Large numbers of US households to be denied heating assistance this winter

For some Americans who are dependent on their government to supply them with supplemental income relief to help meet heating needs during the winter may be denied according to a report by the National Energy Assistance Directors’ Association.

" The ongoing economic crisis has driven up the number of American households applying for home heating assistance this winter. Federal funds, however, are likely to be slashed virtually in half from last year. "

Source

Funding for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) for fiscal year 2012, which began October 1, is expected to total $3.5 billion—over $1.5 billion less than last year. The amount has not been agreed upon due to political wrangling in Congress. Obama’s standing proposal for the full 2012 LIHEAP budget is only $2.5 billion.

The administration has released only $1.7 billion of the LIHEAP funds pending congressional action on the official budget. The funds are distributed on a state-by-state basis. Each state is allocated a certain share of the total LIHEAP funds and handles the applications and disbursement of funds.

" LIHEAP recipient households are among the poorest in the nation. Sixty-one percent reported incomes at or below the poverty line. For them, the rising cost of home heating is an extraordinary burden—52 percent said that energy bills were more difficult to pay than in the previous year. "

Source

LIHEAP recipient households are among the poorest in the nation. Sixty-one percent reported incomes at or below the poverty line. For them, the rising cost of home heating is an extraordinary burden—52 percent said that energy bills were more difficult to pay than in the previous year.

Looks like this winter will be a ruff one for some of America's 99 percent that are in extreme poverty.


Youtube.com

any update on this? i received it for the last 5 years as im on a limited income any info appreciated.thank you

Originally posted by spectre72
any update on this? i received it for the last 5 years as im on a limited income any info appreciated.thank you

The Energy Information Administration released its Short Term Energy and Winter Fuels Outlook for the coming winter heating season yesterday. In light of the potential cutbacks to LIHEAP in the Senate Committee and House draft bills, the outlook is grim indeed.

Source

EIA projects average household heating expenditures for natural gas, propane, and heating oil will increase by 3 percent, 7 percent, and 8 percent, respectively, this winter (October 1 to March 31) compared with last winter, while electricity heating expenditures fall by less than 1 percent. Average expenditures for households that heat with oil are forecast to be higher than in any previous winter. This forecast reflects higher prices for natural gas, propane, and heating oil, and slightly milder weather than last winter in much of the Nation contributing to lower consumption in many areas.

For the coming winter heating season we are projecting the same rate of increase in the number of eligible households applying for energy assistance (6%) which would bring the total number of households to a record 9.4 million. Under the Senate Committee bill that would reduce the average grant to $301 or about or 29.5% of the cost of home heating and under the House draft it would be reduced to 27.8% of home heating.

My advice would be too secure an application and turn it in ASAP.

US EIA pdf October 2011

88 Members of the House call for at least 4.7 Billion for FY 2012

reply to post by Daedal


You wouldn't mind the Government cutting these programs if it actually made a difference but all I see is the deficit continues to go UP..

So where is all this "saved" money going to

Originally posted by spectre72
any update on this? i received it for the last 5 years as im on a limited income any info appreciated.thank you

Here are some other resources you might want to check into besides the government to help you out this winter. There are other things that might benefit you besides utility bills.

www.needhelppayingbills.com... h.html

American Red Cross - Local branches of the American Red Cross provide Americans with help paying electric and heating bills. The Red Cross will also provide other forms of assistance, such as aid to military families, health and safety classes, disaster assistance, and other community services. The services provided by the Red Cross depend on the individual consumer need, and the Red Cross must also always keep extra funds in reserve available for emergencies. The Red Cross receives most of the money it has available to pay out from the United Way.

Operation Round Up - Operation Round Up is an assistance program that is offered by utility and gas companies in many states. This organization, and the aid they will give provides energy assistance funds to families and individuals in need of help. In addition, the program will offer additional aid, such as help for paying medical bills, rent or housing costs, and more. Select your state to learn if Operation Round Up is available.

Take a look here because there is a lot of information, and if some of these services won't specifically help you maybe you know somebody else who might benefit.

Good luck to you!

The headline for this thread SHOULD read "Large number of US households to be denied the redistribution of OTHER PEOPLE'S MONEY this winter." Call me a cold hearted bastard if you want (and if you do I don't care), but I manage to pay my own bills (somehow) and so should everyone else. Now if each individual state wants to have their own program in place for this purpose then that is their right, but this should not be a federal program.

Originally posted by OptimusSubprime
Call me a cold hearted bastard if you want (and if you do I don't care), but I manage to pay my own bills (somehow) and so should everyone else.

You got my vote. Only thing is, how could one call you cold hearted when you manage to keep your heat on?

Now if each individual state wants to have their own program in place for this purpose then that is their right, but this should not be a federal program.

