Indiana Energy Assistance Program 2026: Limits and Apply

For the federal limits in every state, see our LIHEAP income limits guide. Everything below is specific to Indiana.

Indiana pays your utility or fuel dealer, not you. Anyone offering a cash "Indiana energy grant" by text or social media isn't running EAP.

Indiana EAP 2026-27 at a Glance: 4 Kinds of Help

Indiana runs 4 kinds of EAP help in 2026-27, and all of them run on the winter calendar. The PY2027 plan budgets 58% of Indiana's LIHEAP money for heating help, 15% for winter crisis, 9% for weatherization, 10% for administration, 5% for carryover and 3% for services that reduce energy need. Nothing goes to cooling or summer crisis.

Sources: IHCDA PY2027 Detailed Model Plan, sections 1, 2, 4 and 5, and the PY2027 Intake and Operations Program Manual, sections 1.2, 7 and 9.

A few ground rules from IHCDA's applicant page: EAP gives one benefit a year, not a monthly payment. It's meant to cover part of your heating and electric costs, so IHCDA tells applicants to keep paying their bills while they wait. Renters whose utilities are included in the rent can still qualify, as long as some of the rent comes out of their own pocket.

Indiana EAP Income Limits for 2026-27 (60% of State Median Income)

Indiana's limit is 60% of state median income (SMI), not a percentage of the federal poverty line. The PY2027 manual says Indiana's FY2027 median income for a family of four is $111,012, and 60% of that is $66,607. That matches ACF's FY2027 table, which became mandatory for LIHEAP on October 1, 2026.

Sources: annual figures from ACF's FY2027 state median income table (opens in a new tab) (posted April 24, 2026); 3-month and monthly figures from IHCDA's PY2027 manual, section 8.3. The manual rounds two annual figures $1 differently ($55,950 for three, $77,263 for five). The added-person figure is ACF's method: 3% of the four-person limit per extra person. Effective October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.

When the figures change next. The manual says Indiana updates its income guidelines each September, before the October 1 start of the season. Expect new PY2028 limits on October 1, 2027, based on ACF's FY2028 median income figures.

How Indiana counts income. IHCDA bases eligibility on the household's income for the most recent three months, counting everyone who's lived in the home for those three months. Income of a household member who isn't eligible because of immigration status still counts toward the total, but that person isn't counted in the household size for the benefit.

Other rules in the PY2027 manual: you must have lived in Indiana for at least 30 days, have active utility service at the address, and be at least 18 to apply. A household with a pending eviction writ of possession isn't eligible. Don't assume SNAP or SSI lets you skip income proof: the applicant page and manual base eligibility on the last three months of income, so bring it either way. For food help with the same paperwork, see our Indiana SNAP guide, and for health coverage, our Indiana Medicaid income limits guide.

How Much Indiana EAP Pays: The 20-Point Benefit Matrix

Indiana's regular benefit is built from points, and the PY2027 plan caps it at $625. Each household gets a heating award from a matrix with up to 20 points, plus a separate electric benefit of $50 to $125, because a gas furnace still needs power to run. The plan values the vulnerable-household bonus at 2 points for $50, which works out to $25 a point, and its stated minimum ($100) and maximum ($625) match that rate.

Electric benefit: $125 if household income is at or below 30% of SMI, $100 between 30% and 45%, and $50 between 45% and 60%. Households with electric included in rent get $50.

For three-month income, the 30% line for a family of four is $8,325 and the 45% line is $12,488, according to the PY2027 manual's tables. For one person, those lines are $4,329 and $6,494.

Worked example. For example, a family of three in Indianapolis earning $3,000 a month with a gas heat bill, renting a single-family house, with a 4-year-old at home: three months of income is $9,000, which falls between the 30% line ($6,993) and the 45% line ($10,490) for three people. That's 5 income points, 3 dwelling points, 1 natural gas point and 2 vulnerable-member points, or 11 points. At $25 a point, the heating award would be about $275, plus a $100 electric benefit, for roughly $375. If Citizens Energy Group had sent a disconnection notice for $350, crisis help could cover that amount on the gas account, since it's under the $400 cap.

A propane household gets far more. A woman, 70, living alone in rural Indiana on $1,800 a month in Social Security heats a single-family home with propane. Her three-month income of $5,400 is in the 30% to 45% band, so she'd get 5 + 3 + 6 + 2 = 16 points, about $400 for heat and $100 for electric. Because the PY2027 plan treats every bulk-fuel household as being in crisis at application, she could also get the full $400 crisis award for her propane delivery.

