LIHEAP Illinois: Utility Bill Assistance and Income Eligibility

For customers of several major Illinois utilities, the income ceiling has expanded significantly. Other households still fall under a separate federal income standard. That means an old LIHEAP chart found online may give someone the wrong idea about whether they can qualify.

LIHEAP helps eligible Illinois households pay part of their home energy bills. Applications are handled through local administering agencies, while the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity oversees the program.

Residents can review the state's current LIHEAP Illinois application and eligibility information before applying.

97 Options is an independent energy comparison service. It does not administer Illinois LIHEAP, decide eligibility, or issue public-assistance benefits.

Illinois Changed Who May Qualify in 2026–27

For Program Year 2027, Illinois expanded eligibility for customers served by several major investor-owned utilities.

Households served by:

• Ameren Illinois

• ComEd

• Nicor Gas

• North Shore Gas

• Peoples Gas

may qualify under an income ceiling of up to 300% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines, depending on the applicable program rules.

For these households, eligibility is generally based on the household's gross income during the 30 days before applying.

Current PY2027 limits are:

Last reviewed: October 2026

This expansion is one of the biggest changes to LIHEAP Illinois eligibility this program year.

It also means households that did not qualify under older income guidelines should not automatically assume they are still ineligible.

Why You May See a Different Illinois LIHEAP Income Table

Illinois now has an important second eligibility track.

The higher 300% Federal Poverty Guidelines limit applies to customers covered through the applicable state-funded utility structure described above.

Households served by energy vendors using federal LIHEAP funding can remain subject to a limit based on 60% of Illinois State Median Income.

Current 60% SMI figures used by local administering agencies include:

So the most useful question is not simply:

“What is the Illinois LIHEAP income limit?”

It is:

“Which income standard applies to my utility or energy vendor?”

Applicants should confirm that point with the local agency handling their application before deciding they are over the limit.

October Is a Priority Month — November Opens More Broadly

Illinois does not open every Program Year 2027 application on the same day.

Beginning October 1, 2026, applications opened for households with higher-priority circumstances, including households where:

• Someone is age 60 or older

• A household member has a disability

• A child is 5 years old or younger

• Utility service has already been disconnected

• Disconnection is scheduled within 7 days

• A propane tank has fallen below 25%

Beginning November 1, 2026, other income-eligible households can apply.

The current program year is scheduled to continue through August 13, 2027, or until available funding is exhausted.

This phased opening matters. Someone who is not in a priority group in October should not interpret that as being ineligible for the entire season.

Start With Help Illinois Families — Your Local Agency Handles the Case

Illinois uses a local-agency model.

Residents can begin through Help Illinois Families and submit a request for energy assistance. The household is then connected with the local administering agency responsible for its county or service area.

That local agency reviews the application, confirms documentation, determines eligibility, and calculates the appropriate benefit.

If a household submits a normal request and does not hear from an agency after about three weeks, the state advises contacting the local agency directly.

Emergencies should be treated differently.

If electricity or gas has already been disconnected, a shutoff is approaching, or a household is running critically low on delivered fuel, applicants should contact the local agency promptly rather than simply waiting for the normal online-request process to move forward.

Your Last 30 Days of Income Matter

Illinois does not simply look at a yearly salary figure in every case.

For current LIHEAP eligibility, applicants should expect to document gross household income for the previous 30 days.

Depending on the household, supporting information may include:

• Recent pay stubs

• Social Security or pension income

• Unemployment income

• Public-benefit documentation

• Other household income records

• Recent electric or heating bills

• Social Security or ITIN information when available

• A lease when heat is included in rent

Applicants who do not have a Social Security number or ITIN should not automatically assume they cannot apply. The local administering agency can explain what documentation is required for the household's circumstances.

Preparing the documents before starting can make the process smoother and reduce requests for missing information later.

Rent Includes Heat? You May Still Have a LIHEAP Route

Not having a utility bill in your own name does not automatically rule out Illinois energy assistance.

Some renters have heating costs included in their monthly rent instead of receiving a separate gas, electric, or fuel bill.

Illinois allows certain households in this situation to apply.

The renter may need a lease showing:

• That utilities or heat are included

• The monthly rent amount

• Landlord information

Eligibility can also depend on the relationship between rent and household income.

When an eligible renter does not pay an energy vendor directly, the LIHEAP benefit may be issued differently from a normal vendor payment. It can potentially be paid directly to the eligible household.

This is why renters should explain the actual heating arrangement instead of assuming that the absence of a separate utility account makes them ineligible.

A LIHEAP Payment Does Not Work Like a Monthly Discount

Traditional Illinois LIHEAP assistance generally provides a one-time benefit rather than a fixed payment every month.

