Moratorium, general applications for heating help start November 1
Assistance with heating bills through the federal Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is available to help qualifying Iowa households pay part of their residential heating costs.
The application period for LIHEAP begins October 1, 2026, for households with a resident age 60 or older, a disabled resident, or those who are in housing crisis. Applications for all other renters and homeowners who fall within federal poverty guidelines will be accepted beginning November 1, 2026. The application period for everyone continues until April 30, 2027.
From November 1 to April 1, all Iowa electric and natural gas utilities observe a moratorium on service disconnections for qualifying utility customers via LIHEAP, administered by the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services. Customers facing hardship in paying for utility service can work with their local community action agency to apply for LIHEAP energy assistance funds, which also protects those customers’ households from utility disconnection.
Iowa Administrative Code rules require that electric and natural gas utilities do not disconnect service during the five-month period for households certified by a community action agency as eligible for LIHEAP or its companion weatherization assistance program. Additionally, customers who inform their electric or natural gas provider that they are applying for LIHEAP receive a 30-day stay of disconnection to allow that application to be processed by the customer’s community action agency.
Community action agencies in every county help Iowans apply for LIHEAP and disburse energy assistance funds.
The September 2, 2026, Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2027, maintains LIHEAP funding at fiscal year 2026 levels.
Beyond LIHEAP, Iowa law requires utilities to operate a fund that allows customers to voluntarily contribute money for deposit in a low-income heating assistance fund. These programs all assist low-income consumers with paying energy bills and paying for weatherization of their homes.
How To Apply
Information on LIHEAP and community action agencies is available on the Iowa HHS website, or find out more about how to apply on the LIHEAP webpage.
Applications are accepted through April 30. Visit your local community action outreach office to apply for LIHEAP and other programs. For assistance in finding your community action agency, call 515-776-8871.
LIHEAP is not designed to pay a household’s total energy costs. The program will provide supplemental assistance based on several factors, including total household income, household size, dwelling type, and type of heating fuel.
Use the LIHEAP eligibility tool to see if your household is eligible for LIHEAP assistance by providing basic information such as income and household size.
Qualified applicants
If you qualify for LIHEAP, your utility company will be notified. You will then be eligible for protection from disconnection of your heating service for nonpayment during Iowa’s annual winter disconnection moratorium.
A LIHEAP payment is made directly to your utility or heating fuel vendor, with limited exceptions for applicants whose heating source is included in their rental payments.
Although qualified applicants cannot be disconnected for nonpayment during the moratorium period, the IUC recommends LIHEAP-certified customers continue paying toward their energy bills to avoid accumulating high debt and facing potential utility service disconnection once the moratorium period ends.
Residents may be eligible for LIHEAP if:
- household income is 200% or below the Office of Management and Budget’s federal poverty guidelines
- household has an energy burden
- residents can verify citizenship status for all household members.