The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is a program to ensure low-income households have affordable, continuous, and safe home energy. In Minnesota, the program is known as the Energy Assistance Program, or EAP. EAP pays part of eligible households heating bills with a benefit called a Primary Heat benefit. The Primary Heat benefit is paid directly to the energy vendor. Households may also be eligible for additional money, called a Crisis benefit, to keep from being disconnected or to help them get reconnected. EAP Crisis benefits help households with low or no fuel to get fuel deliveries. EAP also helps homeowners to get broken heating systems repaired or replaced.

To be eligible for EAP, people must meet income and other eligibility requirements.

People apply for EAP at their local EAP agency. The program year runs from October 1st through May 31, or until funds run out. Applications are generally available for households to begin applying in September.

The amount of help EAP provides depends on the type of services and the household's size, income, and heating costs.

See 0017.06 (Excluded Income) and 0017.15.27 (Vendor Payments as Income) for information on how to treat EAP payments.

Local EAP agencies include community action councils and agencies, counties, non-profit agencies, and tribal governments. The list of EAP agencies by county or by Tribal Government is on the Energy Assistance Program Service Provider List web site.

For more information on EAP, call 1-800-657-3710.