The Energy Assistance Program (EAP) can help you pay your heat and electric bills! EAP is a federally-funded program through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) called the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). EAP provides a one-time annual benefit that can assist you with the high cost of home energy and can help if you are disconnected, or are about to get disconnected. However, an EAP benefit will not cover all of your annual heating and electrics costs, so you should continue to pay your bills regularly.

Indiana households that make 60% of the state median income (60 SMI) or less may qualify for these benefits. See below for a detailed breakdown of income qualifications.

You can apply for an energy assistance benefit for Program Year 2024 from October 2, 2023 until May 20, 2024.

The Moratorium law (Indiana Code 8-1-2-121) states that from December 1st through March 15th of any year, a regulated utility company may not turn off residential utility service to any customer who is eligible for and who has applied for the Energy Assistance Program. This includes utilities that are electric or gas, including municipally owned, privately owned, or cooperatively owned utilities. Moratorium protection applies once a household submits an application and allows the Local Service Provider time to determine eligibility, so please inform your utility provider if you have submitted an application for assistance and you are scheduled for disconnection.

Local Service Agencies may take 55 days to determine if you are eligible, and after your benefit has been awarded it may take an additional 30 days for the utility company to process your benefit. Please continue to pay your utility bills while waiting for your EAP benefit to appear on your account.

If you are receiving a direct pay benefit, it may take up to 120 days, or four months, from the date of your benefit approval for your payment to be processed and mailed to you. Please do not follow up on your benefit if 120 days has not passed yet.

If you feel you have been wrongly denied, or that your benefit amount was calculated incorrectly you may file an appeal.

You must send your appeal to the Local Service Provider within thirty (30) days of receipt of the denial. The Local Service Agency will review your appeal and send you a written response within fourteen (14) calendar days.

If you are not satisfied with the Local Service Provider’s determination, you may request formal review by the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority (IHCDA). You can work with your Local Service Provider to have them submit the appeal for you or you can submit it directly to IHCDA. This request must be made within thirty (30) days of receipt of the LSP’s appeal determination. IHCDA’s Community Programs Manager - EAP will review your appeal and issue a response in writing within fourteen (14) calendar days of receipt. Please send your formal appeal to:

IHCDA
Attn: Community Programs Manager -  EAP
30 South Meridian St, Suite 900
Indianapolis, IN 46204.

If you need assistance with this procedure, please email IHCDA at liheap@ihcda.in.gov or call 317-232-7777. Please do not appeal directly to IHCDA prior to appealing to your Local Service Provider.

To apply for EAP, please contact your local service provider via the map on this page or apply online . If you are about to be disconnected or are already disconnected, you are advised to contact your local service provider for an appointment rather than applying online.

The Energy Assistance Program (EAP) and Water Program application period closed on May 15, 2023. If you are in need of assistance, there may be other available funding sources. Please contact your local service provider (LSP), your local utility provider, or dial 2-1-1 for referrals to local resources in your community. Applications for PY2024 will open on October 02, 2024.

https://ihcda.rhsconnect.com/portal/

NOTE: Applications for PY2023 are no longer being accepted. Applications for PY2024 will be available to submit on October 2, 2023.

If you are at risk of disconnection, please contact your utility provider immediately and attempt to negotiate a payment arrangement to suspend disconnection action. You may also reach out to your local service provider, Community Action Agency, or 2-1-1 for referrals to other resources in your community or alternate funding sources.

You have the right to request an appeal if your Energy Assistance Program (EAP) application is not acted upon in a timely manner once it has been received by the Local Service Provider (LSP) administering EAP in your area. In order to request an appeal for an EAP application not acted upon in a timely manner, please submit a written request for a review of your case along with all relevant facts to your LSP.

You will receive an official written response to your appeal within fourteen (14) calendar days of receipt. The written response will include instructions for a second appeal if you are not satisfied with the response.

Please note that an LSP has 10 days to determine eligibility of an EAP application when an in-person appointment takes place, and 55 days to determine eligibility of an EAP application when the application is delivered by other means, including but not limited to drop-off, mail, fax, e-mail, an electronic portal or by proxy. When a heating crisis situation exists (defined as when a utility disconnection notice has been received, utility has already been disconnected, propane or fuel oil at or below 25% of a tank, or within 10 days of running out of other bulk deliverable fuel), LSPs must provide a mitigating action within 48 hours. In cases where a life-threatening crisis situation exists (defined as when a utility is already disconnected or bulk fuel heating source is already disconnected and there is a documented medical need in the household with an extreme safety concern), LSPs must provide a mitigating action within 18 hours. A mitigating action may or may not necessarily include determining eligibility of an EAP application within this time frame.

Please also note that the program officially opens, and the timeline for application approval begins, on November 1st  . Therefore, even if you submitted your application early, an LSP has until 55 days from November 1   to determine eligibility on an application if there is no crisis situation present. All other processing timelines will begin no earlier than November 1.

If an EAP application is denied for any reason, you have a right to submit another application, with updated supporting documentation, 55 days after your previous application submission.

Please direct all media inquiries to ihcdacommunications@ihcda.in.gov