Utah HEAT Program 2026-27: Income Limits and How to Apply

Utah's limit is low next to most states; our LIHEAP income limits guide shows each state's line side by side. Everything else here is about Utah.

HEAT pays your utility or fuel vendor. A stranger selling a "Utah heat grant" for a fee isn't HEAT.

Utah HEAT 2026-27 at a Glance: 4 Kinds of Help

Utah stacks 4 kinds of help on a HEAT approval: the yearly HEAT benefit, crisis help, winter shutoff protection, and utility discounts that use HEAT as proof of income.

Sources: DWS HEAT page, HEAT Operations Manual sections 201, 211, 604, 607 and 1100 to 1105, DWS HELP and Enbridge pages; FY2026 amounts from the LIHEAP Clearinghouse Utah profile.

HEAT provides year-round energy assistance, according to DWS. There's one benefit per program year: if you already got HEAT this season, the manual says to reapply after October 1 (target groups) or November 1 (everyone else).

Utah HEAT Income Limits (150% of Poverty)

Utah's HEAT line is 150% of the federal poverty level, measured in the "income eligibility month," which the manual defines as the month before the date of application. DWS asks for proof of all income every household member received that month.

Source: HEAT Operations Manual 608, Table II, effective March 1, 2026 (the chart lists sizes up to 14; 14 people is $11,225 a month). Annual equivalents are the monthly limit times 12.

When the figures change next. Utah updates Table II when HHS publishes new poverty guidelines; the last two updates took effect March 1, 2025 and March 1, 2026, according to the manual's change log. Expect the next one around March 1, 2027.

Deductions help. The HEAT page asks for proof of eligible medical expenses, child support and alimony you paid in the month before you apply. The manual subtracts allowed deductions from gross income to get countable income for the benefit formula, so bring those receipts. For food help with similar paperwork, see our Utah SNAP guide, and for health coverage, our Utah Medicaid income limits guide.

Other rules. The household must pay its own home energy costs, have at least one adult (18 or older, or emancipated), and include at least one U.S. citizen or qualified non-citizen, according to DWS.

How Much Utah HEAT Pays: The 3-Part Formula

Utah's HEAT benefit adds up 3 boxes on the manual's benefit calculation worksheet (section 607), effective March 1, 2026. Lower income and a higher energy burden both raise the benefit.

The "standard monthly energy cost" in box 2 isn't your actual bill. It's a fixed figure from Table III:

Source: HEAT Operations Manual 609, Table III, effective March 1, 2023.

Worked example. For example, a family of three in West Valley City with $2,500 in countable monthly income, gas heat in a house and a 3-year-old: $2,500 is 110% of the $2,277 poverty line, so box 1 is $250 minus 110, or $140. The gas standard of $211 is 8% of $2,500, so box 2 is $80. The child adds $150. Their estimated HEAT benefit is $370.

Propane changes everything. Specifically, a 70-year-old widow in Price living alone on $1,400 a month in Social Security, heating a house with propane, is at 106% of poverty, so box 1 is $144. The propane standard of $541 is 39% of her income, which caps at 25 points, or $250. She gets $150 for being over 60 and $150 for propane, for an estimated $694.

Program Year Dates and Deadlines for 2026-27

The HEAT year is 12 months long, from October 1, 2026 to September 30, 2027, unless federal LIHEAP money runs out first. The manual says DWS wants people to apply when they need help and spread applications across the year.

Where Utah's federal money stands. Utah's first FY2027 LIHEAP payment is $25,183,829, per the ACF state allotment table (opens in a new tab) for October 9, 2026. ACF's release notice (opens in a new tab) describes the national release as 90% of the money available under Public Law 119-103, the stopgap Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2027 signed September 2, 2026, and says funds are restricted for grantees without an approved FY2027 plan. DWS says HEAT runs until federal LIHEAP funds are exhausted, so the season can end early if Congress doesn't fund the rest of the year.

How to Apply for the Utah HEAT Program

DWS offers 2 routes: the online myCase application, or a paper application mailed or emailed to the HEAT office for your county.

1. Online. Use "Apply Online" on the DWS HEAT page (opens in a new tab), which opens the myCase HEAT application.
2. Paper. Print an application from the DWS HEAT Forms page and mail or email it, with documents, to your county's HEAT office.
3. By phone. Call 801-526-9920 or 1-866-205-4357 and pick the option for your county.

Local HEAT offices, from DWS's office list checked November 3, 2026:

Source: DWS local HEAT office list. Salt Lake and Tooele applications go by mail to 1307 S 900 W, Salt Lake City, UT 84104, or by email to heat@utahca.org.

Documents DWS asks for:

• A copy of your power and heat bills
• Proof of all income every household member received in the month before you apply
• Proof of eligible medical expenses, child support and alimony you paid that month
• Proof of disability, if anyone in the home claims the target-group credit for it
• Anything else your HEAT office asks for

The manual is strict on the income piece: if you don't verify all income for the income eligibility month, the application is denied.

