CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The West Virginia Department of Human Services announced applications for the Emergency Low Income Energy Assistance Program will be accepted from June 8 through June 26, 2026, or until funds are exhausted.
The federally funded program assists eligible state residents in paying home heating or cooling bills. Residents whose primary heating and cooling source is gas or electricity must provide a termination notice or a past due utility bill when applying for ELIEAP. Households using other primary heating sources or bulk fuel may qualify for assistance if their heating fuel levels are critically low during the application period.
Households that received a direct payment through the regular Low Income Energy Assistance Program must verify that the benefit was used for home heating expenses. Applicants must submit a current receipt equal to the amount of LIEAP assistance received along with their ELIEAP application. Failure to provide verification of payment will result in denial of the application.
Eligibility for ELIEAP is based on household income, household size and responsibility for paying home heating or cooling costs. To qualify, households must meet all program requirements and be experiencing an energy emergency that could disrupt their primary heating or cooling source if assistance is not provided.
The income limit for fiscal year 2026 is 60 percent of the state median income. The maximum allowable gross income levels for ELIEAP fiscal year 2026 are listed below:
For each additional household member, add $688. Households whose countable income exceeds the maximum allowable amount are not eligible for assistance. Certain types of income may be excluded when determining ELIEAP eligibility.
Residents must apply in person at their local DoHS office. A directory of local offices is available at dohs.wv.gov/field-offices. Applications will be processed while funding remains available.
