Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program

LIHEAP stands for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program. It is a federally funded program that helps eligible households in Hamilton County pay for home energy costs.

LIHEAP provides two types of help:

• Regular Assistance: Helps with energy costs during the normal program year.
• Crisis Assistance: Helps households facing a shut-off notice or another emergency energy situation. Crisis applications are processed on an expedited basis.

The program is administered locally and follows federal and state guidelines to make sure benefits reach households most in need.

Any household that lives in Hamilton County, Tennessee and meets the following program guidelines: 

Regular Assistance 

• The primary applicant must have a valid email address to apply. ● The primary applicant must be a U.S. Citizen. 

• All household members must be U.S. Citizens or provide acceptable proof of eligible status. 

  • The applicant Must have an active account with an energy provider

  •  If the account is in someone else's name - the name on the application must be listed if you are responsible for paying the bill 

• Renters and homeowners are both eligible. If the utilities are in a landlord’s name, a THDA Landlord Tenant Agreement Form and a copy of the lease must be submitted. 

Crisis Assistance 

• Must first meet the same eligibility requirements as Regular Assistance. ● Must have an active utility account with a cut-off notice or proof of an energy crisis (such as less than a 7-day fuel supply, broken heating equipment, or another emergency). 

• At least one of the following must apply: 

  • A household member is 60 years or older 

  • A household member is 5 years or younger

  • A household member has a disability 

  • A household member is active military or a veteran 

  • The household has experienced an uncontrollable circumstance (such as job loss or medical emergency) 

• Crisis Assistance is processed on an expedited basis and may take up to 2 days. 

Benefit amounts now range from $174 to $750, depending on your household size, energy costs, and available funding. 

Households may only receive one LIHEAP benefit per program year at one address. This means you may receive either Regular Assistance or Crisis Assistance, but not both in the same program year. 

• Regular Assistance helps eligible households with energy costs during the normal program year a may take up to 45 days to process. 

• Crisis Assistance is for households with an active utility account and a shut-off notice. To qualify, households must also meet the crisis eligibility criteria (such as having a senior, young child, disability, or uncontrollable circumstance). Crisis applications are processed on an expedited basis and may take up to 2 days. 

The new LIHEAP program year begins on November 1, 2025. 

If you submitted an application during the last program year and did not receive any benefits, you will automatically receive a denial letter at the start of the new program year. You may reapply under the new program year if you still meet eligibility requirements. 

Applications are accepted online CHA.CITY/LIHEAP, by texting “LIHEAP” to 423-643-7300 and or QR code. If you cannot complete the process online due to a disability, you may request a paper application as an ADA accommodation. 

Applications are accepted starting November 1, 2025 - September 30, 2026.

Required documents 

• A valid email address - 1 per household
• SS cards for all household members
• Proof of all household income for the past 30 days account history for past 12 month for all energy providers
• Proof of citizenship for all household members 

May be required depending on your circumstances: 

• THDA Landlord Tenant Agreement Form
• Proof of Disability form signed by a licensed physician (or a current disability benefit award letter)
• DD214 for veteran discharge status
• Birth certificates for all children 5 years old and younger (mother’s copy acceptable for children under 1) 

If your household circumstances require additional documents, you will be notified during the application review process. 

A valid email address is required to apply. 

Once your application has been processed, you will receive an official letter of approval, denial, or pending status by email. 

It is important that you have access to the email provided for necessary application updates. 

• Regular Assistance applications may take up to 45 days to process.
• Crisis Assistance applications are expedited and may take up to 2 days.
• Payment timeline: Payments may take up to 90 days after the notation of pending payment to appear on your utility account. 

You will receive a notice via email explaining the reason for denial. You can apply after 30 days. You have the right to appeal the decision. 

LIHEAP benefits are tied to your household’s active utility account. If you move, you must have usage at your new address to be eligible for assistance. 

• No carry-over bills: Past-due bills from a previous address cannot be paid once you move. 

• Active account required: Assistance can only be applied to an active utility account in your name. 

● Usage history: The last 12 months of usage (or usage from the start of your lease term) must be available for evaluation. 

The name listed on the account must be listed-If you are responsible for paying the bill. If the utility account is in a landlord’s name, a THDA Landlord Tenant Agreement Form and lease must be submitted.

Applications missing required documents cannot be processed and will be placed in pending status until all documents are received. 

If the system allows you to submit an incomplete application, you will have 15 days to return to your online application and upload the missing documents. If the documents are not submitted within 15 days, your application may be denied. 

All applications will be placed on a waitlist until funds are released.

LIHEAP benefits are tied to your household’s active utility account. If you move, you must have usage at your new address to be eligible for assistance. 

• No carry-over bills: Past-due bills from a previous address cannot be paid once you move. 

• Active account required: Assistance can only be applied to an active utility account in your name. 

• Usage history: The last 12 months of usage (or usage from the start of your lease term) must be available for evaluation. 

No. If a child was listed and used to qualify in another household’s application, that child cannot be used again in a different household during the same program year. If the other household has already received LIHEAP assistance, the child cannot be used to qualify your household. 

A valid email address is required to complete an application. Free email accounts can be set up through services like Gmail, Yahoo, or Outlook. 

No. LIHEAP does not cover utility deposits. The program only provides assistance with energy bills for eligible households. 

No. LIHEAP does not cover past-due or delinquent bills.

You can still apply for LIHEAP, but you must complete a Verification of income & expense form that explains how your household is covering living expenses without income and who is providing support. 

Additional documentation may also be required depending on your situation: 

• Disabled applicants: Must provide disability verification on the official form, signed by a licensed physician or health provider. The provider’s license information must be included. 

• Self-employed applicants: Must complete a self-employment verification form. 

• Veterans: Must provide proof of discharge status (DD214). 

All benefits are subject to the availability of funds. If funding is exhausted, applications may be denied or placed on hold even if you qualify. 

If you are not currently receiving disability benefits, you must submit a Disability Verification Form completed by a licensed physician or health provider, including their license information. This is especially important for Crisis Assistance eligibility. 

Program rules and requirements are set by the Tennessee Housing Development Agency and the Tennessee Department of Human Services, based on federal guidance. Each year, these state agencies may update eligibility rules or program requirements to match federal policies and available funding. 

OFE does not create these rules — we are required to follow them in order to provide assistance. 

OFE programs rely on federal funding that flows through state agencies. Because Congress has not yet finalized the FY2026 budget, Tennessee has not received the funds or contracts that allow local agencies like OFE to begin. 

To give time for this process, the Tennessee Housing Development Agency and Department of Human Services have delayed the start of all utility and rent/mortgage assistance programs until at least November 3. OFE must follow these federal and state timelines before services can be delivered.

Congress has not finalized the FY2026 budget. Early proposals show an increase for utility assistance (LIHEAP) compared to last year, but a slight decrease for Family Support services like rent and mortgage assistance (CSBG). Final amounts will be known only after Congress passes the budget. 

If you disagree with the decision made regarding your LIHEAP application, you have the right to appeal and request a fair hearing. 

To begin the appeal process: 

1. You must request a complaint form from your caseworker. 

2. Complete the form in duplicates — one copy for you (the client), and one for the Agency. 

3. Submit the completed form within thirty (30) days of the date of your decision. 

Once submitted, your complaint will be reviewed, and you will be contacted regarding the next steps for your fair hearing.