If you live in Contra Costa County and need help paying a gas or electric bill, the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is handled locally by the county’s Community Services Bureau in Concord. Approved households receive a one-time credit paid directly to their utility account, with California benefits ranging from $94 to $1,500 depending on your situation and whether you’re in a crisis.1The LIHEAP Clearinghouse. LIHEAP Benefit Levels for Heating, Cooling, and Crisis: States and Territories Eligibility turns on household size and gross monthly income.
2026 Income Limits for Contra Costa County
Your total gross monthly household income has to fall under the state cap, which California sets at 60% of the state median income. Everyone living in the home counts toward both household size and income.2California Department of Community Services and Development. LIHEAP Income Eligibility For the 2026 program year, the monthly caps are:3Employment and Human Services Department. 2026 LIHEAP Application Packet
- 1 person: $3,331
- 2 people: $4,356
- 3 people: $5,382
- 4 people: $6,407
- 5 people: $7,432
- 6 people: $8,457
For larger households, add roughly $192 per additional person. Income means gross pay before deductions and includes wages, Social Security, SSI, CalWORKs, pensions, and any other money coming in. If utilities are bundled into your rent, you can still apply as long as you can show that part of your rent covers energy costs.
What the Benefit Actually Pays For
California’s LIHEAP has two parts. The Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) is the standard one-time payment toward gas, electricity, propane, wood, or other heating and cooling fuels. The payment goes straight to your energy provider and appears as a credit on your next bill. You will not receive cash.4California Department of Community Services and Development. Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program
The second part, the Energy Crisis Intervention Program (ECIP), is for households facing an immediate emergency: a 24-to-48-hour disconnect notice, service already shut off, or a dangerous problem like a malfunctioning heating appliance.4California Department of Community Services and Development. Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program Crisis benefits can reach up to $1,500 in California.1The LIHEAP Clearinghouse. LIHEAP Benefit Levels for Heating, Cooling, and Crisis: States and Territories If you’re in that situation, flag it when you submit your packet so staff can route it as a crisis case.
Documents to Gather Before You Start
Incomplete packets get set aside until the missing pieces come in, so pull everything together first. You’ll need:
- A valid government-issued ID for the primary applicant.
- Social Security cards for every household member.
- Gross income documentation for the most recent 30-day period for every adult. Pay stubs, Social Security award letters, SSI statements, CalWORKs documents, pension statements, or a signed statement of zero income all work.
- All pages of your most recent PG&E bill or other energy provider statement, including the account number.
- Your 24-to-48-hour disconnect notice, if you have one.
The CSD 43 Energy Intake Form is the formal application. Make sure the income figures you write on it match your supporting documents exactly.5San Joaquin County Human Services Agency. CSD 43 Energy Intake Form
How and Where to Apply
All applications in Contra Costa County go through the Community Services Bureau:6CSB CONNECT. Utility Assistance
Contra Costa County Home Energy Assistance Program
1470 Civic Court, Suite 200
Concord, CA 94520
Phone: (925) 655-0960
Fax: (925) 229-6784
Email: csbheap@ehsd.cccounty.us
You can submit a completed packet by mail, email, fax, or in person at the Concord office. The bureau no longer offers walk-in help filling out applications, but you can pick up blank packets there. You can also apply online at CALIHEAPApply.com or download the packet from the county’s website.6CSB CONNECT. Utility Assistance
One capacity detail matters a lot: the bureau processes up to 250 completed applications per month. If they hit that cap before yours comes in, your application rolls over to the following month.6CSB CONNECT. Utility Assistance Submitting early in the month, with every document attached, gives you the best chance of landing in the current batch.
Who Gets Processed First
Funding is limited and the county prioritizes households with the greatest energy burden. You move up the list if anyone in your home is 60 or older, has a disability, or is a child under six.7California Department of Community Services and Development. Residential Energy Efficiency Federal law also gives priority to households with the highest energy costs relative to income.8Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 42 USC 8624 – Applications and Requirements
Each eligible household member must be a U.S. citizen or qualified non-citizen (green card holders, refugees, asylees, and certain other categories). If some members of your household don’t qualify, the eligible members can still receive help; the benefit gets prorated by how many members are eligible, though everyone’s income still counts toward the income calculation.9Administration for Children and Families. LIHEAP Assistance for Eligible Household Members Residing with Ineligible Household Members
After You Submit
Processing takes several weeks once the bureau has a complete packet. Staff verify income, confirm your utility account, and check eligibility. Anything missing or mismatched will stall the file while they reach out for corrections.
You’ll get a written decision. If approved, the credit posts to your utility account during the next billing cycle. If denied, the notice explains why and tells you how to appeal.
If You’re Denied
You have the right to file a written appeal with the Community Services Bureau, and the agency must review it within 15 days of receiving it. If the outcome still isn’t right, you can escalate to the California Department of Community Services and Development.5San Joaquin County Human Services Agency. CSD 43 Energy Intake Form The most common denial reasons are missing documents or income that slightly exceeds the limit. Both are worth challenging if you think there’s an error.
Stack LIHEAP With PG&E’s CARE and FERA Discounts
LIHEAP is a one-time credit. The ongoing savings come from PG&E’s discount programs, and if you qualify for LIHEAP you almost certainly qualify for the California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE) program, which gives roughly a 38% discount on electricity and 20% on natural gas every month.10Pacific Gas and Electric Company. California Alternate Rates for Energy Program LIHEAP enrollment is itself a qualifying program for CARE. CARE’s income limits are higher than LIHEAP’s, so even a denied LIHEAP application doesn’t rule out the rate discount.
Households of three or more whose income is just above the CARE limit may qualify for the Family Electric Rate Assistance (FERA) program, which gives an 18% discount on electricity. CARE and FERA share one application, and PG&E checks eligibility for both.10Pacific Gas and Electric Company. California Alternate Rates for Energy Program Over a full year, that monthly discount can be worth more than a single LIHEAP credit, so apply for both.