The ongoing federal government shutdown is threatening to delay essential heating assistance for millions of low-income families across the United States. Programs such as the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), which provides crucial funding for heating and cooling costs, are facing unprecedented disruptions just as temperatures begin to fall.
Jacqueline Chapman, a 74-year-old retired school aide from Philadelphia, relies on her monthly Social Security check of $630 to cover her living expenses. With the loss of her federal food aid benefits, she now finds herself anxious about the potential loss of heating assistance. “I feel like I’m living in scary times,” Chapman expressed. “It’s not easy to rest when you know you have things to do with limited accounts, limited funds.”
LIHEAP, which was established in 1981, is funded federally and assists families in paying for heating oil, gas, electricity, and other utilities. It aims to support vulnerable populations, especially as energy prices rise sharply. The program serves approximately 5.9 million households across all 50 states, the District of Columbia, U.S. territories, and federally recognized tribes.
States have begun to announce delays in their LIHEAP programs due to the shutdown, now in its fifth week. Mark Wolfe, executive director of the National Energy Assistance Directors Association, highlighted the potential impact of these delays. “The impact, even if it’s temporary, on many of the nation’s poor families is going to be profound if we don’t solve this problem,” he said.
States Brace for Heating Aid Delays
As the shutdown continues, states like Pennsylvania, Kansas, New York, and Minnesota are bracing for funding delays that will affect their LIHEAP programs. In Pennsylvania, Governor Josh Shapiro‘s administration indicated it cannot front the more than $200 million in federal LIHEAP aid expected to assist about 300,000 low-income households. Payments, which typically begin in November, are now anticipated to be delayed until at least December.
Minnesota’s energy assistance program is currently processing applications; however, officials warn that federal LIHEAP funds will likely be delayed by a month until the shutdown ends. “As temperatures begin to drop, this delay could have serious impacts,” the Minnesota Department of Commerce stated. The program typically supports around 120,000 households, including older adults and families with young children.
Connecticut is in a somewhat better position, having secured enough funding to cover heating bills until at least the end of November. The state’s lawmakers are considering using budget reserves to temporarily bridge any funding gaps caused by the shutdown. “The situation will get much more perilous for folks who do need those resources as we move later into the heating season,” said Rhonda Evans, executive director of the Connecticut Association for Community Action.
Consequences of the Shutdown on Vulnerable Households
The larger context of this funding crisis is compounded by the simultaneous suspension of benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which assists approximately 1 in 8 Americans with groceries. As funding dwindles across various safety net programs, families are becoming increasingly vulnerable to the impacts of both rising energy costs and delayed government assistance.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees LIHEAP, has pointed to the shutdown as the reason for the delays. A spokesperson stated, “Once the government reopens, ACF will work swiftly to administer annual awards,” referring to the Administration for Children and Families, an agency within HHS. However, there are concerns regarding the future approval of state program plans and the release of funds once the shutdown ends.
Families reliant on deliverable fuels such as heating oil face particularly dire consequences. While electric and natural gas companies are often regulated and required not to shut off service during funding delays, smaller oil or propane companies do not have the same obligations. Wolfe noted, “If you’re a heating oil dealer, we can’t tell that dealer, ‘Look, continue to provide heating oil to your low-income customers on the possibility you’ll get your money back.’”
For individuals like Mark Bain, a 67-year-old resident of Bloomfield, Connecticut, the uncertainty is palpable. Bain, who started receiving heating oil assistance three years ago, recalled his desperation during a previous winter when he was unaware of such programs. This year, he has been approved for $500 in assistance, but he can only order more heating oil when his tank is nearly empty. He said, “I would turn the heat down to like 62 degrees and throw on another blanket, you know, just to get through.”
As the government shutdown continues, the implications for vulnerable families relying on heating assistance remain serious and urgent, highlighting the need for immediate resolution to restore critical support systems.
