LIHEAP Income Limits 2026-27: Federal and State Charts

LIHEAP isn't a grant you apply for from the federal government, and no one can charge you to apply. For the full program, including benefit amounts and what LIHEAP pays for, see our LIHEAP energy assistance guide. This page answers one question: how much can you earn and still qualify.

LIHEAP Income Limits for October 2026 to September 2027: The Federal Maximums

$49,500 a year is 150% of poverty for a family of four in FY2027, according to ACF's Attachment 2 to IM2026-01. That's one half of the federal ceiling. The other half is 60% of your state's median income, and the statute says a state may use whichever is greater, under 42 U.S.C. 8624(b)(2)(B) (opens in a new tab). ACF's memo says states may use the new figures in FY2026 and must use them by October 1, 2026.

150% of the 2026 poverty guidelines (annual, with monthly in parentheses):

Sources: 150% figures from ACF's FY2027 poverty guideline tables for LIHEAP (opens in a new tab); 60% SMI figures from ACF's FY2027 SMI table (opens in a new tab), effective October 1, 2026 to September 30, 2027. DC's 60% SMI is higher still: $121,200 for four. Monthly figures are the annual amount divided by 12.

The floor. A state can't turn a household away on income alone if its income is under 110% of poverty: $17,556 for one person and $36,300 for four in the 48 states and DC. States can still put households with the highest energy costs first.

How household size is set for SMI. ACF's memo explains that 60% of SMI is calculated for a four-person family and then scaled under 45 CFR 96.85: 52% of the four-person figure for one person, 68% for two, 84% for three, 116% for five and 132% for six, plus 3 points per person above six. That's why the SMI column grows more slowly than the poverty column for big households.

LIHEAP Income Limits by State: All 50 States and DC

31 of the 51 (30 states plus DC) set their heating limit at the federal maximum of 60% of state median income, according to the LIHEAP Clearinghouse's FY2026 table. The rest set a lower line, which is legal as long as it's at least 110% of poverty. The table shows each state's heating standard, what that standard equals for a family of four using the FY2027 federal figures, and the state's own published figure where Grantsights could open it on November 2, 2026. State names link to our state guides where one exists.

Sources: heating standards from the LIHEAP Clearinghouse percent-of-poverty table for FY2026 (opens in a new tab) (October 1, 2025 to September 30, 2026; updated December 15, 2025), which an ACF-funded information service compiles from state plans. The FY2027 dollar column is a Grantsights calculation: each state's FY2026 standard applied to ACF's FY2027 poverty and SMI tables, so it shows what the standard means this year if the state kept it. "Check state agency" means we didn't open a 2026-27 chart from that state; find your agency on ACF's state and territory contact listing (opens in a new tab). State-published figures: CSD (opens in a new tab), FloridaCommerce (opens in a new tab), Georgia DFCS (opens in a new tab), Illinois DCEO (opens in a new tab), NCDHHS EP-300 manual (opens in a new tab), Ohio Consumers' Counsel HEAP fact sheet (opens in a new tab), Pennsylvania DHS (opens in a new tab) and TDHCA (opens in a new tab), all opened November 2, 2026.

What the state table shows

Grantsights analysis of the Clearinghouse FY2026 table, counting the 50 states and DC:

For a family of four, the spread is wide: from $36,300 in Michigan to $103,049 in Massachusetts among the states, nearly a threefold gap, for the same federal program. In every one of the 50 states and DC, 60% of SMI for four people is higher than 150% of poverty, so 20 states are choosing a lower line than the law allows. They usually do it to stretch a fixed grant across the poorest households.

One pattern explains the odd notes in the table. For big households in lower-income states, 150% of poverty overtakes 60% of SMI. In Mississippi, 60% of SMI for eight people is $74,540, according to ACF, while 150% of poverty is $83,580. That's why Arkansas, Idaho and West Virginia switch to 150% of poverty for households of eight or more.

