LIHEAP Texas (CEAP) 2026: Income Limits and How to Apply

There's no free "Texas energy grant" that you claim online. TDHCA says on its Help for Texans page that its assistance and funds go to local provider organizations, not to individuals directly. Anyone asking for a fee or your bank login to "release" energy help is running a scam.

CEAP at a Glance: Texas Puts 50% of Its LIHEAP Money Into Cooling

Texas spends its LIHEAP grant differently from northern states. According to TDHCA's FY2027 LIHEAP plan, the planned split is:

For comparison, Illinois' FY2027 plan puts 50% into heating and nothing into a separate cooling program. In Texas the summer electric bill is the main target, and the plan lists all four components starting October 1, 2026, rather than opening in a fall heating season.

CEAP has three parts that matter to a household:

The plan says the combined maximum is $12,600 per household per program year, which is $1,800 plus $1,800 plus $9,000. The first payment that includes past-due amounts doesn't count toward that cap. TDHCA also lists $1 as the minimum benefit only because the federal reporting system requires a number; Texas has no set minimum.

CEAP Income Limits for 2026

CEAP uses 150% of the federal poverty guidelines for every component. TDHCA's Community Affairs income guidelines page (opens in a new tab) publishes the 2026 table, effective January 26, 2026:

Your benefit tier depends on where you fall below that line. The FY2027 plan, citing 10 TAC 6.309(e), sets these per-component maximums:

The example column applies the percentages to TDHCA's 2026 100% figure of $33,000 for four people.

Categorical eligibility. The plan says a household is categorically eligible if at least one person gets SSI, SNAP, TANF or a means-tested veterans payment. If you already get SNAP, say so and bring the letter; see our SNAP guide if you haven't applied. The plan also says Texas uses gross income, with exceptions for self-employment, farm income and gambling winnings.

Who gets served first. Texas doesn't open in waves the way some states do. Instead, the plan requires every provider to use a written priority system that rates households with an older adult, a person with a disability or a young child, and households with high energy burden or high energy consumption. High energy burden is the highest-rated item. Households with a vulnerable member also have no limit on the number of benefit payments, though the same dollar caps apply.

How to Find Your County's CEAP Provider and Apply

CEAP applications go to a local provider, never to TDHCA in Austin. TDHCA's provider search works in 3 steps (pick the type of help, enter a city or county, see the list), and here's the full route:

1. Use Help for Texans. On TDHCA's Help for Texans page (opens in a new tab), choose "Utility Bill Payment Help," enter your city or county, and the tool lists the provider for your area. Choose "Weatherization" to find the weatherization provider, which is often the same agency.
2. Or call. TDHCA's Contact page (opens in a new tab) lists 877-399-8939 and 877-541-7905 for utility bill payment help. You can also dial 211 or use 211 Texas (opens in a new tab).
3. Apply the provider's way. The FY2027 plan says some providers post an application you can download from their website, and a few have online application systems. Ask your provider whether it takes applications by phone, mail or appointment.
4. Bring the basics. Expect to show identification, proof of income for every adult in the household, and a recent energy bill. Income proof options listed in the plan include pay stubs, Social Security award letters, bank statements, tax statements, unemployment letters and zero-income statements. The plan says providers verify non-citizens' documents through the federal SAVE system.
5. Say "crisis" if it is one. If you've lost service or have a disconnection notice during extreme weather, or someone in the home relies on electricity for medical equipment, ask for Crisis Assistance by name (timelines below).

TDHCA's own warning applies: providers listed on Help for Texans "may be at capacity with their funds." If the first answer is a waitlist, ask when the provider expects new funds and whether you can be added now.

Who the providers are. The FY2027 plan's monitoring schedule names 35 CEAP subrecipients. A few examples, by the area their names show they serve:

Providers' service areas change, and some counties are served by a regional agency whose name doesn't include your county. Use Help for Texans or the phone line to confirm yours instead of calling the nearest name on this list. One agency in Travis County, Travis County Health and Human Services, is a good illustration: it's a county government office, not a nonprofit, and applicants sometimes miss it because they search for "community action."

Crisis Assistance: The 18-Hour and 48-Hour Rules

Texas defines a crisis narrowly, and the timelines are written into the plan. According to TDHCA's FY2027 plan, Crisis Assistance goes to households that have already lost service or are in immediate danger of losing it under one of three conditions:

A life-threatening crisis, per the plan, includes a household member who needs electricity for life-sustaining equipment such as a dialysis machine, oxygen concentrator, refrigerated medicine or cardiac monitor; someone whose medical professional has prescribed a set indoor temperature; or danger from noxious gases. The plan says providers must not ask for documentation of the medical condition itself; the applicant affirms that the device is needed.

Crisis help can also include emergency fuel deliveries of up to 250 gallons per crisis, reconnection costs, blankets, fans and generators. When a disaster cuts power or forces an evacuation, the plan allows temporary shelter and transportation costs.

