LIHEAP Heating Assistance for Kinship Caregivers in North Dakota

Heating Bills Hit Kinship Households Hard

North Dakota winters regularly send temperatures below -20°F, and heating a home from October through April is one of the largest household expenses in the state. For a grandparent or relative on a fixed income who has just taken in a child, the added heating costs from keeping the house warmer, running more laundry, and cooking more meals can push a tight budget past its limit.

The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program — LIHEAP — exists for exactly this situation.

What LIHEAP Covers

LIHEAP is a federally funded program administered in North Dakota through Human Service Zones. It provides:

• Heating assistance: LIHEAP partially pays the cost of approved home heating sources, including natural gas, electricity, propane, fuel oil, coal, or wood. Heating benefits are issued during the household's approved eligibility period.
• Emergency assistance: A separate program for low-income households unable to secure home energy because of a weather-related or supply-shortage emergency, or financial difficulty. Human Service Zones may receive and process emergency requests at any time of year.
• Weatherization: Home improvements that reduce heating costs — insulation, window sealing, furnace repair or replacement. After LIHEAP approval, contact Community Action Partnership North Dakota to ask whether weatherization is available in your area. Weatherization can save hundreds per winter.

Who Qualifies

LIHEAP eligibility is based on household income and size. North Dakota sets the income limit at 60% of state median income and updates the household-size limits annually.

For kinship households, everyone living together and sharing heating costs counts as part of the household — including the kinship child. Adding a child to the household increases the household size, which raises the income limit and can increase the benefit amount.

Unlike child-only TANF, LIHEAP does not exclude the caregiver's income. Your Social Security, pension, wages, and other income are counted. But the thresholds are designed for low-income households, and many retired kinship caregivers fall within the limits.

How to Apply

Apply online through the Self-Service Portal, or through the Customer Support Center or your local Human Service Zone office. HHS's application checklist asks for:

• A completed LIHEAP application
• Income verification for the prior month, current month, and anticipated following month
• Verification of medical, childcare, and child support/alimony expenses paid during the last 12 months
• A copy of your heating bill
• A copy of your lease if you rent

LIHEAP applications are accepted year-round. If you have an energy-related emergency, such as a shutoff notice, no deliverable fuel, or a minor repair need, contact the Customer Support Center or your Human Service Zone about emergency assistance.

LIHEAP and Other Benefits

LIHEAP does not affect your eligibility for SNAP, TANF, Medicaid, or Kinship-ND. The benefit is not counted as income for other programs. Receiving LIHEAP also does not trigger child support enforcement or open a child welfare case.

For SNAP recipients, there is a connection worth knowing: an elderly or disabled household that receives more than $20 in LIHEAP benefits during the current month or prior 12 months may qualify for the Standard Utility Allowance (SUA). Other households may qualify for the SUA if they incur heating or cooling costs separately from rent or mortgage. The fixed allowance can increase the household's shelter deduction.

Fair Hearing Rights

If your LIHEAP application is denied, you have 30 days from the notice date to request a fair hearing. HHS Form SFN 162 may be emailed to [email protected] or delivered to your local Human Service Zone. If the agency takes no action on your application within 45 days, you can also request a hearing.

The Complete Resource Map

LIHEAP is one piece of the financial support system available to kinship caregivers in North Dakota. For the full walkthrough — TANF, Kinship-ND, SNAP, Medicaid, CCAP, and more — with application forms, document checklists, and a receipt tracker, see the North Dakota Kinship Financial Help Guide.

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