All countable earned and unearned income must be used to determine whether the household qualifies for LIHEAP Cash or Crisis benefits. Some types of income are not counted.
55 Pa. Code § 601.82 and 601.84; LIHEAP State Plan § 601.82 and 601.84
LIHEAP uses gross income to figure out whether a household qualifies for LIHEAP. Gross income is the total earned and unearned income of the household.
55 Pa. Code § 601.82; LIHEAP State Plan § 601.82
The LIHEAP administering agency will count the gross annual income of the following persons:
55 Pa. Code § 601.81; LIHEAP State Plan § 601.81
Related or unrelated household members, including noncitizens who do not qualify for LIHEAP benefits.
A roomer who is related by blood, marriage or adoption to a household member.
A person living with the applicant who, as a member of another household, already received a LIHEAP Cash benefit during the program year.
The applicant must show proof of how much money each household member gets and where they get it. The applicant does not have to show proof of income of household members who receive SNAP, Cash Assistance or Medical Assistance benefits if their income is verified and on file in a case record or computer files in the CAO.
55 Pa. Code § 601.21(4), 601.102(a) & (b); LIHEAP State Plan § 601.21(4), 601.102(a) & (b)
If the household’s proof of income is more recent than the income shown in e-CIS, the CAO must use the most current information to figure out LIHEAP eligibility. If there is a discrepancy between income reported on the application and what is shown in e-CIS, the CAO must ask for further documentation.
The household must provide income verification for the month prior to the month of application, or the household may provide income verification for the 12 months prior to the month of application.
If the applicant says the household has little or no income, the applicant must show how the household pays for basic living needs and other expenses. See Section 650.8.
55 Pa. Code § 601.103; LIHEAP State Plan § 601.103
Reissued July 15, 2016, replacing February 15, 2013