Crisis amounts. The crisis award is the actual amount needed to stop a disconnection, restore service or pay down a payment-plan balance, up to $400 per utility. A home with an electric furnace as its main heat can get $400 on electric plus $400 on heating, $800 in all. If you don't use your full crisis amount on your first application, you can ask for one more round between March 1 and the end of the season, if money is left. EAP can pay reconnection fees, but it can't pay deposits.

Season Dates and Deadlines for 2026-27

The PY2027 season runs 7 months, from October 1, 2026 to April 30, 2027. Here's the full calendar from the PY2027 manual and IHCDA's applicant page.

The January 15 and March 15 targets matter for you. They're spending benchmarks for providers, and they're why waiting until spring is risky. IHCDA's applicant page says benefits aren't guaranteed and depend on federal funding.

Federal funding status. ACF released $3,631,860,000 in FY2027 LIHEAP block grant money on October 9, 2026. ACF says that's 90% of the funds available under the Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2027 (Public Law 119-103), a stopgap law signed September 2, 2026. Indiana's share of that first release is $75,873,649, according to ACF's state allotment table (opens in a new tab). ACF also says funds are restricted for any state without an approved FY2027 plan; Indiana's plan is marked "Submission Accepted." The remaining money depends on what Congress passes next, so the full-year total isn't known yet.

How to Apply for Indiana Energy Assistance in 3 Steps

Indiana has 3 ways to apply: online, by mail or in person, and all of them go through your county's Local Service Provider (LSP).

1. Online through LITT. IHCDA switched its online system from EAPConnect to LITT for PY2027. Apply at eap.mylitt.com. When you register with your email, you'll get a log-in number and code; save them, because they're how you check status and upload missing papers. IHCDA posts an applicant user guide for LITT (opens in a new tab).
2. Paper or phone. Call your LSP to ask for a paper application by mail or a phone appointment. Providers must enter a paper application into the state system within 14 calendar days of receiving it.
3. In person. The PY2027 plan says IHCDA expects intake sites in all 92 counties and home visits for applicants who are homebound.

Providers for the largest counties, as listed on IHCDA's county map on November 3, 2026:

If your county isn't here, open IHCDA's EAP applicant page (opens in a new tab) and click your county on the map. If you can't reach your LSP, IHCDA's Community Programs team takes questions at eap@ihcda.in.gov.

Documents to have ready. The PY2027 manual cut the paperwork. You no longer need a photo ID or Social Security cards; the applicant self-certifies identity and lists Social Security numbers for everyone age 1 and older. You do need:

• Proof of income for every household member for the last three months
• A complete, current utility bill coded for residential use, for heat and electric
• A signed lease or IHCDA's Tenant Verification Statement if utilities are included in your rent
• Anything else your LSP asks for based on your situation, such as a disconnection notice or proof of a vulnerable member to earn the 2 extra points

How long it takes. IHCDA's applicant page gives the honest timeline: up to 55 days for the LSP to decide, then up to 30 more days for the utility to post the credit. Direct payments (used in some rent-included cases) can take up to 120 days after approval.

Shutoff Notices and Crisis Help: The 48-Hour Rule

Indiana providers must act within 48 hours when a household is in an energy crisis, and within 18 hours when it's life-threatening, according to IHCDA's applicant page and the PY2027 plan. "Acting" means a step that stops the crisis, such as getting the utility to hold off, not necessarily a final decision on your application.

What counts as a crisis in Indiana's PY2027 plan:

• A disconnection notice on your heating fuel or electric service
• Service already disconnected
• A current payment plan on a past-due balance that you're paying to avoid shutoff
• Propane or fuel oil at or below 25% of the tank, or within 10 days of running out of other bulk fuel
• Prepaid electric with less than 10 days of service left, based on your last 30 days of use
• A furnace that doesn't work (handled through ERR)

A life-threatening crisis means service is already off or the bulk fuel is gone, and someone in the home is 60 or older, 5 or younger, disabled or a veteran, or there's a documented medical need. Tell intake about that person on the first call.

Indiana's winter moratorium. Under Indiana Code 8-1-2-121, electric and natural gas utilities can't disconnect a customer between December 1 and March 15 if the customer receives EAP, or qualifies, has applied, and has given the utility written proof, according to the OUCC's moratorium FAQ (opens in a new tab). The OUCC says it covers investor-owned utilities, municipal utilities and rural electric cooperatives (REMCs). It doesn't cover propane or other bulk fuel dealers, or water, sewer and phone service. The PY2027 plan adds that IHCDA's vendor agreements suspend disconnection for at least 14 days after you apply, so the provider has time to decide.

Other shutoff rules the OUCC lists for regulated utilities:

Source: OUCC utility service disconnection fact sheet (opens in a new tab), checked November 3, 2026.