For a household that pays an electric, gas, propane, or other qualifying energy company directly, the benefit is normally sent to the appropriate energy vendor.

The actual benefit amount depends on the current payment schedule and household circumstances.

Illinois considers factors such as:

• Income

• Household size

• Energy source

• Utility or fuel provider

• Household energy costs

• Available program funding

Older websites may publish specific LIHEAP minimums or maximums from previous program years. Those amounts should not automatically be treated as the PY2027 benefit schedule.

Disconnected, Facing Shutoff, or Low on Propane?

Illinois has a separate Reconnection Assistance pathway for qualifying energy emergencies.

A household may fall into a crisis category when:

• Utility service is already disconnected

• Disconnection is scheduled within 7 days

• A delivered-fuel company will not make another delivery

• A propane tank is at 25% capacity or less

The distinction matters because emergency cases move on a faster timeline than ordinary applications.

Illinois generally requires completed crisis applications to be acted on within 48 hours.

A qualifying life-threatening energy crisis may require action within 18 hours.

That faster standard does not mean every cold-weather application automatically receives assistance in 18 hours. The state can consider conditions such as freezing temperatures, whether other utility protections apply, and whether the household has another safe heating option.

If someone has no safe heat, that should be clearly explained to the local agency.

A Broken Furnace Has a Different Assistance Path

A utility payment cannot solve every heating problem.

For qualifying homeowners, Illinois also provides Furnace Assistance in certain cases involving an unsafe or nonworking heating system.

Depending on the situation, funding, and program requirements, assistance may involve repairing the heating system or restoring safe heat through replacement.

This program is generally intended for eligible homeowners.

For renters, responsibility for repairing the heating system normally involves the landlord rather than treating Furnace Assistance as a substitute for required property maintenance.

The exact Program Year 2027 furnace-assistance availability and deadline should be confirmed with the local administering agency, because older closing dates are still visible on some state materials.

PIPP Exists, but New Applications Are Currently Closed

Illinois residents may also come across the Percentage of Income Payment Plan (PIPP) while searching for utility help.

PIPP is different from a one-time LIHEAP benefit.

Under its normal structure, eligible participants make monthly payments connected to household income while receiving energy assistance and, where applicable, opportunities to reduce arrears by maintaining required payments.

However, new PIPP enrollment is currently closed because of limited funding.

The Illinois Commerce Commission's current utility energy-assistance information provides updates on PIPP and the newer utility-discount programs.

Existing PIPP participants may still have responsibilities related to recertification or continued participation, but someone searching for assistance today should not assume PIPP is currently open to new applicants.

LIHEAP Can Now Lead to Monthly Utility Discounts

This is one of the biggest changes in Illinois energy assistance.

The one-time LIHEAP benefit is no longer the only significant affordability program available to many customers of major Illinois utilities.

Newer Low-Income Discount programs can reduce qualifying monthly electric or natural-gas charges.

In many cases, a household that qualifies for LIHEAP can also be connected with the applicable utility discount.

This can make a major difference because a monthly discount addresses ongoing affordability rather than only reducing one seasonal balance.

ComEd Customers Have a New Income-Based Discount

ComEd's Low-Income Discount Program launched in 2026 and is available to qualifying customers with household income up to 300% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines.

The program uses different income tiers.

Lower-income households generally receive the largest discounts, while higher eligible income tiers receive smaller reductions.

Eligible LIHEAP households can be connected with the discount through assistance-program information. In contrast, certain households that are above standard LIHEAP eligibility but still below the broader utility-discount ceiling may have another route to enrollment.

That distinction is important:

Failing to qualify for a LIHEAP payment does not always mean a ComEd customer is too high-income for every available discount.

Ameren Illinois Uses a Different Affordability Model

Ameren Illinois customers have their own electricity affordability program.

The Electric Service Discount began for the current program year and looks at information such as:

• Household income

• Household size

• Whether electricity is used for space heating

• Overall energy burden

For qualifying customers, affordability targets differ depending on whether electricity is the main space-heating source.

Applicants should not assume that a ComEd discount percentage will be the same as an Ameren benefit. Each utility operates under its own approved program structure.

Natural-Gas Discounts Can Be Significant

Major Illinois gas utilities now also have income-based discounts.

These include:

• Nicor Gas

• Peoples Gas

• North Shore Gas

• Ameren Illinois Gas

Discount percentages vary by household income and utility.

At the lowest qualifying income levels, current approved discounts can be substantial. At the upper end of the expanded eligibility range, qualifying households may receive a smaller discount such as 5%.

This gives households another reason to look beyond the traditional one-time LIHEAP payment.