Who Counts in Your Household and What Income Counts

According to ACF's IM2026-01, the LIHEAP statute defines a household as people "living together as one economic unit" who buy energy in common or pay for it in rent. That's 1 definition you need to get right, because it's different from SNAP's. A roommate who splits the electric bill is usually in your LIHEAP household; a relative who lives with you but pays nothing toward energy may not be. Each state writes its own rule, so ask your local agency if your living situation is unusual.

Gross, mostly. The same memo says the statute doesn't define income, and that "generally, income means gross income," though some states deduct medical costs or some work expenses such as child care. Ohio's chart, for example, excludes wages of dependent minors under 18, according to the Ohio Consumers' Counsel.

Which month. Many states look at the 30 days or the month before you apply. North Carolina's EP-300 manual uses the month before the month of application for all income. Ohio accepts either the last 30 days or the previous 12 months. If your hours dropped recently, a 30-day lookback can help you.

Annual versus monthly charts. Some states post annual limits (Florida, Pennsylvania, Texas) and some post 30-day limits (California, Illinois, North Carolina). To compare, multiply a monthly limit by 12. California's $6,407.16 a month equals $76,885.92 a year.

Automatic Eligibility: SNAP, SSI, TANF and VA Benefits

4 kinds of benefits can make a household eligible without an income test under 42 U.S.C. 8624(b)(2)(A) (opens in a new tab): TANF cash assistance, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), SNAP, and certain VA pension and survivor payments (38 U.S.C. sections 1315, 1521, 1541 and 1542, and section 306 of the 1978 pension act). Federal law lets states pay these households; it doesn't make them pay them. Most states use this route, but each sets its own rules for proof.

What this means in practice:

• If you get SNAP, your SNAP approval letter is often the fastest proof of income eligibility. New York's OTDA, for instance, adds a benefit increase for households getting SNAP, Temporary Assistance or Code A SSI, according to our New York HEAP guide.
• If you get SSI, the same applies, and SSI also counts for DOE weatherization (see below).
• If you're near the SNAP line, compare our SNAP income limits page: in many states SNAP's gross limit is 130% to 200% of poverty, so a SNAP household often clears LIHEAP's line too.
• Social Security retirement alone doesn't count. It's income, not one of the listed programs. A senior on Social Security only has to meet the income test.

Income Limits Don't Guarantee a Payment: Funding for FY2027

$3,631,860,000 in LIHEAP block grant money went out on October 9, 2026, according to ACF's first FY2027 funding release (opens in a new tab). ACF says that's 90% of the funding available under the Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2027 (Public Law 119-103), a continuing resolution signed September 2, 2026. Funds are restricted for any grant recipient without an approved FY2027 plan. Last year's pattern, per ACF's funding releases page (opens in a new tab), was a first release on November 28, 2025, a final release on April 17, 2026 and a reallotment on August 13, 2026.

Why this matters to you: LIHEAP is a block grant, not an entitlement like SNAP. Once your state's money is committed, it stops paying, even to households under the limit. Georgia's DFCS says applicants are "served on a first-come, first serve basis." Illinois' FY2027 window runs October 1, 2026 to August 13, 2027 "or until funding is exhausted," per DCEO. So apply in the first weeks your state opens, especially if you heat with propane or oil.

Regular Heating, Cooling, Crisis and Weatherization: Different Limits

4 states in the Clearinghouse table (Iowa, Michigan, North Carolina and Ohio) use a different income line for crisis help than for regular heating help. LIHEAP has several parts, and a state can set a different limit for each:

Weatherization uses a higher line. The U.S. Department of Energy's weatherization application page (opens in a new tab) says households at or below 200% of the poverty guidelines, or receiving SSI, are eligible under DOE rules, and states may instead use LIHEAP's 60% SMI line. That's $66,000 a year for four at 200% in FY2027 terms. Texas, for one, lists DOE weatherization at $66,000 for four, according to TDHCA's income guidelines page. Weatherization has waitlists; see our home repair grants for low-income homeowners guide for how it fits with other repair help.

