Kentucky households that want help paying for heat have a short window for the regular benefit. The state’s Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, or LIHEAP, runs its heating subsidy only in November and December, and a separate crisis component does not open until early January.

The program is federally funded, and the Cabinet for Health and Family Services says it helps roughly 150,000 families with heating bills each winter. Anyone who might apply can look at the rules now, before the November start.

When does the Kentucky heating subsidy run?

The Cabinet’s LIHEAP page says the subsidy component runs in November and December. It helps households at or below 130% of the federal poverty level pay home heating costs, with the payment made either directly or as a part of rent.

The state contracts with Community Action Agencies across Kentucky, and those agencies take the applications and provide the benefits. The Cabinet receives the federal money and passes it through.

What is the asset limit?

Liquid resources generally cannot exceed $2,000. A household with a member who has a catastrophic illness may have up to $4,000, if those assets go toward medical and living expenses.

Both the income test and the resource test apply. A retiree with a modest Social Security check but a larger savings balance can be turned away on the second test.

What do applicants need to bring?

The Cabinet lists the documents an applicant should have ready:

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• Recent utility bills, with account numbers and names, for all heating fuel and electric sources
• A recent payroll stub or other proof of current gross income
• Proof of income from sources such as Social Security, unemployment, pensions or disability; Social Security benefits can be verified through the my Social Security website
• A final utility termination notice, if one was received
• Proof of current address, such as an unopened piece of mail, rent receipt, lease, deed or property tax bill
• Proof of household size, such as birth certificates or school records
• Social Security cards or numbers for everyone in the household
• Proof of U.S. citizenship or permanent residence

The Cabinet’s public inquiry line is (800) 456-3452, and the Office of Inspector General fraud hotline is (800) 372-2970.

What happens after December?

The crisis component operates from early January until the middle of March, or until all funds are expended. Applicants must meet the same income and resource limits and be in one of three situations.

• Facing imminent loss of heating energy, shown by a utility disconnect notice
• Having four or fewer days of fuel oil, propane, kerosene, wood or coal
• Having received an eviction notice for unpaid rent, where heating costs are included in the rent

Households at or above 75% of the poverty level must pay a co-payment toward the minimum amount needed to resolve the crisis. Because crisis money can run out before mid-March, a household that waits for January has less certainty than one that applies in the first window.

Is there help with cooling too?

A cooling component is offered only when additional federal or state funds are available. It provides a one-time payment to the household’s electric cooling provider.

The state may also provide air conditioners to households without one that include a member who has a health condition or disability requiring cooling, verified by a physician statement, who is 65 or older, or who is younger than 6. Those households must also meet the general eligibility requirements. Cooling does not affect this winter’s decisions, but it shows that the program has more than one part.

What does the state page not say?

The Cabinet’s page gives the program’s months but does not publish exact opening dates or benefit amounts for the 2026-27 season. A household that needs to know the date its local agency starts taking applications should call that agency or the Cabinet’s inquiry line.

The open question for most older Kentuckians is simple: is the household inside the 130% income line and under the $2,000 resource line before the November window closes at the end of December?

Can a Kentucky household still get heating help before December ends?

Kentucky’s heating subsidy runs only in November and December, and crisis aid does not open until early January, so a household that misses the first window may go weeks with a heating bill and no benefit.

The Senior Property Tax & Home-Cost Relief Kit covers heating, cooling and home-repair help for older homeowners, including the heat and power programs in Part 5, “Utilities and Home Costs.” It is built so the right program is easy to find before a window closes.

Get the Kentucky heating-help guide before the December window closes →

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This article was produced with AI assistance and edited for accuracy against the sources linked above.