The federally-funded Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, also known as LIHEAP, will accept applications for cash grants starting Nov. 1, acting announced Secretary of Public Welfare Michael Nardone.

LIHEAP provides cash grants to help income-eligible homeowners or renters pay for home heating fuel. A crisis grant component to address heating emergencies or unexpected fuel shortages will open Jan. 3, 2011.

“For Pennsylvanians living on limited incomes, LIHEAP can be a critical safety net that allows them to pay their heating bills and keep their heat turned on,” Nardone said. “During difficult economic times, programs like this are more important than ever in helping many of our most vulnerable citizens stay warm and safe.

“During the 2009-10 LIHEAP season, more than 547,000 households were helped through cash grants and more than 200,000 families received crisis assistance.”

Cash grants are based on income, family size, type of heating fuel and region.

In addition to proof of income, residency, citizenship, birth dates and Social Security Numbers for all household members, applicants must provide a recent bill or a statement from their fuel dealer verifying their customer status and the type of fuel that they use.

When the program opens, applications will be available at county assistance offices, local utility companies and community service agencies, such as Area Agencies on Aging or community action agencies. Applications for LIHEAP cash grants also will be available online at www.compass.state.pa.us, or applicants can call 1-866-857-7095.

Residents of the counties listed below should contact the agencies that operate the crisis component in their areas:

• Allegheny - Allegheny County Department of Human Services, 800-851-3838
• Carbon - Carbon County Action Committee, 610-377-6400
• Lancaster - Community Action Program of Lancaster County, 800-732-0018
• Luzerne - Commission on Economic Opportunity of Luzerne County, 800- 822-0359
• Wyoming - Commission on Economic Opportunity of Wyoming Co., 570-836-4090

To ensure they have the resources to heat their homes the entire winter, LIHEAP consumers are urged to keep their thermostat set at 65 degrees unless they have young children or older adults living in the home.

Household sizes and income limits for LIHEAP’s 2010-11 season are listed below:

 1-person -- $17,328 maximum income
 2-person -- $23,312 maximum income
 3-person -- $29,296 maximum income
 4-person -- $35,280 maximum income
 5-person -- $41,264 maximum income
 6-person -- $47,248 maximum income
 7-person -- $53,232 maximum income
 8-person -- $59,216 maximum income
 9-person -- $65,200 maximum income
10-person -- $71,184 maximum income

(For each additional person, add $5,984)