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Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) in Arkansas
Arkansas LIHEAP helps pay winter heating bills and summer electric bills, with crisis help if you have a shut-off notice or are running out of fuel.
You apply through the community-based organization that serves your county, first come, first served, and older adults may be let in up to 30 days before everyone else.
How to apply in Arkansas
- In person
- Apply at the community-based organization (usually a community action agency) that serves the county where you live. The Arkansas Energy Office's LIHEAP page has a county map with each agency's address, phone number and website. You can print the sample application from that page and start filling it out first. Do not send your application to the Arkansas Energy Office; it does not process applications.
Who may qualify in Arkansas
| Monthly income limit, one person (federal fiscal year 2026 chart; the 2027 chart is not posted yet) | $2,347 a month for one person (based on state median income) |
|---|---|
| Monthly income limit, two people (federal fiscal year 2026 chart) | $3,070 a month for two people |
| Income limit basis for 2026–27 (proposed FY 2027 plan) | 60% of state median income for households of 1 to 7 people; 150% of the federal poverty level for 8 or more |
| If utilities are in your rent | Bring your lease to show you have an energy cost. Subsidized households that have utilities in their rent and get no utility bill may not be eligible. |
| What to bring | A photo ID, Social Security cards for everyone 18 or older (numbers for children), proof of last month's income or a Social Security benefit statement for everyone 18 or older, and your latest utility bills |
What you may get
| Heating help, estimated range (proposed FY 2027 plan) | $70 to $665, depending on income, household size and fuel type |
|---|---|
| Cooling help, estimated range (proposed FY 2027 plan) | $70 to $401 |
| Crisis help, maximum (proposed FY 2027 plan) | Up to $700 in winter and up to $700 in summer, for a shut-off notice or disconnection, a past-due bill, a life-threatening health situation, low propane or fuel oil the supplier won't deliver without payment, a prepaid meter running out, or a heating system that doesn't work |
Dates, renewals and waiting lists
| Heating season (proposed FY 2027 plan) | Starts the first Monday after New Year's Day and ends the last business day in April. Regular (non-crisis) help ends the last business day in March. |
|---|---|
| Cooling season (proposed FY 2027 plan) | Starts the first Monday after the Fourth of July and ends the last business day in September. Regular (non-crisis) help ends the last business day in August. |
| Early sign-up for older adults (proposed FY 2027 plan) | Local agencies may start taking applications from people 60 or older, people with disabilities and homes with children under 6 up to 30 days before the season opens to everyone |
| If funding changes | The Energy Office may raise or lower benefit amounts, shorten or extend the season, or add extra benefits depending on how much LIHEAP money arrives |
How Arkansas is different
Where Arkansas's rules differ from the federal rules for LIHEAP heating and cooling help.
- Priority enrollment: people 60 or older can apply up to 30 days before the general opening
- Applications are taken first come, first served in two short windows: heating from early January and cooling from early July
- Applicants with no heat source or with a broken heating system can be referred to the weatherization program as an emergency
Good to know
- Arkansas LIHEAP never charges a fee to apply. The Energy Office has a fraud reporting form on its LIHEAP page.
- The state's LIHEAP page says applications are typically taken from January to April 30 and from July to Sept. 30. Call your local agency for its exact dates.
Source: Arkansas Energy Office, Arkansas Department of Energy and Environment (source 1)
Free help
Free help with this in Arkansas
Division of Aging, Adult, and Behavioral Health Services
Your local Area Agency on Aging can help with meals, rides, help at home, caregiver support and applying for benefits.
More help in Arkansas
Help with heating and cooling bills in another state
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
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- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
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- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
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- New Mexico
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- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Sources
- Arkansas Energy Office, Arkansas Department of Energy and Environment, Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) (official government site). Checked Oct 28, 2026.
- Arkansas Energy Office, FFY 2026 Arkansas LIHEAP Eligibility Chart (official government site). Checked Oct 28, 2026.
- Arkansas Energy Office, LIHEAP brochure: Get Help Paying Your Utility Bills in 3 Easy Steps (2026) (official government site). Checked Oct 28, 2026.
- Arkansas Energy Office, Proposed FY 2027 LIHEAP Model Plan (official government site). Checked Oct 28, 2026.
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