And the money going into the states for these types of programs comes from the Federal Government anyway, so what's your point?

reply to post by supine


After reading your post I remembered something called Operation Round Up being mentioned in my local newspaper so I went and googled it. Our electric company's program would "round up" customer power bills to the next highest even dollar amount. In support of a program that would "round up" electric power customer's bills and provide the funds generated to the Greeneville Parks & Recreation Department.
It ticks me off that my city council will use this money for parks instead of giving it to people who sit and freeze in their homes

LINK: greenevillesun.com...

reply to post by OptimusSubprime

I think the affects of the global meltdown have caused issues for most Americans,especially the poor.It may be just a matter of time before the upper classes,who have been fortunate enough to have a " safe haven, " will begin to feel the effects of the Occupy Movements and demonstrations.

Me,I consider myself blessed...

Family bonds have been very supportive for myself and beneficial for everyone involved.In my opinion the more people we can turn to in time of crisis,especially our family,the greater the chance for survival.

Possibly one day love will prevail...

In light of the New Age,people have begun to believe that we owe ourselves to our own creation.How could evolution exist unless it was created from a single origin which would imply a creation at some point.

And somewhere along the way we forget the most important attributes,like being humble.

reply to post by lostsock


Maybe the program differs from state to state. I am not really familiar with it but see it on the site I gave a link to. There are other options on there to check out so hopefully one of them is helpful.

I do know some people who were getting help from Catholic Charities for utility bills when I lived in Louisiana after Katrina. It's wothwhile to call some local diocese to see if they can help, no matter what denomination you or they are.

reply to post by OptimusSubprime


You are absolutely right. I suggest we stop this redistribution of wealth as well...we should start by ending the federal subsidies that the southern Red states get from the northern Blue states.

The fact is, most urban Blue states recieve disproportionately less back than they contribute to the federal budget, and rural Red states disproportionately more than they contribute.

now,wow something is wrong now ,in this picture, hummm,too much spending or lack of there of,or # we dont give an f obamanian dam about it

Big Oil and The SCUM strike again and this is the groups the Anti #OWS group are protecting to the death.

This is going to hit me because is my house we provide heat for not only our apartment but the hallway and basement as well which means it's bound to hit my house the hardest.

Obama’s standing proposal for the full 2012 LIHEAP budget is only $2.5 billion.

I guess he has to use that other $2 billion to continue warming up Libya, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Yemen, Uganda, and, likely soon, Syria, and Iran.

And he's going to get reelected. Yay America.

/TOA

reply to post by OptimusSubprime


So you've got it made, and everyone else can go to hell.

That's not cold-heartedness. That;s flat-out sociopathy.

You must be proud of yourself. it takes a big man to cheer for people less fortunate than himself going cold in the winter.

I cannot really comment on this issue with any experience since I live in florida and the temperature doesn't go down into the negative 0 temperatures.

Although I do remember having to put the entire family in a single room with a space heater to stay warm as a child during some winters. I advocate helping those in dire needs to keep them from perishing due to the cold, but I do not advocate subsidizing people that want to keep their home at a balmy 72 degrees all winter.

I know that they say only death and taxes are a sure thing but I'm pretty sure(in my lifetime at least) that it's going to get cold in the winter and people know this and fail to prepare themselves for it.

Originally posted by OptimusSubprime
The headline for this thread SHOULD read "Large number of US households to be denied the redistribution of OTHER PEOPLE'S MONEY this winter." Call me a cold hearted bastard if you want (and if you do I don't care), but I manage to pay my own bills (somehow) and so should everyone else. Now if each individual state wants to have their own program in place for this purpose then that is their right, but this should not be a federal program.

You are calling for children to freeze. It amazes me how many anti American people that we have in this country that want to see their fellow countrymen die.

Are you a religious man? Extremists that tend to think like you do happen to also be very religious. Would your god approve of your thoughts? Probably not.

Originally posted by Adamanteus
I cannot really comment on this issue with any experience since I live in florida and the temperature doesn't go down into the negative 0 temperatures.

Although I do remember having to put the entire family in a single room with a space heater to stay warm as a child during some winters. I advocate helping those in dire needs to keep them from perishing due to the cold, but I do not advocate subsidizing people that want to keep their home at a balmy 72 degrees all winter.

I know that they say only death and taxes are a sure thing but I'm pretty sure(in my lifetime at least) that it's going to get cold in the winter and people know this and fail to prepare themselves for it.

edit on 8-11-2011 by Adamanteus because: (no reason given)

You live in Florida.

It has nothing to do with keeping your home a "balmy" 72 degrees. This is utterly ignorant.

Come live for a winter in New Jersey or New York, where energy prices are sky high, and try to survive with no heat from November to late March.

All of that tough talk would go right out of the window.

I see a lot of big talk from people who couldn't walk a mile in the shoes of others.

Just the tip of the iceberg for cuts to come. Soon the poorest will by dying like in Africa, and that's if we're lucky.