If you think a utility cut you off illegally, the OUCC says to call the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission at 1-800-851-4268 or file through the IURC consumer assistance page (opens in a new tab).

Furnace Repair and Weatherization: 2 Programs Homeowners Miss

Indiana LSPs can spend up to 10% of their EAP award on Emergency Repair and Replacement, according to the PY2027 manual. ERR fixes or replaces a primary heating system that has stopped working or only works sometimes. The rules are tight:

• You must own the home. Renters aren't eligible, and IHCDA won't grant an exception on that point.
• Someone in the home must be 60 or older, disabled, a veteran or a child 5 or under (providers can request an exception from IHCDA for other households).
• Repair is allowed once a year; replacement once every 10 years at the same address.
• The provider arranges the contractor and the estimates. EAP won't reimburse repairs you already paid for, so call the LSP before you hire anyone.
• A home in foreclosure isn't eligible unless the mortgage has been brought current.

Weatherization. The PY2027 manual says every household approved for EAP is income-eligible for the Weatherization Assistance Program, and providers must offer a referral. The PY2027 plan sets the LIHEAP weatherization income line at 200% of poverty. A sealed, insulated home cuts the winter bill every year, which a one-time EAP award can't do. If your roof or wiring also needs work, our home repair grants guide covers USDA and other routes.

Indiana's FY2027 LIHEAP Money Per Resident

Indiana's first FY2027 LIHEAP release is $75,873,649, according to ACF's October 9, 2026 state table. Grantsights analysis of that ACF table and Census Bureau July 1, 2025 population estimates found Indiana received $10.88 per resident, slightly above the $10.44 average across the 50 states and D.C.

Sources: ACF FY2027 first release state table (opens in a new tab); Census Bureau Vintage 2025 state population estimates (opens in a new tab). Rank excludes territories.

Indiana gets less per resident than each of its northern neighbors. Specifically, Indiana's $10.88 per resident is $5.00 below Michigan's $15.88, and $2.68 below Ohio's $13.56. Applying the PY2027 plan's split to the first release, roughly $44.0 million (58%) is for regular heating help and about $11.4 million (15%) for winter crisis. Those are this release's dollars only; more arrives if Congress funds the rest of the year. Illinois residents can compare with our Illinois LIHEAP guide, and Ohio residents with our Ohio HEAP guide.

What IHCDA's EAP Page Doesn't Tell You

IHCDA's page has the dates and the appeal rules, but 6 things are easy to miss.

1. The income chart on the applicant page looks out of date. On November 3, 2026, IHCDA's applicant page listed $64,533 a year for a family of four, while the PY2027 manual and ACF's FY2027 table use $66,607. If your income falls between the two numbers, apply anyway and point your provider to the PY2027 manual, section 8.3.
2. The moratorium isn't automatic. It protects you only if you've applied and qualify, and the OUCC says you must give the utility written proof. If you broke a payment plan before December 1, the PY2027 plan says the utility can still shut you off before December 1.
3. Propane customers get no shutoff protection, but more money. The moratorium doesn't cover bulk fuel. The matrix makes up for that: 6 fuel points instead of 1, and bulk-fuel households count as in crisis at application.
4. Electric heat gets double crisis help. If your main heat is an electric furnace, the crisis cap is $800, not $400. Say so at intake.
5. The moratorium ends, and the bill doesn't. On March 16, every protected customer with a balance is exposed again. The OUCC urges partial payments all winter. Ask your utility for a payment plan in February, not after the notice.
6. A denial isn't the end. You can appeal within 30 days, or reapply with updated papers 55 days after your last application. If you were denied during the moratorium and appeal, the PY2027 plan says your shutoff protection comes back while the appeal is pending.

Utility Programs That Stack With EAP

At least 4 big Indiana utilities give extra help to EAP households, and most enroll you automatically once EAP approves you. IHCDA's PY2027 manual says several Indiana utilities run Universal Service Programs that lower the rate for LIHEAP-approved customers, and others run bill-help funds, and that these programs often use EAP approval to qualify customers.

Discount sizes and dates for Citizens, CenterPoint and AES Indiana come from the utilities and change by year, so confirm them on the number printed on your bill. Duke Energy Indiana, Indiana Michigan Power and many REMCs also run their own help funds or payment plans.