Worked Example: A Family of Four Earning $60,000

$60,000 a year is $5,000 a month for a family of four. Here's how that same family does in 4 states, using each state's own published figure:

For example, a family of four in Tampa with $5,000 a month in gross pay can apply to its county's LIHEAP provider, while the same family in Houston or Pittsburgh can't, unless someone in the household gets SNAP, SSI or TANF. If that family's income drops to $4,000 a month for the 30 days before applying ($48,000 a year), it clears the $49,500 line in Pennsylvania and Texas too. In a state like Massachusetts, where 60% of SMI is $103,049 for four in FY2027, the same family is well inside the limit. To check your specific case, compare your gross income for the lookback period with your state's figure, not with the federal $49,500.

What ACF's Income Charts Don't Tell You

ACF's tables set the ceiling, not your state's line, and several things the federal charts leave out decide who actually gets paid:

1. Your state may still be posting last year's chart. CSD's table for California and FloridaCommerce's table for Florida, both opened November 2, 2026, show four-person limits ($76,886 and $61,837) that sit below the FY2027 60% SMI figures ($79,812 and $64,873). ACF's memo gives states until October 1, 2026, or the start of their own fiscal year if later, to adopt the new numbers. Check the date on your state's chart.
2. Priority groups go first. Many states open early for seniors, people with disabilities and families with young children. Illinois opened October 1, 2026 for those groups and November 1 for everyone else; North Carolina takes households with someone 60 or older first, according to its manual.
3. The amount depends on income too. Being eligible at the top of the range usually means a smaller payment. North Carolina's chart pays $500 to a family of four under $1,789 a month at 130% and $400 above it, per the EP-300 manual.
4. Utility programs are separate. Ohio's PIPP Plus, California's CARE and FERA, and New York's Energy Affordability Program use their own income rules. Illinois' 300% line applies only to five utilities' customers, a separate ratepayer-funded standard.
5. The Clearinghouse table is a compilation. It's built from state plans and was last updated December 15, 2025. A state can change its standard in its FY2027 plan; for California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Texas, the 2026-27 pages we opened use the same standard.

Common Mistakes and Red Flags

Common mistake: using the federal 150% figure when your state uses 60% of SMI. For a family of four in New York, that's the difference between $49,500 and $82,230. Many people who think they earn too much are in a 60% SMI state.

Common mistake: using net pay. Most states count gross income before taxes. People underestimate their income when they read their take-home pay, then get denied once the agency checks pay stubs.

Common mistake: leaving out a household member. If a roommate or adult child pays toward the energy bill, they're usually part of the household, and their income counts. Leaving them out can lead to a denial or a repayment demand later.

Red flag: anyone charging a fee. ACF's LIHEAP page (opens in a new tab) says LIHEAP "does not provide direct grants to individuals" and "does not charge a fee for receiving a benefit." A call, text or social media post offering a LIHEAP "grant" for a fee is a scam.

Red flag: waiting for a shutoff notice. By then, crisis money may be gone. Apply when regular heating help opens.

How to Apply and What to Do If You're Denied

2 federal contacts will point you to the right office. ACF's LIHEAP page sends people to EnergyHelp.us and the National Energy Assistance Referral (NEAR) hotline at 1-866-674-6327, weekdays 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Eastern. You can also call 211, and ACF's state and territory contact listing (opens in a new tab) lists every state office.

1. Find your state's chart using the table above or your state's agency page, and check the date on it.
2. Gather proof: pay stubs or benefit letters for everyone in the household for the lookback period your state uses, a recent utility bill or fuel delivery receipt, and ID.
3. Apply early, online where your state allows it, or through your county's community action agency.
4. If you're denied, ask for the written reason and the income figure the agency used. Mistakes in household size and counting a one-time payment as monthly income are common and fixable. Every state must offer a fair hearing for denied or unacted-on applications under 42 U.S.C. 8624(b)(13); the notice tells you the deadline.

If you're within a few hundred dollars of the line, your best bet is to apply anyway and let the agency do the math. If you're clearly over, check whether anyone in the household gets SNAP, SSI or TANF, and look at programs with higher limits: weatherization, your utility's discount rate, and our emergency cash assistance guide. Seniors can also see our help for seniors programs guide. For the poverty guidelines behind every percentage here, see our federal poverty guidelines page.