Over the LIHEAP Limit? Do Not Stop at the Income Table

This may be the most useful point for households who previously assumed they earn too much for energy assistance.

Illinois specifically recognizes that some customers who do not qualify for a LIHEAP benefit may still qualify for their utility's Low-Income Discount program.

For certain utilities, households with income between 201% and 300% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines may be able to qualify for a higher income tier through utility verification or self-certification procedures.

So if the local LIHEAP agency says the household is above the applicable LIHEAP limit, ask a second question:

“Does my electric or gas utility have a separate low-income discount for my income level?”

That can lead to a different answer.

Weatherization Uses Its Own Income Rules

The Illinois Home Weatherization Assistance Program (IHWAP) is designed to reduce energy waste and improve home efficiency.

It should not be confused with the new 300% FPL utility-assistance ceiling.

IHWAP uses its own eligibility standards, generally based on 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines, along with additional funding-source and categorical eligibility rules.

The program can help eligible households with improvements intended to make a home safer and more energy efficient.

Depending on the property and energy assessment, work can involve measures related to:

• Insulation

• Air leakage

• Heating systems

• Energy efficiency

• Health and safety concerns

Current eligibility and program information is available through the state's Illinois Home Weatherization Assistance Program.

Receiving LIHEAP can sometimes help establish categorical eligibility under applicable weatherization rules, but households should not assume the LIHEAP income table and IHWAP income table are identical.

Applied Already? Know When to Follow Up

A standard Illinois LIHEAP application does not usually produce an immediate decision.

Once an application is complete, the local administering agency generally provides an approval or denial decision within about 30 days.

Benefit payments are generally issued to the vendor or customer within approximately 45 days after approval.

Emergency cases move much faster because of the crisis-processing requirements discussed earlier.

If you submitted a request through Help Illinois Families but have not heard from the local agency after several weeks, follow up directly rather than assuming the application is moving normally.

If the Decision Looks Wrong, You Can Challenge It

Illinois LIHEAP applicants have rights.

An appeal may be available when an applicant believes:

• The application was not processed within the required timeframe

• The eligibility decision was incorrect

• The benefit was calculated incorrectly

• Another program decision does not follow applicable rules

A denial does not necessarily mean the only option is to start over elsewhere.

Ask the local administering agency for the applicable appeal or review procedure and keep copies of the documents submitted with the original application.

Electricity Choice Has an Important LIHEAP Restriction in Illinois

Illinois allows residential electricity choice in major utility areas such as ComEd and Ameren Illinois.

Customers who are eligible for retail choice may compare the utility's supply price with offers from licensed alternative retail electric suppliers.

But there is an important rule for LIHEAP households.

Illinois generally restricts new enrollment with an alternative retail electric supplier when utility records show that the customer received LIHEAP during the previous 12 months or currently participates in PIPP, subject to limited exceptions such as certain approved aggregation or guaranteed-savings arrangements.

The state's electric-choice guidance for Illinois consumers explains the restriction.

So LIHEAP recipients should not switch suppliers based only on an advertised rate without first confirming that they are legally eligible to enroll.

Compare Electricity Supply Carefully With 97 Options

For Illinois residents who are eligible for competitive electricity choice, 97 Options can help compare available supply offers by ZIP code.

Before choosing a plan, review:

• Supply price

• Fixed or variable rate

• Contract length

• Early termination conditions

• Renewal pricing

• Utility Price to Compare

• Eligibility to enroll with an alternative supplier

The 97 Options ZIP tool compares available electricity-supply options. It does not search for LIHEAP benefits, determine Illinois energy-assistance eligibility, submit LIHEAP applications, or override Illinois supplier-enrollment restrictions.

Understand Your Current Bill With Maya

Before comparing another electricity supply offer, it helps to understand the bill already in front of you.

Maya by 97 Options can help review details such as:

• Electricity use

• Current supplier

• Supply rate

• Supply charges

• Other bill components

• Overall energy costs

That makes it easier to see whether a high bill is being driven mainly by consumption, the supply rate, or other charges.

Maya analyzes bill information only. It does not approve LIHEAP benefits, calculate official eligibility, or submit applications to Illinois agencies.

Illinois Energy Assistance Resources

The relevant agency, utility, or program administrator determines availability and eligibility.

Important Information for Illinois Households

97 Options provides independent energy-plan information and bill-comparison tools. Illinois LIHEAP, utility discounts, crisis assistance, weatherization, furnace programs, and related benefits are administered by state agencies, local organizations, or utility companies. Income limits, funding, program dates, benefit calculations, and enrollment rules can change. Applicants should confirm the requirements that apply to their utility and household before relying on an eligibility figure or submitting an application.