card or numbers for each household member
- Account number for the heating source. Households that heat with wood/kerosene, will not have a bill to submit
Heating bill-If the bill is not in applicant’s or other household member’s name, the applicant must provide a written statement from the person whose name the bill is in (must be 18 or older), stating that applicant is responsible for payment of the heating expense.
(Originally published on WIZS.com on November 18, 2024.)