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Energy Assistance Program (EAP)
Energy Assistance Program PY2025
The Energy Assistance Program is closed until Oct. 1, 2025. For resources on utility assistance and program questions, please contact your Local Service Provider (LSP) by selecting your county or using the map below.
For questions about your energy assistance application or eligibility, please contact your Local Service Provider (LSP) by selecting your county or using the map below. Your LSP will process your energy assistance application and determine benefits. For general program questions, you may contact the Community Programs team at eap@ihcda.in.gov. Please note your question may be routed back to your LSP for response.
- What is the Energy Assistance Program (EAP)?
The Energy Assistance Program (EAP) can help you pay your heat and electric bills! 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 . An EAP benefit will not cover all your annual heating and electric costs, so you should continue to pay your bills regularly. These benefits are paid directly to the utility vendor to help cover your heating and electric costs. If your utilities are included in rent, you may still qualify for EAP.
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).
- What are the income and eligibility requirements?
IHCDA partners with Local Service Providers (LSP) across Indiana to assist individuals with completing the EAP application. LSPs process and determine eligibility for all applications. 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 . Income eligibility is based on the most recent three months of income.
45-60% SMI 45-60% SMI 45-60% SMI Household Size 1 month 3 months 12 months 1 $2,686 $8,059 $32,236 2 $3,513 $10,539 $42,156 3 $4,339 $13,018 $52.075 4 $5,166 $15,498 $61,994 5 $5,992 $17,978 $71,913 6 $6,819 $20,458 $81,832 7 $6,974 $20,923 $83,692 8 $7,129 $21,388 $85,552 9 $7,284 $21,852 $87,411 10 $7,439 $22,317 $89,271 - When can I apply for EAP?
You can apply for EAP Program Year 2025 from October 1, 2024 until April 14, 2025
October 1, 2024 Opening Day of PY2025. Online applications open to the public. LSPs may distribute mail-in applications to households that do not qualify as vulnerable. November 1, 2024 Benefit notifications to applicants and vendors begin, in-person appointments begin. Appointments are not required to apply; you can submit your application electronically, via email, or mail your application December 1, 2024 Energy moratorium begins. Eligible EAP clients cannot be disconnected from electricity and heating service. March 15, 2025 End of energy moratorium protection April 14, 2025 End of EAP application period at 5:00 PM Eastern Time - How long will it take to receive my benefit/assistance?
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.
- EAP Application - Required Documents
- Proof of Income
- Current utility bills or account statements
- Landlord Affidavit or current lease (for applicants with utilities in rent only)
- LSP may require additional documents based on household circumstances
- What should I do if I am about to get disconnected?
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.
If you have received a disconnection notice for a metered utility, are within 10 days of running out of bulk fuel, or have already been disconnected or run completely out of bulk fuel, please notify your local service provider immediately.
- What is Moratorium?
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. 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 . This includes utilities that are electric or gas, including municipally owned, privately owned, or cooperatively owned utilities.
- What other kinds of assistance is available?
Many utility companies provide their own energy assistance to their clients. For more information, please contact your utility provider. You can contact your local service provider (LSP), your local utility provider, or dial 2-1-1 for referrals to local resources in your community.
- How can I appeal if I was denied or I believe my benefit amount is incorrect?
If you feel that your application was not acted upon in a timely manner, that you have been wrongly denied, or that your benefit amount was calculated incorrectly you may file an appeal.
You must send your appeal to your Local Service Provider within thirty (30) days of receipt of the denial. Your LSP will review your appeal and send you a written response within fourteen (14) calendar days.
If you need assistance with this procedure, please email IHCDA at eap@ihcda.in.gov or call 317-232-7777.Please do not appeal directly to IHCDA prior to appealing to your Local Service Provider. Appeals that are sent to IHCDA without first being appealed with the LSP will be referred back to the LSP.
Appeals can be emailed to eap@ihcda.in.gov Attn: Appeals
Appeals can be mailed to Attn: Appeals Community Programs Manager - EAP
30 South Meridian St, Suite 900
Indianapolis, IN 46204.Your appeal rights and right to timely processing of your energy assistance program application
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 14 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 depleted 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.
- Media Inquiries
Please direct all media inquiries to ihcdacommunications@ihcda.in.gov
- Disclaimer
This website is supported by Federal Low-Income Household Assistance Program (LIHEAP) Block Grant funding from the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) Office of Community Services (OCS)