State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP)
Free, unbiased Medicare counseling in South Carolina. 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 South Carolina
South Carolina's Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) helps pay heating and cooling bills through the Community Action Agency in your county.
Each agency takes applications, decides who qualifies and pays your energy company directly, and help depends on the money available. The state office does not take applications itself.
How to apply in South Carolina
- In person
- Apply at the Community Action Agency that serves your county. The state's Find Help page lists each agency, with phone numbers and office addresses, by county. Bring proof of citizenship, a government ID showing you live in South Carolina, 30 days of income for every adult, and an energy bill in an adult's name.
Who may qualify in South Carolina
| Yearly income limit, one person (program year not stated on the page) | $31,993 a year for one person (60% of state median income) |
|---|---|
| Yearly income limit, two people (program year not stated on the page) | $41,837 a year ($3,486.42 a month) for two people (60% of state median income) |
| Need at the time you apply | You must have a current need, such as an energy bill due, in the name of an adult in the household |
Source: South Carolina Office of Economic Opportunity (source 1)
What you may get
| How much help | Depends on income, energy costs or need, past help and available funds. Local agencies may set a lower maximum than the state's or limit how often you can get help. No dollar range is published. |
|---|---|
| Energy emergencies | Local agencies may put energy emergencies first when money is short |
Source: South Carolina Office of Economic Opportunity (source 1)
Dates, renewals and waiting lists
| When to apply | No statewide dates are published; contact your county's Community Action Agency. Help stops when the year's funds run out. |
|---|
Source: South Carolina Office of Economic Opportunity (source 1)
How South Carolina is different
Where South Carolina's rules differ from the federal rules for LIHEAP heating and cooling help.
- Every application goes through a local Community Action Agency, which can set stricter limits on how often you get help or how much.
Source: South Carolina Office of Economic Opportunity (source 1)
Good to know
- If you are denied or treated unfairly, you can appeal to the Community Action Agency, and then in writing to the Office of Economic Opportunity, Attention: Legal Counsel, 1205 Pendleton Street, Suite 355, Columbia, SC 29201.
Source: South Carolina Office of Economic Opportunity (source 1)
Free help
Free help with this in South Carolina
South Carolina Department on Aging (SCDOA)
Your local Area Agency on Aging can help with meals, rides, help at home, caregiver support and applying for benefits.
More help in South Carolina
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
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Sources
- South Carolina Office of Economic Opportunity, Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) (official government site). Checked Oct 28, 2026.
- South Carolina Office of Economic Opportunity, Find Help (local agencies by county) (official government site). Checked Oct 28, 2026.
- South Carolina Office of Economic Opportunity, Contact (official government site). Checked Oct 28, 2026.
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