If you need help with more than one bill, Grantsights' free eligibility checker can point you to official programs for energy, rent and food. It doesn't file anything with your state and doesn't hand out grants; it shows you where to apply.

FAQ: LIHEAP Income Limits

What is the LIHEAP income limit for 2026-27?

The greater of 150% of poverty ($49,500 for four) or 60% of state median income ($54,015 to $103,049 for four), October 1, 2026 to September 30, 2027. States can set lower limits, down to 110% of poverty.

What is the LIHEAP income limit for a single person?

$23,940 a year at 150% of poverty, or $28,087 to $53,585 in a state using 60% of SMI.

Is LIHEAP income based on gross or net income?

Usually gross, according to ACF. Some states deduct medical or work expenses.

Do SNAP or SSI recipients automatically qualify for LIHEAP?

Federal law lets states treat them as eligible, and most do. You still have to apply.

Which states have the highest LIHEAP income limits?

DC ($121,200 for four) and Massachusetts ($103,049), among the 30 states and DC using 60% of SMI.

Can a state set its LIHEAP limit at 200% of poverty?

Yes, if 200% stays under 60% of SMI, as in Iowa and South Dakota.

When do LIHEAP income limits change?

Every October 1. The next federal update is October 1, 2027.

If I'm under the income limit, will I get LIHEAP?

Not always. Funding is fixed and many states pay first come, first served.

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Sources

1. ACF Office of Community Services: LIHEAP IM2026-01, Federal Poverty Guidelines and State Median Income Estimates (opens in a new tab), April 24, 2026 - statutory ceiling and floor, household and income definitions, SMI scaling, mandatory date of October 1, 2026
2. ACF: Attachment 2, 100%, 110% and 150% of the poverty guidelines for LIHEAP, FY2027 (opens in a new tab) - 48 states and DC, Alaska, Hawaii
3. ACF: Attachment 4, State Median Income by household size, mandatory for FY2027 (opens in a new tab) - 60% SMI for 50 states, DC and Puerto Rico, October 1, 2026 to September 30, 2027
4. 42 U.S.C. 8624 (LIHEAP statute, section 2605) (opens in a new tab) - income ceiling, 110% floor, categorical eligibility, fair hearings
5. LIHEAP Clearinghouse: LIHEAP Income Eligibility for States and Territories (opens in a new tab), FY2026, updated December 15, 2025 - state heating, cooling, crisis and weatherization standards
6. ACF: First Block Grant Funding Release FFY 2027 (opens in a new tab), October 9, 2026 - $3,631,860,000, 90% under Public Law 119-103
7. ACF: LIHEAP funding releases (opens in a new tab) - FY2026 release dates
8. ACF: Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (opens in a new tab) - NEAR hotline, fee and scam notice
9. ACF: LIHEAP state and territory contact listing (opens in a new tab)
10. U.S. Department of Energy: How to Apply for Weatherization Assistance (opens in a new tab) - 200% of poverty or SSI; 60% SMI option
11. California CSD: LIHEAP Income Eligibility (opens in a new tab) - 2026 table
12. FloridaCommerce: Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (opens in a new tab) - household income limits
13. Georgia DFCS: LIHEAP (opens in a new tab) - 60% SMI, first come, first served
14. Illinois DCEO: How to Apply (opens in a new tab) - Program Year 2027 table, 300% of poverty and 60% SMI, dates
15. NCDHHS Energy Programs Manual EP-300, LIEAP, Change 04-2026 (opens in a new tab), effective October 1, 2026 - 130% and 150% limits, payment chart
16. Ohio Consumers' Counsel: Home Energy Assistance Program fact sheet (opens in a new tab) - 2026-2027 175% and 60% SMI charts
17. Pennsylvania DHS: Apply for LIHEAP (opens in a new tab) - income table effective February 1, 2026; 2026-27 season dates
18. TDHCA: Community Affairs income guidelines (opens in a new tab) - CEAP 150% and DOE weatherization 200%, effective January 26, 2026