Kentucky Increases LIHEAP Benefit By 40%
Nov. 11— ASHLAND — Kentuckians struggling with high winter heating costs will get more help than last year.
Gov. Steve Beshear on Friday announced a 40 percent hike in subsidies for
families that qualify for assistance under the Low Income Home Energy
Assistance Program.
David Carroll, executive director of the Northeast Kentucky Community
Action Agency, which administers the LIHEAP program for Boyd, Carter,
Elliot, Greenup and Lawrence Counties, said the increase was anticipated.
He said the eligibility income level has not been changed and the increase
will translate into a higher one-time subsidy payments for eligible
families. The subsidy phase of LIHEAP is based on a sliding income scale.
For example, Carroll said, a qualifying household with an income level
between 0 and 33 percent of the poverty level will now receive a $182
payment toward their electric or a $206 payment toward natural gas; up
from $130 and $147, respectively. Payments are made directly to the utility
provider.
"Although the middle class income earners are also feeling the effects of
higher utility bills, this benefit increase, rather than an increase in
the income level, was implemented to assist the lower income households
throughout the state," Carroll said.
"With increases in most every form of heating sources, it is not uncommon
for a household to present a $300 plus utility bill, and this benefit
increase will now go further toward alleviating the burden of families
having insufficient income to pay the balance of their heating bill."
The agency has already assisted 3,019 senior citizens and disabled
individuals in the FIVCO region this year with heating subsidies. The
general public began receiving assistance Nov. 3 and the subsidy phase
will end in early December, according to Carroll.
Last year a total of 7,444 families in the FIVCO District received heating
subsidies.
The increase in federal funding will also affect crisis benefits paid to
families who are at risk of having their service discontinued or of
running out of a heat source.
The maximum crisis benefit will now be $400, up from $250 last year. The
crisis phase will run between Jan. 5 and March 31.
Carroll said earlier this month the demand is expected to be higher for
assistance in both the subsidy and crisis phases this year because of the
anticipated rise in home heating costs.
The Kentucky Public Service Commission announced last month the 44 percent
of Kentuckians who heat their home using natural gas should expect to pay
17 percent more this year than last on their winter heating bills.
Source: The Daily Independent, Ashland, KY
Page Last Updated: September 24, 2009