Crisis Help and Utah's November 15 Moratorium

Utah's local HEAT offices must stop a shutoff or restore service within 48 business hours (2 business days) of a crisis request, according to the HEAT manual's crisis policy, effective October 1, 2026. A crisis means a 48-hour shut-off notice, no active service, or within 10% of running out of deliverable fuel, caused by something beyond your control in the last 90 days, such as:

• A sudden medical condition, with high costs or essential equipment
• A sudden loss of a job or other income
• A broken heating or cooling system
• Another situation that threatens health or safety

The manual lists 6 tests: you're HEAT-eligible; the event happened within 90 days and you've paid something on the account in the last 6 months; one payment will stop the shutoff; gross income is at or under 150% of poverty; liquid assets are $1,500 or less (retirement accounts, home and car don't count); and you haven't had crisis help in the past year, since it's available every other year. Non-payment with no history of paying, or unexplained high bills, don't count as a crisis.

The winter moratorium. Under the HEAT program's moratorium rules, PSC-regulated utilities can't shut off an eligible household from November 15 through March 15. To qualify, according to the DWS shut-off protection page, you must:

• Be the adult account holder, spouse or an adult resident, and live at the address
• Have a termination notice, or have been refused service
• Have applied for HEAT, and (if you're over 60, disabled or have a disabled child) for utility help through the American Red Cross
• Qualify for HEAT by income, or have had a medical emergency, job loss or 50% income drop in the application month or the month before

Good-faith payments. The manual requires a payment each month of at least 5% of gross monthly income for gas-heated homes or 10% for electric-heated homes, with a $5 minimum. The first payment is due when you apply, and a moratorium that isn't activated within 14 days is void. Miss a payment without calling the utility and you lose protection on that utility for the rest of the season.

Who's covered. The manual lists the regulated utilities: Rocky Mountain Power, Dominion Energy (now Enbridge Gas), Dixie Power, Garkane Energy, Moon Lake Electric, South Utah Valley Electric, Bridger Valley Electric, Empire Electric, Mt. Wheeler Power, Raft River Rural Electric and Wells Rural Electric. City-owned utilities aren't on that list. For a complaint, the LIHEAP Clearinghouse lists the Utah Division of Public Utilities at 801-530-7622 or 800-874-0904, and notes a 30-day shutoff delay with a physician's certification.

Utility Programs That Stack With HEAT: 3 Worth Claiming

Utah's 2 biggest energy utilities both use HEAT approval as the ticket to lower bills, and a third fund helps after HEAT.

1. Home Electric Lifeline Program (HELP), Rocky Mountain Power. DWS says HELP gives a monthly credit of up to $19.00, plus a Life Support Assistance Credit of up to $10.00 if it applies. The easiest way to enroll is to apply for HEAT. Questions: 801-521-6107 or 844-214-3090.
2. Energy Assistance Credit, Enbridge Gas. Customers who designate part of their HEAT benefit to Enbridge get a one-time $155 credit this year, starting December 1, 2026, and don't pay the monthly fee that funds the credit, according to DWS.
3. REACH. The LIHEAP Clearinghouse lists this Salvation Army-administered gas bill fund for households under 150% of poverty.

Weatherization. Ask for a referral to the Weatherization Assistance Program when you apply for HEAT; it isn't required, but a sealed, insulated home lowers the bill every winter after. Utah homeowners whose furnace, roof or wiring also needs work can check our home repair grants guide.

Utah's FY2027 LIHEAP Money Per Resident

Utah's first FY2027 LIHEAP allotment is $25,183,829, according to ACF's October 9, 2026 table. Grantsights analysis of that table and Census Bureau July 1, 2025 population estimates found Utah received $7.12 per resident, under the $10.44 average across the 50 states and D.C., and 44th of 51.

Utah comparison from ACF's first-release state table and the Census Bureau Vintage 2025 state population estimates (opens in a new tab); territories aren't ranked.

This first release is 88% of the $28,623,011 the LIHEAP Clearinghouse lists for Utah's full FY2026 award, and per the LIHEAP Clearinghouse, HEAT served 25,509 heating households in FY2024. Neighbors can compare with our Idaho LIHEAP guide, our Colorado LEAP guide and our Nevada energy assistance guide.

What the DWS HEAT Page Doesn't Tell You

The HEAT page is short. The manual fills in 6 details that change outcomes.

1. Your actual bill doesn't set the benefit. Box 2 uses Table III's standard cost for your fuel and home type, so two gas-heated houses with the same income get the same burden points even if one bill is double.
2. Apartment versus house matters. A gas-heated apartment uses $161, not $211. Make sure the HEAT office records your home type correctly.
3. Propane households get the best deal. Between the $541 standard, the 25-point cap and the extra $150, propane homes land near the top of the scale. If propane really is your main fuel, it's worth it to make sure the HEAT office records it that way.
4. The moratorium rules are stricter in the manual. The manual's moratorium section (effective March 1, 2023) says the applicant must be HEAT-approved for the current season, have income under 125% of poverty, and show a hardship. The DWS shut-off page describes broader criteria. Ask your HEAT office which test it's applying.
5. A missed moratorium payment carries over. The State HEAT Office keeps a default list, and you must pay a defaulted amount before you can get protection again next winter.
6. Crisis help is every other year. If you used it last winter, plan on the moratorium and a payment plan instead.

