West Virginia residents who need help paying home heating bills can now apply for federal assistance through the state Department of Health and Human Resources.
Starting Monday, the department began accepting applications for the Emergency Low Income Energy Assistance Program. The federally funded program is used to assist people who have trouble paying utility bills.
Eligibility for the program is based on income, household size and whether or not the household is responsible for paying its heating bill. Household income, whether it is one person or 10, must be at or below 130 percent of the federal poverty line.
To qualify, the household must meet all program guidelines and be in a situation where the primary heating source could be disrupted.
Residents who use gas or electric to heat their homes must provide a shut-off notice when applying for the program. Those who heat their home through other sources can still qualify if their fuel is running out.
Households that have received payments must verify that program benefits are used to pay for heating by submitting a receipt with their application. Failure to do so may result in application denial.
Program funds will be distributed until they are exhausted. To apply, residents must go to their local DHHR office.