On Dec. 1, the Cumberland County Department of Social Services will begin accepting applications for the North Carolina Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LIEAP) to help qualified families with their heating costs. The federally funded program provides a one-time vendor payment to help eligible households pay their heating bills.
Households including a person age 60 or older or disabled persons receiving services through the N.C. Division of Aging and Adult Services are eligible to sign up for assistance from Dec. 1-31. Disabled persons are defined as receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Social Security Administration (SSA), or Veterans Administration (VA) disability.
All other households may apply from Jan. 4 through March 31 or until funds are exhausted.
Pandemic LIEAP Automated Payments Announced
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services announced Nov. 30 that it will issue an automated payment for eligible seniors and people with disabilities who received LIEAP benefits last year (2019-2020). These benefits will be paid directly to their energy vendor. The traditional application process will be eliminated for elderly and disabled individuals who normally are required to apply for LIEAP funds.
Eligible households may qualify to receive the Pandemic LIEAP Automated Payments for the 2020-2021 season if a member of the household:
- is age 60 or older or a person with a disability receiving DAAS services, and
- is currently receiving Food and Nutrition services, and
- received LIEAP during the 2019-2020 season.
Requirements
To be eligible for the LIEAP program, a household must:
- Have at least one U.S. citizen or non-citizen who meets the eligibility criteria
- Have income equal to or less than 130% of the federal poverty limit
- Have resources, such as saving and checking accounts and cash on hand, at or below $2,250
- Be responsible for their heating cost
The following verifications must be provided to determine eligibility:
- Identification for the applicant
- Social Security numbers for all household members
- Copy the heating bill
- Proof of gross income received in the prior month
- Proof of childcare expenses and legal support obligations paid in prior months
Since the Cumberland County DSS building remains closed to the public, applications can be accessed at http://www.ccdssnc.com/energy-assistance-programs/ and may be returned by:
- fax to (910) 677-2885
- email to
- mail to PO Box 2429, Fayetteville, NC 28302
- drop off at CCDSS drop boxes at 1225 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, NC 28301.
Households that include a Native American who is 18 years of age or older residing in Cumberland County, who wish to apply for LIEAP benefits, must do so through the Lumbee Tribe at https://www.lumbeetribe.com/services .
For more information, contact the DSS LIEAP message line at 910-677-2821 or the Cumberland County Department of Social Services at 910-323-1540.