Virginia officials say they anticipate more requests for assistance to cover electricity bills in the coming month following cold temperatures in January and February.
Assistance is available to low-income residents who struggle to pay for their electricity bills, through the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, or LIHEAP.
“At this point, statewide application numbers have remained steady, and there’s not been an increase in requests,” said Nikole Cox, director of economic stability and support programs at the Virginia Department of Social Services, which oversees LIHEAP.
“However, we do expect to see an increase in the crisis assistance applications this season, due to the cold temperatures earlier this winter,” Cox said.
Last year Virginia awarded more than $52 million to residents, and they’re anticipating being able to award a similar amount this year. Funding for LIHEAP was allocated by Congress last year, however, payments to states were delayed due to the government shutdown in October. It’s still not clear exactly how much Virginia will receive or when it will be awarded to the state.
LIHEAP funding is also available to help make improvements to homes and apartments to make them more energy-efficient.
Energy bills for some customers have increased higher than inflation over the last decade, according to a report published last year by Clean Virginia.
To learn more about LIHEAP, including how to apply, contact your local social services department.
