WYOMING — Just ask the bears: It’s never too early to start preparing for winter.
For those who are concerned about rising costs and heating bills, the Wyoming Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LIEAP) is now accepting applications for the upcoming winter heating season. The Wyoming Department of Family Services (DFS), which administers the program, requires applicants to submit a new application every season.
“LIEAP is a federally funded program that helps eligible residents cover a portion of their monthly winter heating bills,” DFS said when announcing the open application period. “If approved for LIEAP seasonal benefits, households may qualify for a one-time extra benefit if they have a heating emergency, such as past-due bills, utility deposits or a broken furnace.”
The application window runs through April 30, 2027. Applications can be submitted online here, or the LIEAP team can assist with applications over the phone at (800) 246-4221. In order to qualify for the program, applicants must be Wyoming residents with a household gross annual income at or below 60% of the state’s median income. For an individual, that threshold is $2,988 per month before taxes; $3,908 per month for a couple; or $5,747 per month for a family of four. Homeowners, renters, and residents of permanently parked RVs or campers can all apply.
Effective this season, any household requesting crisis assistance must show a “recent active effort” to pay energy bills. To qualify, the household must have made at least one verifiable payment toward the primary utility, secondary utility or both within the past 60 days. Failure to prove this will result in ineligibility for crisis assistance.
Last season, LIEAP paid $5.04 million in heating assistance to 7,294 Wyoming households. Priority demographics that benefited from assistance included 4,210 seniors aged 60 years or older, 3,405 people with disabilities, and 1,162 children under the age of 6 years old.