Common Mistakes and Scam Red Flags

These 5 mistakes cost Utah households the most, based on the HEAT manual and DWS's instructions:

• Sending this month's pay stubs. HEAT looks at the month before you apply. A common mistake is proving the wrong month.
• Leaving out one person's income. The manual denies the application if all income for the eligibility month isn't verified.
• Skipping the deductions. Child support or medical bills you paid lower your countable income and raise box 1.
• Waiting for the shutoff to call. Moratorium protection needs a HEAT application and a first good-faith payment; it isn't automatic.
• Missing the target-group date. Seniors, disabled households and families with children under 6 can apply from October 1. Waiting until winter wastes a month of head start.

Scam red flags in Utah. Utility impostors count on panic, especially when it's below freezing along the Wasatch Front. Per the FTC guidance on utility impostors (opens in a new tab), pressure to pay immediately, or a request for a gift card, wire, cryptocurrency or app payment, means it isn't your utility. Utah-specific warning signs:

• A caller claiming to be Rocky Mountain Power or Enbridge Gas who wants payment "in the next hour" during the November 15 to March 15 window
• Anyone charging to help with a HEAT application; HEAT offices do it free
• A HEAT "application site" that isn't on jobs.utah.gov or your county HEAT office
• An offer to have HEAT money paid to you in cash; crisis payments must go to the utility

When in doubt, hang up and dial the number on your Rocky Mountain Power or Enbridge statement. To report suspected HEAT fraud, waste or abuse, DWS lists dws_fraud@utah.gov; report utility impostors at ReportFraud.ftc.gov (opens in a new tab) and to the Utah Division of Consumer Protection.

Denied by Utah HEAT or Out of Funds: 4 Next Steps

Utah gives you 90 days from the case action to ask for a Fair Hearing in writing, according to the HEAT manual.

1. Ask for an explanation first. The manual says you can have the policy and action explained, and speak with a supervisor or State HEAT staff.
2. Request a Fair Hearing. Send a written request to your local or State HEAT office, or to the Division of Adjudication, P.O. Box 45244, Salt Lake City, Utah 84145-0244. The hearing notice must arrive at least 10 days before the hearing.
3. Reapply with the right month's papers. Many denials come down to income proof. A new application uses a new income eligibility month.
4. Look past HEAT. Utah 211 lists local bill, rent and food help. A Utah family behind on rent too can start with our rental assistance guide or our emergency cash assistance guide. Utahns 60 and older can check our help for seniors guide, and a cheaper phone line is in our Lifeline guide.

How HEAT fits the national LIHEAP program, including the usual timing of the rest of the federal money, is in our national LIHEAP guide.

When heat is only one of the bills, the Grantsights free eligibility checker can sort through the others. Start with "Individual" and "Personal financial help" to see official Utah-relevant routes for bills, rent, food and benefits screening. It doesn't award grants; for a Utah heating bill, it points you back to HEAT.

Sources

1. Utah Department of Workforce Services: HEAT program page (opens in a new tab) - Utah eligibility, documents, program year and target-group dates
2. Utah DWS: HEAT Operations Manual (opens in a new tab) - Utah income table (608), benefit worksheet (607), energy cost standards (609), crisis (211), moratorium (1100 to 1105), fair hearings (109)
3. Utah DWS: Local HEAT offices (opens in a new tab) - Utah county HEAT office contacts
4. Utah DWS: Shut-off protection (moratorium) (opens in a new tab) - Utah November 15 to March 15 eligibility
5. Utah DWS: Home Electric Lifeline Program (opens in a new tab) - Utah Rocky Mountain Power credit
6. Utah DWS: Enbridge Gas Energy Assistance Credit (opens in a new tab) - Utah $155 credit from December 1, 2026
7. ACF notice of the first FY2027 LIHEAP release that funds Utah HEAT (opens in a new tab) - October 9, 2026, 90% under Public Law 119-103
8. ACF: FY2027 first release, state allotments (opens in a new tab) - Utah $25,183,829
9. LIHEAP Clearinghouse (ACF-funded): Utah state profile (opens in a new tab) - Utah FY2026 benefit range, crisis maximum, households served
10. LIHEAP Clearinghouse (ACF-funded): State disconnect policies, including Utah (opens in a new tab)
11. Census Bureau: Vintage 2025 state population estimates (opens in a new tab)
12. FTC warning on utility impostors, relevant to Utah utility customers (opens in a new tab)