Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)

mother and father with children

LIHEAP helps eligible low-income households pay their heating bills through federal grants to the household. There are two components to this program. 

Heating Assistance: A grant to assist a household in meeting heating costs. The grant may be paid to either a heating fuel vendor or utility company, or in a few cases, directly to the applicant.

Crisis Assistance: A grant to help resolve a home heating crisis caused by a heat shut-off because of failure to pay a regulated energy bill, the inability to pay for deliverable fuel, or the failure of a heating system that is not repairable.

Learn about eligibility for heating assistance and how to apply here.

Find helpful resources here. 

Water Assistance Program Coming Soon

A man in his wheelchair inside the kitchen of his home.

The Low Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP) is coming in 2022, but not yet open for applications. It is a new federal program RI and other states are in the process of implementing. When available, it will be announced widely by DHS and Community Action Agencies. If you applied for LIHEAP, you will be notified about applying for LIHWAP.