The PUC Supports Using LIHEAP Application Information to Streamline the Application Process for Public Utility Assistance; Continues Pennsylvania’s Efforts to Streamline Access to Vital Utility Assistance
HARRISBURG. – The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) reminds income-qualified families and individuals a new option is available to help them stay connected to essential public utility services. The option will make it easier for households receiving federal heating assistance to qualify for additional public utility assistance programs.
Consumers receiving Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) grants will now have the option to have the Department of Human Services (DHS) share their application information with their energy public utilities who will then assist with eligibility determinations and enrollment, making a direct connection and streamlining access to other public utility programs that can reduce monthly bills and enhance energy savings. For the 2024-25 LIHEAP season, the data sharing will only apply to participating electric and natural gas utilities.
“By simplifying the enrollment process for energy public utility assistance, it is easier for eligible consumers to access the full range of support available to them,” noted Stephen M. DeFrank, Chairman of the PUC. “This process will ensure that more Pennsylvania families have the resources they need to maintain vital public utility services.”
How the LIHEAP Data Sharing Will Work
Starting this year, LIHEAP applicants will be given the option to check a box on their LIHEAP application that allows DHS to share income and household data directly with the public utility selected to receive the LIHEAP grant.
The information will only be shared if the customer has been determined eligible for LIHEAP. This information will help public utilities enroll eligible customers in their other assistance programs without requiring duplicative documentation, if the customer provides their consent.
Assistance programs available through public utilities include:
- Customer Assistance Programs (CAPs) – Lower monthly public utility bills and debt forgiveness for income-qualified households.
- Weatherization Programs – Energy efficiency upgrades to help reduce energy usage.
- Hardship Funds – Grants to help customers pay past-due energy bills.
Key Features of LIHEAP data sharing:
- LIHEAP data sharing is optional and does not impact a household’s eligibility for a LIHEAP grant.
- The information shared with the public utility will include the names and ages of household members, income, and public utility account information, which will only be used to determine eligibility for the public utility’s assistance programs.
- Public utilities and DHS are required to protect the privacy of household data, which will not be sold or used for any purposes other than determining eligibility for public utility assistance programs.
- Consumers that do not want their household data shared with their public utility can simply leave the checkbox unchecked on the LIHEAP application.
Expanding Access and Reducing Barriers
The new data-sharing feature builds on the long-standing relationship between DHS and the public utilities relative to LIHEAP. Currently, the new data-sharing feature is only available between DHS and Pennsylvania’s electric and natural gas public utilities.
The aim of LIHEAP data sharing is to significantly reduce barriers for households seeking public utility assistance by allowing them to bypass duplicative documentation processes and expedite eligibility determinations for and enrollment in public utility programs that can provide relief.
“Assistance programs like LIHEAP and individual programs offered by public utilities help individuals and families afford supports that help keep their homes warm and their energy connected – essential to a person’s health, wellbeing, and safety,” said DHS Secretary Dr. Val Arkoosh. “We understand that connecting to each of these programs can be confusing, and decentralization may cause a person to not know the full scope of resources available to them. This data sharing partnership will help ease some of those barriers and help eligible Pennsylvanians connect to services with greater ease.”
The LIHEAP 2024-2025 application season officially opens on November 4, 2024.
PUC Commissioner Kathryn L. Zerfuss, who joined Chairman DeFrank in March 2023 to offer a joint motion that led to the creation of a universal service working group that discussed this initiative, said: “I look forward to the start of LIHEAP data sharing and working collaboratively with DHS, utilities, advocates, and other vested partners in ensuring that this streamlined process will provide equitable access to essential programs for eligible customers. This new process will reduce barriers to customer assistance programs and result in cost savings that benefit customers and energy utilities alike.”
DHS is currently mailing pre-season LIHEAP applications to households who received LIHEAP assistance last season, and the data sharing option is included for people who choose to opt in. If a pre-season household wishes to apply through COMPASS, DHS’ online application portal, they will see the data sharing question as part of their application.
Additional information about LIHEAP is available online, or Pennsylvanians can visit their County Assistance Office, or contact the LIHEAP Hotline at 1-866-857-7095. Information about public utility assistance programs is available by contacting local public utilities or the PUC.
Scope and Impact of Utility Assistance Programs in Pennsylvania
The PUC underscores the significant role that public utility-operated assistance programs play in helping income-qualified households manage their utility bills. While federal LIHEAP assistance is crucial, the size, value, and scope of CAP programs often exceed the total dollar amount provided by LIHEAP, providing additional vital support to at-risk households across Pennsylvania. Additionally, the Low Income Usage Reduction Program (LIURP), which helps with energy efficiency efforts, and utility hardship funds provides further vital assistance.
Public utilities in Pennsylvania collectively provided approximately $654 million on universal service programs last year – often surpassing LIHEAP in terms of total value – creating a tremendous impact on communities throughout the Commonwealth. The combination of CAPs and LIHEAP helps reach hundreds of thousands of vulnerable households, keeping energy bills manageable, promoting weatherization, and ensuring families remain connected to essential utility services.
CAPs and other public utility universal assistance programs provide support to over 320,000 electric and 158,000 natural gas customers by offering reduced monthly bills, energy efficiency programs, and hardship funds for households that are income qualified. Together, these initiatives provide critical lifelines, helping families avoid service disconnections and maintain access to energy.
Consumers are encouraged to contact their public utilities for information on eligibility and enrolling in these assistance programs and exploring new payment plan options, which can help manage overdue balances and offer long-term solutions for energy costs.
PUC’s Commitment to Breaking Down Barriers to Public Utility Assistance
Recently, the PUC and its Universal Service Workgroup partners proposed a Common Application Form (CAF) design for all utilities to use to consolidate and simplify the application process for utility assistance programs. Utilities were encouraged to adopt the CAF design for their own assistance applications, with the goal of moving closer to implementing the CAF statewide.
When fully implemented, the CAF will help households apply for multiple public utility assistance programs using a single, unified application. By reducing the need for duplicative paperwork and making it easier for families to recertify their eligibility, the CAF will aim to cut red tape and ensure that more income-qualified Pennsylvanians can access the support they need to keep their homes safe, warm, and well-lit.
The CAF is one of several measures the PUC is working on to enhance the efficiency and reach of public utility assistance programs, ensuring that income-qualified households receive available support.
About the PUC
The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission balances the needs of consumers and public utilities; ensures safe and reliable public utility service at reasonable rates; protects the public interest; educates consumers to make independent and informed utility choices; furthers economic development; and fosters new technologies and competitive markets in an environmentally sound manner.
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