Winter relief: Missouri boosts aid for families that qualify for help with utility bills
Kansas City Star photo by Rich Sugg
With severe cold temperatures weighing on future energy bills, Missouri is boosting the assistance available to qualifying households through the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP).
The state’s Energy Crisis Intervention Program will now pledge the maximum relief, up to $800, toward an eligible participant’s unpaid balance, rather than the minimum needed to get a household out of crisis.
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“Since many Missourians remain in crisis for subsequent months, paying only the minimum to keep a low-income household out of crisis tends to prolong the situation,” Missouri Gov. Mike Parson said. “Now, we can make it faster and easier to resolve a household’s crisis situation . . . especially given the extreme winter weather our state is currently facing.”
When a household’s energy source has been shut off or is at risk of disconnection, the winter Energy Crisis Intervention Program (ECIP), which runs November through May, is available to help certain households pay energy debts.
“Winter can be especially harsh for low-income Missourians, and we must do all that we can to assure they can heat their homes to remain safe and healthy,” said Missouri Department of Social Services Acting Director Jennifer Tidball.
In 2020, Missouri provided $78.6 million in LIHEAP assistance to over 108,000 households. In addition to meeting the income criteria, low-income Missourians must also meet the following criteria to be eligible for winter heating assistance through LIHEAP:
Be responsible for paying home heating costs,
Have $3,000 or less in bank accounts, retirement accounts, or investments, and
Be a U.S. citizen or legally admitted for permanent residence.
It is very important for low-income Missourians who have received a disconnect notice or know a disconnect notice is coming to get help now to prevent service disconnection at a later date. To learn more about the LIHEAP program, view this short video. Missourians can submit the LIHEAP application form online.
Missourians in need of information on LIHEAP, Food Stamp, Medicaid, Child Care Subsidy, or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families benefit programs can visit dss.mo.gov. Individuals can also apply for these services 24/7 online by visiting MyDSS.mo.gov.