CHEYENNE, Wyo. – Concerned about paying winter heating bills? The Wyoming Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LIEAP) is opening its application season on Sept. 2 for priority households, offering a crucial lifeline to help manage winter utility bills and heating emergencies.

Who can apply early? 

This early application period is specifically for seniors aged 60 and over, families with children 5 and under, and individuals with disabilities. This head start ensures Wyoming’s most vulnerable residents get help before winter arrives. Applications will open to all other eligible Wyoming households beginning on Oct. 1, and will be accepted until April 30, 2026. Apply at lieapwyo.org or call (800) 246-4221.

What does LIEAP cover?

LIEAP helps eligible households pay a portion of winter heating bills for natural gas, electricity, propane, coal, wood, and other fuel types. The program also offers crisis assistance to address heating emergencies, such as a broken furnace, an empty fuel tank, or a pending utility disconnection. The Weatherization Assistance Program helps improve your home’s energy efficiency through insulation, sealing leaks, and other measures.

How to qualify?

Households must meet LIEAP income requirements, with a limit of up to 60% of the state’s median income. For instance, a four-person household must have an annual income of $68,902 or less. The program helps both homeowners and renters, including those in permanently parked RVs. WAP uses different income guidelines than LIEAP.

When are bills eligible to be paid?

Once an application is approved, LIEAP will send the energy assistance benefit directly to the fuel supplier. Payments for unregulated fuels—such as propane, pellets, wood, heating oil, and coal—are eligible starting Oct. 1. Payments for regulated heating sources, including natural gas and electricity, begin on Nov. 1. Please note that invoices dated before these start dates are not eligible for payment.

Crisis benefits for disconnections, empty or nearly empty fuel tanks, required deposits, etc., are available starting Oct. 1. Crisis benefit notices must be dated within the last 30 days to qualify.

Don’t wait—apply as soon as you’re eligible at lieapwyo.org or call (800) 246-4221.

Last season, LIEAP distributed an estimated $6.1 million in assistance to help 8,236 Wyoming households stay warm.

LIEAP receives federal funding through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and is administered by the Wyoming Department of Family Services.