Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is designed to assist eligible low-income household Madison County Residents to establish utility services in their name (such as a written off bill) or switch utilities into their name at their current address (such as a person has moved out), with current utility bills, to help avoid utility disconnection or reconnect disconnected accounts, and with propane tanks (for heating fuel) for winter energy services. LIHEAP will provide a ONE-TIME benefit to eligible households to be used for energy bills. The amount of the payment is determined by income, household size, and fuel type (this is determined by a State determined matrix). An overdue bill or cut-off notice is not required in order to receive assistance. All determinations are done at the Madison County LIHEAP main off in Edwardsville Office Administration Building.
For additional Information/Programs, visit the Madison County website for LIHEAP: https://www.madisoncountyil.gov/departments/community_development/energy_assistance_program_(liheap).php
New Program Year Start date: October 1, 2025 – August 15, 2026 (as long as funds are available)
Priority Period – October 1, 2025
- 60 years or older (SSA)
- Families w/ Disability Income (SSI/SSDI/SSDA)
- Families w/ children under 6 yrs old( can not be 6yrs old)
- A household that has a Disconnection Notice
- Disconnected
NOVEMBER 1, 2025 – AUGUST 15, 2026 (as long as funds are available) is OPEN TO ALL HOUSEHOLDS.
**When you call in for your PRE – APPLICATION PHONE CALL, at that time we will let you know what documents you are required to bring in for your appointment. (The Income Guideline is below)
Guidelines for Applications with this location:
- A PRE-APPLICATION PHONE CALL has to be completed before an application can be started
- ALL requested documents told to bring in MUST be in hand at time of application
- We take ten (10) applications on Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday MORNINGS from 9:00am to 11:00am & again ten (10) applications on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday AFTERNOON from 1:00pm to 3:00pm NO EXCEPTIONS
- We accept all Madison County Residents.
IF YOU DO NOT HAVE ALL THE REQUIRED DOCUMENTS AT TIME OF APPLICATION YOU MAYBE ASKED TO RETURN ONCE YOU HAVE ALL THE REQUIRED DOCUMENTS ON HAND.
TO CHECK THE STATUS OF YOUR APPLICATION:
- You can click on this link: www.illinoisliheap.com/status and use the last 4 of the Social security Number and Birthdate of the Head of Household (HOH) and the application number given at he time of your application signing.
- Call Chouteau Township Office AFTER one (1) month for Regular Applications or two (2) days for Emergency Applications with your Social Security Number for us to look up in the system.
2025 Income Guideline
For the 2026 Program Year
| Family Size | 60% SMI
30 Day Income |
60% SMI
Annual Income |
| 1 | $3,332 | $39,979 |
| 2 | $4,357 | $52,281 |
| 3 | $5,382 | $64,582 |
| 4 | $6,407 | $76,884 |
| 5 | $7,432 | $89,185 |
| 6 | $8,457 | $101,486 |
| 7 | $8,649 | $103,793 |
| 8 | $8,842 | $106,099 |
| 9 | $9,034 | $108,406 |
| 10 | $9,226 | $110,712 |
| 11 | $9,418 | $113,019 |
| 12 | $9,611 | $115,326 |
| 13 | $10,206 | $122,475 |
| 14 | $10,894 | $130,725 |
| 15 | $11,581 | $138,975 |
| 16 | $12,269 | $147,225 |
| 17 | $12,956 | $155,475 |
| 18 | $13,644 | $163,725 |
For families with more than 18 persons, add $688 for each additional person
These figures are based on the 2025 Federal Poverty Guidelines (FPG) published in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in the Federal Register/Volume 90/Number 11/January 17, 2025. Given that HHS allows 150% of FPG or 60% of State Median Income (SMI), where 150% of FPG is lower than 60% of SMI the program will be using 60% of SMI as our highest category. For households larger than 12 members, the 150% will be set as the maximum income eligibility criteria. The state reserves the right to adjust these levels based on the availability of federal appropriations.