The common mistake: calling a CEAP provider about an ordinary past-due bill and expecting crisis speed. A past-due notice in mild weather is Utility Assistance, which waits in the regular queue. A shutoff during a heat advisory, or a medical device at risk, is a crisis; say so.

Texas Shutoff Rules: What the PUCT Requires in Extreme Weather

Texas has no fixed winter shutoff season like Illinois' December 1 to March 31 rule. Its main protection is triggered day by day by the weather. Under PUCT rule 25.483 (opens in a new tab), effective July 19, 2023, a retail electric provider can't authorize a disconnection for nonpayment for any customer in a county where an extreme weather emergency occurs. The rule defines that as a day when:

• the previous day's high didn't exceed 32 degrees Fahrenheit and the temperature is predicted to stay at or below that level for the next 24 hours anywhere in the county, according to the nearest National Weather Service reports; or
• the National Weather Service issues a heat advisory for the county, or issued one on either of the two preceding days.

During the emergency, the provider must offer residential customers a deferred payment plan on request for bills that come due in that period.

Other parts of the same rule protect CEAP households directly:

What these rules don't cover. Rule 25.483 is written for retail electric providers in Texas' competitive market. If a city-owned utility or an electric cooperative serves you, ask it directly about its own disconnection and extreme-weather policies. Propane dealers aren't covered either, so apply to CEAP before the tank runs low. And like every shutoff rule, these protections pause collection; they don't erase the balance.

Get a CEAP pledge on file before the disconnection date. Under section (i), the pledge plus a payment arrangement for the rest is what stops the shutoff.

Texas Weatherization: WAP and LIHEAP Weatherization

Texas' Weatherization Assistance Program (opens in a new tab) is run by TDHCA through local subrecipients covering all 254 counties and is funded by both the U.S. Department of Energy and LIHEAP. TDHCA describes the work as an energy audit followed by measures such as caulking, weather-stripping, ceiling, wall and floor insulation, patching holes in the building shell and duct work, and tune-up, repair or replacement of inefficient heating and cooling systems.

According to USAspending.gov FY2025 data, DOE Weatherization Assistance obligations (Assistance Listing 81.042) to Texas were $97,109,633, or $3.06 per resident, compared with $5.61 across the 50 states and D.C. For homeowners who also need roof or structural repair, see our home repair grants guide, which covers USDA's Section 504 loans and grants.

Texas LIHEAP Funding: Low Per Resident

Texas gets far less LIHEAP money per resident than most states. Texas' FY2025 federal LIHEAP obligations totaled $193,149,276 (Assistance Listing 93.568), according to USAspending.gov FY2025 data in the award search (opens in a new tab). Grantsights analysis of USAspending.gov FY2025 obligations found that's $6.09 per Texan using the Census Bureau's 2025 estimate of 31,709,821 residents, about half the $11.94 per resident across the 50 states and D.C. Texas ranks 48th of 51; only Florida ($4.95) and Arizona ($4.43) are lower.

Source: USAspending.gov (opens in a new tab) FY2025 obligations for 93.568 by recipient state; Census Bureau Vintage 2025 state population estimates (July 1, 2025).

Put another way, Texas has about 9.3% of the population of the 50 states and D.C. but received 4.7% of the LIHEAP money. Illinois, with 12.7 million residents to Texas' 31.7 million, received about $20 million more.

What that means for you: CEAP money is spread thin, and providers can reach capacity. Apply as early in the year as you can, and don't count on a second payment. The per-component caps above are ceilings; your provider's payment follows your actual usage history, and the plan says providers base payments on the previous 12 months of consumption where available.

What TDHCA's Pages Don't Tell You

TDHCA's pages explain where to go, but several facts that change what you should do sit in the 2027 plan or the PUCT rules:

1. The caps are per program year and per component. A household at 40% of poverty could get up to $1,800 in Utility Assistance and up to $1,800 in Crisis Assistance, plus unit repair. A household at 140% of poverty tops out at $1,200 for each.
2. A whole year of usage can be paid at once. The plan says TDHCA allows payment of 100% of a customer's annual usage in one lump sum. Ask your provider how it pays.
3. Your first payment can clear arrears without eating into the cap. The initial payment that includes past-due amounts doesn't count toward the $12,600 annual limit, per the plan.
4. A pledge stops a shutoff only if it arrives on time. Under PUCT rule 25.483(i), the provider's pledge must reach your electric company by the due date on the disconnection notice, and you must pay or arrange to pay the rest. Apply as soon as a notice arrives, not on the due date.
5. Medical need is a fast lane, and you don't have to prove the diagnosis. A life-threatening crisis gets an 18-hour response, and the plan bars providers from demanding medical records about the condition. Separately, ask your electric company about Critical Care or Chronic Condition designation under the PUCT rule.
6. Help for Texans lists providers that may be out of money. TDHCA says so on the page. A "no funds" answer in one month isn't a denial; ask when to call back.

