Georgia’s Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, known as Georgia LIHEAP, pays part of your heating or cooling bill directly to your energy supplier if your household earns at or below 60 percent of the state median income. For federal fiscal year 2026, that cap is $34,549 a year for one person and $66,441 for a family of four.1LIHEAP Clearinghouse. Georgia State Median Income for FFY 2026 The Division of Family and Children Services (DFCS) runs the program through a network of local Community Action Agencies, and that’s where you apply.2Georgia Department of Human Services Division of Family & Children Services. Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
Who Qualifies
Three things have to be true at once: your gross household income is at or below 60 percent of Georgia’s state median income, you are responsible for paying the energy bill at your primary home, and you are a Georgia resident who is lawfully present in the United States.3Georgia Department of Human Services Division of Family & Children Services. Energy Assistance Eligibility Requirements
2026 Income Limits
Eligibility uses gross income before any deductions, and every dollar earned by every household member counts. The federal fiscal year 2026 caps are:1LIHEAP Clearinghouse. Georgia State Median Income for FFY 2026
- 1 person: $34,549
- 2 people: $45,179
- 3 people: $55,810
- 4 people: $66,441
- 5 people: $77,071
- 6 people: $87,702
Income is measured over the previous 30 days, not the previous year. If someone in your home earned more earlier in the year but recently lost hours or a job, current pay stubs reflect what the agency will use.
Residency and Lawful Presence
You apply through the Community Action Agency serving your county, and you must live in Georgia. Georgia law requires agencies distributing public benefits to verify lawful presence, and energy assistance is on the covered list.4Justia Law. Georgia Code 50-36-1 – Verification Requirements, Procedures, and Conditions You’ll show a secure and verifiable identity document and sign a sworn affidavit as part of applying.
Bill Responsibility
You have to be the person responsible for the energy bill at your primary residence. Renters whose heating or cooling is included in rent can still qualify, but the mechanics shift because the payment goes to the energy supplier rather than to the landlord.2Georgia Department of Human Services Division of Family & Children Services. Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
When to Apply
Georgia runs two cycles each year, heating and cooling, and both open early for a priority group before opening to everyone else.
The heating program opens on the first business day of December for residents aged 65 or older and those who are medically homebound. Everyone else can apply starting the first business day of January.2Georgia Department of Human Services Division of Family & Children Services. Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
The cooling program follows the same pattern. Priority applicants can apply on the first business day of April, and for 2026 general enrollment opened on May 1.5Georgia Department of Human Services. Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program for Cooling Is Open
Funding is capped. The state operates first-come, first-served, and once the annual allocation is spent, applications are closed regardless of eligibility.6Georgia Department of Human Services. Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program If you qualify for a priority window, use it.
What to Bring
Gather everything before you contact your local agency. One missing item can cost you weeks.
- Social Security numbers for every person living in the household, including children.
- Proof of income for the last 30 days for every household member aged 18 or older: pay stubs, Social Security award letters, pension statements, or unemployment documents.7Fulton Atlanta Community Action Authority. LIHEAP
- A Certification of Zero Income form for any adult with no income. It asks how you cover rent and other necessities and is signed under penalty of perjury.8Georgia Department of Community Affairs. Certification of Zero Income
- Your most recent heating and electric bills, with account numbers and provider name visible.
- A government-issued photo ID.
- Proof of address if your ID doesn’t match where you live now: a lease, mortgage statement, or similar document.
How to Apply
Applications are processed by local Community Action Agencies, not by DFCS directly. Find the one serving your county through the Georgia Environmental Finance Authority’s directory, or call the DFCS Community-Based Program Unit at 1-877-423-4746.9Georgia Environmental Finance Authority. Find a Community Action Agency
Most agencies schedule an appointment, either in person or by phone, where a specialist reviews your forms and verifies your documents. Some accept walk-ins or document drop-off, so call first to confirm how your local office handles intake. Once you submit, you’ll usually get a confirmation or tracking number. Review can take several weeks depending on volume and remaining funds, and you’ll get a written notice of approval or denial by mail.
What You Can Receive
Georgia LIHEAP offers three kinds of help, and approved households can receive more than one.2Georgia Department of Human Services Division of Family & Children Services. Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
Regular Bill Payment
The core benefit is a credit applied to your account by your energy supplier. You don’t get a check; the payment goes straight to the utility.5Georgia Department of Human Services. Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program for Cooling Is Open The amount depends on household size, income, and energy costs. Recent Georgia benefits have run $400 to $810 for heating and $400 to $500 for cooling.10LIHEAP Clearinghouse. LIHEAP Benefit Levels for Heating, Cooling, and Crisis
Crisis Assistance
If your service has been disconnected or will be within seven days for nonpayment, crisis assistance moves faster. The program’s goal is to restore or prevent disconnection within 48 hours of your application.11Georgia Department of Human Services. Georgia Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program Policy Manual Life-threatening situations, where a household member has a medical condition affected by loss of heating or cooling, get top priority. Crisis payments also go directly to the energy supplier.
Weatherization Referral
If your home has poor insulation, leaky windows, or an inefficient furnace, your Community Action Agency can refer you to the Georgia Weatherization Assistance Program during intake. Weatherization provides free improvements, such as insulation, air sealing, and furnace repair, that lower your long-term energy use. Its income cap is 200 percent of the federal poverty level, higher than LIHEAP’s, so most LIHEAP-eligible households also qualify. Priority goes to seniors, people with disabilities, and families with children.12Georgia Environmental Finance Authority. Weatherization Assistance Program
How LIHEAP Affects Taxes and SNAP
Federal law says LIHEAP payments are not income or resources for any purpose under federal or state law, including income tax, SNAP, public assistance, and other welfare programs.13Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 42 USC 8624 – Applications and Requirements You don’t report LIHEAP on your tax return, and it won’t cut your SNAP benefit. Because LIHEAP counts toward your shelter expenses for SNAP, it can actually raise your SNAP benefit by increasing your excess shelter deduction.
If Your Application Is Denied
You can request a fair hearing if your application is denied, if the agency takes too long to act, or if you think your benefit amount is wrong. You have 30 days from the denial notice to request one. An oral request is allowed to start the clock, but you must follow with a written request within 15 days.14Georgia Division of Family and Children Services. 700 Fair Hearing
Once you request a hearing, your Community Action Agency has three business days to review the record. If the agency sees an error, it can correct the case without a hearing. Otherwise, DFCS sends the case to the Office of State Administrative Hearings (OSAH), which must issue a decision within 90 days.14Georgia Division of Family and Children Services. 700 Fair Hearing
At the hearing you can represent yourself or bring a lawyer, relative, or anyone else to speak for you. You can review the documents the agency plans to use, present your own evidence, bring witnesses, and cross-examine anyone testifying against you. If the administrative law judge rules against you, you can appeal to the DHS Commissioner through the DHS Appeals Reviewer.