Tuesday serves as the deadline for one state-level program dealing with winter utility bills, as well as the end of the state’s Cold Weather Rule period for those bills.
Tuesday at 5 pm marks the deadline to apply for assistance through the Low-Income Energy Assistance or LIEAP program. LIEAP offers one-time benefits to help certain households pay winter heating costs. Last year the average benefit for over 43,000 eligible families was around $680.
Eligibility is income-based. applicant incomes must be at or below 150 percent of the federal poverty line. The Kansas Department for Children and Families says benefit levels also vary, depending on number of people in the home, type of residence, utility rates and type of heating fuel.
People can apply online. The link is in our story at KVOE.com.
Meanwhile, the Cold Weather Rule is also ending next week, meaning people who are behind on their utility bills and have failed to make payment arrangements or haven’t followed through on prior arrangements are at risk of service disconnection.
The Cold Weather Rule goes into effect every fall and is designed to shield residents from losing their utility service when temperatures go below 35 degrees.
