Federal Shutdown Threatens Heating Assistance for North Carolinians
Residents of Western North Carolina who depend on the Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LIEAP) for heating bill support may face disruptions as November ends. The ongoing federal shutdown, now in its 42nd day and the longest in U.S. history, could delay crucial funding for this program.
The federally-funded initiative assists over 200,000 households in North Carolina. Applications for the program are divided into two categories.
From December 1 to 31, priority is given to individuals aged 60 or older and those with disabilities receiving support from the state’s Division of Aging and Adult Services. Eligible households must have incomes at least 150% above the poverty line. For example, a single-person household earning $23,475 annually meets this criterion.
Other low-income families can apply from January 1 to March 31, with eligibility limited to those earning 130% of the poverty line, approximately $20,345 per year for a single-person household.
In Buncombe County, 1,529 households benefited from LIEAP last year, with 221 being elderly or disabled, according to Kimberly Fullerton, who administers the program for the county’s health and human services department.
LIEAP offers a one-time payment to utility providers like Duke Energy or French Broad Electric to help qualified families manage their heating expenses.
Summer Tonizzo, senior media relations manager for the NC Department of Health and Human Services, informed BPR via email that households in the elderly or disabled category might automatically qualify for assistance again this year.
“If the government shutdown continues, no additional funding will be available, and new applications will not be accepted,” Tonizzo stated. “Only those who are pre-approved will receive assistance.”
County officials have indicated that without a new federal budget, there will be no further funding available.
