Variations by Component or Household Type

Table - Percent of Poverty Guidelines for Program Components

As shown in the poverty guidelines table, most grantees utilize the same poverty guideline for all components of LIHEAP: heating assistance, cooling assistance, crisis assistance and weatherization, if applicable.

However, some grantees vary income guidelines by components, for example, several have a higher income guideline for their weatherization or crisis components than their heating assistance components. In the case of weatherization, this may be done to provide a larger pool of applicants for the weatherization agency. In the case of crisis, it may be to ensure that emergency assistance is available to more households.

Grantees may also vary income guidelines by type of household, e.g., allow a higher income maximum for households with elderly or disabled members or young children, reflecting grantees' priorities for those they consider to be more vulnerable.