Common Mistakes and Scam Red Flags

These 5 mistakes cost Indiana households the most, based on the rules in IHCDA's manual and the OUCC's shutoff rules:

• Waiting for the shutoff date. A disconnection notice already counts as a crisis. Apply the day it arrives, not on day 13.
• Assuming you're protected after applying. Tell the utility you applied and give it written proof. A common mistake is assuming the LSP already did it.
• Sending a partial bill. Indiana needs a complete, current bill coded residential. A missing utility bill blocks the benefit even if you're found eligible.
• Losing the LITT log-in. Save the log-in number and code IHCDA emails you. Your LSP can resend it, but that takes time you may not have.
• Hiring a furnace contractor first. ERR can't pay for work that's already started or finished.

Scam red flags. The FTC's page on scammers who pretend to be your utility company (opens in a new tab) says real utilities don't demand same-day payment to avoid disconnection, and that anyone demanding payment by gift card, wire transfer, cryptocurrency or payment app is a scammer. In Indiana, watch for:

• A caller claiming your NIPSCO, AES Indiana or Duke account will be cut "today," in the middle of the December 1 to March 15 window when EAP households can't be disconnected
• Someone charging a fee to "submit" your EAP application or move you up the list; EAP applications are free through your LSP
• A link to an "Indiana energy grant" site that isn't eap.mylitt.com or your county provider
• A text promising EAP money sent to you; EAP pays utilities and fuel dealers

Hang up and call the number on your bill. Report scams at ReportFraud.ftc.gov (opens in a new tab) and to the Indiana Attorney General's consumer protection division.

If You're Denied or the Money Runs Out: 4 Next Steps

Indiana gives you 30 days to appeal a denial or a benefit you think was figured wrong, according to IHCDA's applicant page.

1. Appeal in writing. Send it to your LSP or file it in LITT within 30 days. The LSP must respond in writing within 14 calendar days. Don't go to IHCDA first; IHCDA sends first appeals back to the LSP.
2. Second-level appeal. If you still disagree, email eap@ihcda.in.gov (Attn: Appeals) or mail IHCDA, Attn: Appeals, Community Programs Manager - EAP, 30 South Meridian St, Suite 900, Indianapolis, IN 46204. You can't add new documents at this stage, and the decision is final. For help, IHCDA lists 317-232-7777.
3. Reapply. You can submit a new application with updated papers 55 days after the last one.
4. Look past EAP. Dial 211 for local utility, rent and food help. Ask your utility about its own fund and a payment plan. If rent is also behind, our rental assistance guide covers the main routes, and our emergency cash assistance guide lists one-time help. Older Hoosiers can check our help for seniors guide, and for a cheaper phone bill, our Lifeline guide.

For how LIHEAP works in every state, including the federal funding timeline, see our national LIHEAP guide. Neighbors in Pennsylvania can use our Pennsylvania LIHEAP guide.

Not sure which program fits a Hoosier household best? The free eligibility checker on Grantsights sorts that out in a couple of minutes: choose "Individual," then "Personal financial help," and it returns official routes for bills, rent, food and benefits screening, not grants. For a heating or electric bill in Indiana, that route ends at your county's EAP provider listed above.

Sources

1. IHCDA: Energy Assistance Program (applicant page) (opens in a new tab) - PY2027 dates, LITT, documents, timelines, appeals, moratorium summary, county providers
2. IHCDA: Indiana LIHEAP Intake and Operations Program Manual PY2027 (opens in a new tab) - income tables, benefit matrix, crisis rules, ERR, key dates
3. IHCDA: Detailed Model Plan (LIHEAP), October 1, 2026 to September 30, 2027 (opens in a new tab)_10_01_2026%20-%20Final.pdf) - benefit range, crisis maximums, fund split, moratorium terms
4. IHCDA: Energy Assistance Program for program partners (opens in a new tab) - PY2027 plan and manual links
5. IHCDA: Applicant User Guide for LITT (opens in a new tab)
6. ACF: LIHEAP State Median Income table, FY2027 (opens in a new tab) - Indiana 60% SMI by household size
7. ACF: First Block Grant Funding Release FFY 2027 (opens in a new tab) - October 9, 2026 release, 90% under Public Law 119-103
8. ACF: FY2027 first release, state allotments (opens in a new tab) - Indiana $75,873,649
9. OUCC: Winter Disconnection Moratorium FAQ (opens in a new tab)
10. OUCC: Utility Service Disconnection (opens in a new tab) - notice, medical delay, payment plans, reconnection
11. OUCC: Natural Gas Universal Service Programs (opens in a new tab)
12. IURC: Consumer Assistance (opens in a new tab)
13. NIPSCO presentation to the IURC, March 24, 2026 (opens in a new tab) - Winter Care and Summer Care
14. Census Bureau: Vintage 2025 state population estimates (opens in a new tab)
15. FTC: Scammers Pretend To Be Your Utility Company (opens in a new tab)