$5.2 Million Approved for Energy Assistance to Low-Income Illinois Families

With higher home energy costs stretching Illinois household budgets, the Illinois Energy Assistance Act now allows the Supplemental Low-Income Energy Assistance Fund to prevent utility shutoffs and provide a onetime benefit of up to $100 to households. Utility companies that suspend disconnection during the winter are now disconnecting services for some households. The Illinois General Assembly and Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich approved an additional $5.2 million in funding. State Rep. Marlow Colvin (D-Chicago) and State Sen. Kwame Raoul (D-Chicago) led efforts in the General Assembly to amend the Illinois Energy Assistance Act to provide the supplemental funding.

Illinois automatically applies supplemental payments from the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) (funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the State of Illinois) to utility accounts in the amount of $50, $75, or $100, depending on the household’s income and size. Low-income households that are facing imminent disconnection and have not already received a benefit to have their service restored may apply for extra help at LIHEAP offices throughout the state. For more information, go to http://neaap.ncat.org/programs/index.htm and select a state to find a listing of its low-income energy programs, including website links, e-mail addresses, and area-code-800 phone numbers.