Senior Health Insurance Benefits Assistance (SHIBA)
Free, unbiased Medicare counseling in Oregon. Trained counselors go through your costs and choices with you, and they don't sell plans.
Utilities and phone
Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) in Oregon
Oregon's Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) makes a once-a-year payment to your utility, and can also help repair or replace an unsafe or broken heating system.
It is run through local community action agencies, and help is available all year; you don't need a shut-off notice. Customers of Pacific Power and Portland General Electric can also get help from the state's own Oregon Energy Assistance Program (OEAP).
How to apply in Oregon
- By phone
- 1-800-453-5511
- In person
- Apply through the community action agency for your county; OHCS links to a list of agencies by county. If you are homebound, you can ask to apply by phone or mail, or for a home visit.
Who may qualify in Oregon
| Gross income limit, one person (Program Year 2026, Oct. 1, 2025 to Sept. 30, 2026; the latest posted) | $3,198.75 a month ($38,385 a year) for one person (60% of state median income) |
|---|---|
| Gross income limit, two people (Program Year 2026, the latest posted) | $4,183 a month ($50,196 a year) for two people (60% of state median income) |
| Who can apply | Renters and homeowners with documented energy costs |
What you may get
| How the benefit works | A once-a-year payment, pledged straight to your utility, based on household size and income. No statewide dollar range is published. |
|---|---|
| Emergency help | LIHEAP can help prevent a shut-off or restore service, and can repair or replace an unsafe or broken heating system |
Dates, renewals and waiting lists
| When to apply | Year-round, through your county's agency. Funding is set county by county, so call the agency for your county. |
|---|
How Oregon is different
Where Oregon's rules differ from the federal rules for LIHEAP heating and cooling help.
- The state-funded Oregon Energy Assistance Program (OEAP) adds electric bill help for Pacific Power and Portland General Electric customers.
- Help is offered all year and doesn't require a shut-off notice or past-due bill.
- Homebound people can apply by phone, by mail or with a home visit.
Good to know
- Rules and dates can vary a little by county, because each local agency designs its own program.
- After approval it can take two or three billing cycles for the payment to show on your bill; keep paying what you can in the meantime.
Free help
Free help with this in Oregon
Aging and People with Disabilities
Your local Area Agency on Aging can help with meals, rides, help at home, caregiver support and applying for benefits.
More help in Oregon
Help with heating and cooling bills in another state
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Sources
- Oregon Housing and Community Services, Oregon Energy Assistance Programs (official government site). Checked Oct 28, 2026.
- Oregon Housing and Community Services, Energy Assistance: Frequently Asked Questions (official government site). Checked Oct 28, 2026.
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