Connecticut LIHEAP and Energy Assistance for Grandparents Raising Grandchildren

A heating bill that was manageable for a retired grandparent living alone becomes a different problem entirely when a child moves in and the household needs are larger. Connecticut's Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) helps cover heating costs for low-income households, and kinship caregivers who have taken on a child may qualify even if they did not before — the child changes your household size, which changes the income threshold.

What LIHEAP Covers

LIHEAP provides a one-time benefit each heating season to help pay for:

• Oil, natural gas, propane, kerosene, or electric heating costs
• Past-due utility balances (in some cases)
• Emergency deliveries when a household is about to run out of fuel

The benefit amount varies by household income, household size, fuel type, and housing costs. It is not designed to cover the entire winter heating bill — it offsets a portion.

In Connecticut, LIHEAP is administered by DSS as the Connecticut Energy Assistance Program (CEAP). DSS contracts with local Community Action Agencies to take applications and determine eligibility. Utility companies also offer separate hardship and payment programs.

Income Limits

LIHEAP income eligibility in Connecticut is based on 60% of the state median income, which adjusts by household size. Adding a grandchild to your household raises your household size by one, which raises the income cutoff. A single grandparent who was just over the limit alone may now qualify as a household of two.

Receiving TFA or SNAP may satisfy CEAP's income-eligibility category, but you still need to apply and provide the required documents. HUSKY alone is not listed as an automatic income-eligibility category.

The H.R. 1 Change That Matters

The federal One Big Beautiful Bill Act (Public Law 119-21, signed July 2025) restricted the Standard Utility Allowance — the SNAP-linked "Heat & Eat" provision — to households that contain at least one elderly or disabled member. This restriction does not apply if your household includes at least one person who is age 60 or older or has a disability and you receive LIHEAP.

For households without an elderly or disabled member, the change may reduce the SNAP utility deduction if the household previously benefited from the Heat & Eat rule. The LIHEAP benefit itself is unaffected; the change is to the SNAP utility calculation.

How to Apply

LIHEAP has an annual application season, typically opening in the fall (around September or October) and running through March or until funds are exhausted. Apply through:

• Your local Community Action Agency (CAA) — there are multiple across Connecticut (e.g., Community Renewal Team in Hartford, TEAM Inc. in Derby, ACCESS Agency in Willimantic)
• DSS's CEAP online application or a paper application through the local CAA
• 2-1-1 Connecticut — call for the nearest intake location

Bring to the appointment:

• Proof of identity for all household members
• Social Security numbers
• Proof of Connecticut residency (lease or utility bill)
• Current income documentation requested by the CAA (such as pay stubs, a Social Security award letter, or a pension statement)
• Most recent heating bill or fuel delivery receipt

If you are caring for a grandchild and already have their TFA child-only grant paperwork, that documentation also helps establish the child's presence in your household for LIHEAP.

Other Utility Help

Beyond LIHEAP, Connecticut offers:

• Operation Fuel — a statewide emergency energy fund for households that fall outside LIHEAP income guidelines or need help outside the LIHEAP season
• Eversource and United Illuminating hardship programs — financial hardship protections may be available based on income or receipt of specified public assistance; contact your utility for its current criteria
• Matching Payment Program (MPP) — for eligible hardship-designated customers, the utility matches payments and energy assistance awards toward past-due balances

The Connecticut Kinship Financial Help Guide maps these utility programs alongside TFA, SNAP, and HUSKY so you can see which combination of benefits applies to your household and apply for them in the right order.

See more Connecticut guides →