Approximately $3.6 billion in delayed funding for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) was released to states and tribes on Friday, providing relief to millions of low-income households struggling to pay for heating and cooling, the National Energy Assistance Directors Association (NEADA) reported.
According to The Associated Press, the federal funding, typically distributed at the start of November, had been held up due to the federal government shutdown, which ended on Nov. 12.
“This release of LIHEAP funding is essential and long overdue,” said Mark Wolfe, NEADA’s executive director. “Families can finally begin receiving the support they need to keep the heat on as winter begins.”
While the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services oversees LIHEAP, it has yet to issue a formal public statement confirming the resumption of funding.
After the shutdown ended, HHS noted that one of its agencies would “work swiftly to administer annual awards,” attributing delays to congressional Democrats.
Wolfe confirmed that state agencies have received award letters, allowing them to start distributing assistance to households.
Earlier this week, a bipartisan group of U.S. House members urged HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to release the funds by Nov. 30.
“There is no time to waste,” the lawmakers wrote, highlighting the urgency for households that rely on home heating oil or propane, which are typically not covered by state winter utility moratoriums.
Roughly 68% of LIHEAP households also receive SNAP food benefits. Wolfe emphasized that delays in both programs during the shutdown “put many households in an even more precarious situation than usual.”
Even with Friday’s release, the demand for assistance remains high, Wolfe said. Rising energy costs and near-record arrearages continue to strain families across the country.
“The need for support is enormous,” he said, “and these funds will help—but there’s still a long way to go to ensure all households can stay warm this winter.”
