West Virginia DHHR Provides Low Income Energy Assistance

The West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR) is currently accepting applications from low-income state residents for the Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LIEAP.) This federally-funded program assists eligible state residents in paying for their heating bills. With the increasing costs of energy this year, paying to heat a home can be more expensive this year then ever, making this program essential to many low-income people.

The DHHR began accepting applications for the program on December 2nd, and will continue to accept them until the close of business on Monday, January 31, 2022, or until the funds are exhausted.

To be eligible to receive this energy assistance, the applicant must meet certain eligibility requirements, which include a maximum income requirement, the number of people residing in the household, and whether the household is responsible for paying its heating bills.

The income requirement mandates that the applicant’s annual income must be at or below 60% of the state medium income. For example, if there is only one person living in the household, the gross monthly income cannot exceed $2,005.00. For a two-person household, the monthly income limit is $2,621:  For a three-person household it’s $3,238; for a four-person household it’s $3,855; and for five people it’s $4,427.00. That formula continues for even larger households, and can be provided by contacting the DHHR, and a complete table of these income limitations can also be found below.

It is important to know, when calculating your household’s income eligibility, that for this year’s program, neither Social Security Income nor Veterans income will count against the household income limit.

Applications can be obtained at the following website: www.wvpath.org, or you can pick one up at the local DHHR Office, Community Action Agencies or at Pocahontas County Senior Citizens Centers.

Completed applications should be delivered or mailed to the Pocahontas County DHHR Office, 211 Valhalla Lane, Marlinton, WV 24954. You can also call that office at 304-799-2540 for additional information.

The DHHR also emphasizes that completed applications cannot be sent to any other office or to a utility company, only to the above DHHR office.

In situations where a heating emergency occurs, such as a cutoff of heat during frigid weather, applicants must contact a DHHR case worker at the above phone number for an evaluation.

 

 

The maximum allowable gross income levels for LIEAP Fiscal Year 2022 are listed below:

 

Household Size

Gross Monthly Income Limit
1 $2,005
2 $2,621
3 $3,238
4 $3,855
5 $4,472
6 $5,088
7 $5,204
8 $5,583
9 $6,150
10 $6,718

*For each additional person, add $567. Households whose income exceeds the maximum amount are not eligible; however, some types of income may be excluded for LIEAP.


*Social Security and Veterans income will be excluded for the current LIEAP application period. 

Story By

Tim Walker

Tim is the WVMR News Reporter. Tim is a native of Maryland who started coming to Pocahontas County in the 1970’s as a caver. He bought land on Droop Mountain off Jacox Road in 1976 and built a small house there in the early 80’s. While still working in Maryland, Tim spent much time at his place which is located on the Friars Hole Cave Preserve. Retiring in 2011 as a Lieutenant with the Anne Arundel County Police Department in Maryland, Tim finally took the plunge and moved from Maryland to his real home on Droop Mountain. He began working as the Pocahontas County Reporter for Allegheny Mountain Radio in January of 2015.

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