Avoid Texas Energy Assistance and Utility Scams

The right price to apply for CEAP is $0: ACF's LIHEAP page (opens in a new tab) says LIHEAP doesn't charge a fee for a benefit. Texas heat waves and freezes bring a second kind of fraud, the fake utility call. 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 demands for gift cards, wire transfers, cryptocurrency or payment apps are red flags. The FTC's government grant scams page (opens in a new tab) says offers of free government grants for personal bills are scams.

Red flags specific to Texas energy help:

• A post or text offering a "Texas energy grant" or "CEAP grant" you didn't apply for. CEAP pays your utility or fuel vendor through a local provider.
• Anyone charging a fee to apply or to move you up a waitlist
• A caller threatening an immediate shutoff during a heat wave unless you pay by gift card. Hang up and call the number on your bill.
• A website that asks for your Social Security number before naming the TDHCA provider it works for

Report fraud involving TDHCA programs to TDHCA's fraud line at 1-800-892-8348, and report scams at ReportFraud.ftc.gov (opens in a new tab).

Other Help Paying an Electric Bill in Texas

CEAP is the biggest public program, but it's not the only route:

• Your electric company's payment plan. Ask for a deferred payment plan before the disconnection date; during an extreme weather emergency, PUCT rules require providers to offer one on request.
• 211 Texas. Dial 211 or use 211 Texas (opens in a new tab) for local charities, church funds and city utility programs.
• SNAP and cash help. SNAP also makes you categorically eligible for CEAP; see our SNAP guide and our guide to TANF cash assistance.
• Rent. If utilities are part of a bigger housing problem, see our rental assistance programs guide.
• Students. If you're a Texas college student short on bills, our Texas grant guide covers state college aid.
• Other states. If you're helping family in Illinois, see LIHEAP Illinois.

Not sure what else you qualify for? Grantsights' free eligibility checker begins by asking who you are. Choose "Individual," then "Personal financial help" (or "Student"), and it doesn't list grants for Texans. It points to the official routes: the USA.gov benefit finder, rental help, help with bills, food help and studentaid.gov, plus the 211 line. In Texas, utility help comes through CEAP providers and your electric company, not through a personal grant.

FAQ: Texas Energy Assistance Questions

What is LIHEAP called in Texas?

The Comprehensive Energy Assistance Program, or CEAP. TDHCA administers it, and local providers in all 254 counties take applications.

Who qualifies for CEAP in Texas in 2026?

Households at or below 150% of poverty: $23,940 for one person and $49,500 for four under TDHCA's 2026 table. SNAP, TANF, SSI and means-tested veterans payments make a household categorically eligible.

How much will CEAP pay on my electric bill?

Up to $1,800 per component for incomes at or below 50% of poverty, $1,500 above 50% up to 75%, and $1,200 above 75% up to 150%, per the FY2027 plan. Unit repair or replacement can add up to $9,000.

How do I apply for energy assistance in Texas?

Use TDHCA's Help for Texans page, choose Utility Bill Payment Help, and enter your city or county, or call 877-399-8939. Then apply with that provider.

Can my electricity be shut off in Texas during a freeze or heat wave?

Not by a retail electric provider in a county under an extreme weather emergency, as defined by PUCT rule 25.483(j). Ask for a deferred payment plan for bills due during the emergency.

Can CEAP fix or replace my air conditioner or heater?

Yes, up to $9,000 under the FY2027 plan, depending on vulnerability and whether a crisis exists. Providers try repair before replacement.

Does Texas have a free weatherization program?

Yes. TDHCA's Weatherization Assistance Program serves households up to 200% of poverty for DOE-funded work and 150% for LIHEAP-funded work, through local providers.

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Sources

1. TDHCA Comprehensive Energy Assistance Program (opens in a new tab) - program description and plans
2. TDHCA 2027 LIHEAP Plan (opens in a new tab) - benefit tiers, crisis rules, allocation, subrecipients
3. TDHCA Community Affairs income guidelines (opens in a new tab) - 2026 poverty table and program thresholds
4. TDHCA Help for Texans (opens in a new tab) - provider search
5. TDHCA Contact (opens in a new tab) - utility bill payment help numbers
6. TDHCA Weatherization Assistance Program (opens in a new tab) - WAP description
7. PUCT Substantive Rule 25.483, Disconnection of Service (opens in a new tab) - extreme weather, energy assistance, critical care protections
8. FTC: Scammers Pretend To Be Your Utility Company (opens in a new tab) and FTC: Government Grant Scams (opens in a new tab)
9. USAspending.gov award search (opens in a new tab) - FY2025 obligations for Assistance Listings 93.568 and 81.042