(Revised 10/1/06 ML #3045)
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An eligible household may receive up to $500.00 per season for heating costs (including re-connection charges) if the household is financially unable to contribute all or part of their co-payment percentage to the purchase of the fuel. (For exceptions, see 415-50-15).
A shut off or disconnect notice is NOT required to be eligible for Emergency Assistance. In fact, requiring a shut off may discourage or delay the household from attempting to negotiate reasonable payment plans with the vendor, because of a mistaken belief the only way to receive even partial assistance from LIHEAP is to wait until a disconnect is threatened. By this time, the unpaid bill is much older, larger, and less manageable than it would have been if addressed when the customer first realized the difficulty of paying all the co-payment percentage.
The evaluation of the household income and assets on the Emergency Assistance application will determine whether the household is financially able to pay any portion of the co-payment percentage.
The eligibility worker should assist the household to arrange a payment plan with the vendor for any portion of the heating costs which household is able to pay. Any portion of the heating costs which the applicant is unable to pay is eligible to be considered for Emergency Assistance.
Options for Emergency/Assistance Benefits:
Long Term crisis. . .These are households whose financial crisis and need for assistance is expected to continue for some time, and whose reduced income places them in a lower poverty level percentage. A benefit computation would alleviate or avert a crisis such as a shut off.
- Establish Emergency Assistance eligibility with the Emergency Assistance application, SFN 62.
- Enter Emergency Assistance Application on to emergency screen of the LIHEAP system.
- Emergency LS % Recalculation...Enter the new, reduced income into the Household Data Change screen to prompt the computer to recalculate the LIHEAP Share Percentage.
- Pay Emergency Assistance if necessary to get the household current with the supplier.
- Send a Change Notice of Action to assure the designated vendor begins billing LIHEAP again.
- Retain the Emergency Assistance application to document the reason for a LIHEAP Share Percentage.
Short Term Crisis...These are households who do not expect their financial shortfall to continue.
- Establish Emergency Assistance eligibility with the Emergency Assistance application, Form 62.
- Enter Emergency Assistance Application on to emergency screen of the LIHEAP system.
- Pay only those bills needed to resolve the current crisis, and send corresponding Emergency Notices of Action.
Deny...These households do not meet the requirements for Emergency Assistance eligibility. Send Emergency Notice of Action for a denial.
