After delays related to the government shutdown this fall, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has released funding for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP).

Used by eligible older adults (and other households), the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) provides funding to offset household costs associated with energy use, primarily for heating costs in the winter, as well as for air conditioning in the summer.

Last year, the funds were released by HHS in October; as this year’s shutdown continued into November and the funds had not been released, LeadingAge heard concerns from affordable housing providers and other aging services settings in areas of the country already experiencing winter conditions.

As of December 1, states have confirmed receipt of their award letters from HHS, allowing states to begin sending funding directly to households. These funds come at a key time when many household budgets were already stretched thin because of delays in disbursement of funds in other programs like food assistance through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP); roughly 68% of LIHEAP recipients also receive SNAP, which partially lapsed during the shutdown.

LeadingAge applauds the release of the funding to support winter heating for older adults.