Short answer
Who is eligible for LIHEAP in Indiana?
Indiana households may qualify for EAP with income at or below 60 percent of state median income: $2,796 a month for one person or $5,377 for four. (IHCDA, Energy Assistance Program) These official limits are for Program Year 2027, and IHCDA looks at your most recent three months of income. (IHCDA, Energy Assistance Program) Applications run October 1, 2026, to April 30, 2027. (IHCDA, Energy Assistance Program)
| Fact | Rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Income limit | 60 percent of state median income: $2,796 a month for 1 person, $5,377 for 4 (official PY2027 limits) | IHCDA, Energy Assistance Program |
| Income counted | Your household's most recent three months of income | IHCDA, Energy Assistance Program |
| Program year | Program Year 2027. Apply from October 1, 2026, 8:00 AM, to April 30, 2027, 5:00 PM | IHCDA, Energy Assistance Program |
| Benefit amount | One-time annual benefit. The amount depends on income, household size, and energy costs, and is set by IHCDA and your Local Service Provider. Check the IHCDA EAP page for current amounts | IHCDA, Energy Assistance Program |
| How to apply | Online through the LITT portal, by mail, or in person with your Local Service Provider. Free | IHCDA, Energy Assistance Program |
Source: Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority, Energy Assistance Program (EAP). Verified .
IHCDA and your local agency decide eligibility and benefit amounts. Benefit Bull is free and never submits applications for you.
Indiana's Energy Assistance Program, or EAP, is the state's version of the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), funded through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. IHCDA runs it with Local Service Providers across the state, who collect your documents and decide your application. (IHCDA, Energy Assistance Program)
Renters can apply too. If your utilities are included in your rent, you may still qualify. (IHCDA, Energy Assistance Program) One thing changed this year: EAPConnect is gone, and online applications now go through a new statewide system called LITT. (IHCDA, Energy Assistance Program)
What are the Indiana EAP income limits for 2026 to 2027?
IHCDA uses 60 percent of state median income. Your household's income from the most recent three months is compared with the three month column for your household size. The monthly and yearly columns show the same limit in other terms. (IHCDA, Energy Assistance Program)
| Household size | 1 month | 3 months | 12 months |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $2,796 | $8,389 | $33,556 |
| 2 | $3,656 | $10,970 | $43,882 |
| 3 | $4,517 | $13,551 | $54,207 |
| 4 | $5,377 | $16,133 | $64,533 |
| 5 | $6,238 | $18,714 | $74,857 |
| 6 | $7,098 | $21,295 | $85,183 |
| 7 | $7,259 | $21,779 | $87,119 |
| 8 | $7,421 | $22,263 | $89,055 |
| 9 | $7,582 | $22,747 | $90,991 |
| 10 | $7,743 | $23,231 | $92,927 |
If you see different figures somewhere else, check which program year they are for. The table above is the one IHCDA posts for Program Year 2027. (IHCDA, Energy Assistance Program)
Add up three months of income for everyone in the home before you apply, and compare it with the 3 months column. That is the number your Local Service Provider checks.
How much does LIHEAP pay in Indiana?
The amount depends on your household's income, household size, and energy costs. IHCDA and your Local Service Provider set it, and IHCDA does not post a benefit chart on its EAP page. Check the IHCDA EAP page for current amounts, or ask your Local Service Provider. (IHCDA, Energy Assistance Program)
An EAP benefit will not cover all of your yearly heating and electric costs, so keep paying your bills. IHCDA also notes that benefits are not guaranteed and depend on federal funding. (IHCDA, Energy Assistance Program)
Ask your Local Service Provider what benefit to expect once your application is in. They calculate it from your own household's details.
Does LIHEAP pay every month?
No. Indiana EAP is a one-time annual benefit, not a monthly payment. In most cases it is paid directly to your utility company as a credit toward your heating and electric costs. (IHCDA, Energy Assistance Program)
Timing, per IHCDA: (IHCDA, Energy Assistance Program)
- Your Local Service Provider may take up to 55 days to decide whether you are eligible. For applications sent in before October 1, the 55 days start October 1.
- After a benefit is awarded, the utility may take another 30 days to post it to your account.
- If you get a direct pay benefit instead, it may take up to 120 days from approval for the payment to be processed and mailed.
Keep paying your utility bills while you wait for the benefit to show up on your account. (IHCDA, Energy Assistance Program)
Plan your budget as if the credit arrives in two to three months. If a shutoff notice comes in the meantime, tell your Local Service Provider right away, because crisis cases follow faster rules.
How do I apply for the low income energy assistance program in Indiana?
You can apply online, by mail, or in person. Applications for Program Year 2027 opened October 1, 2026, at 8:00 AM and close April 30, 2027, at 5:00 PM. (IHCDA, Energy Assistance Program)
- Find your Local Service Provider. IHCDA lists the provider for each county on an interactive map on its EAP page. (IHCDA, Energy Assistance Program)
- To apply online, register on the LITT portal at eap.mylitt.com, the link IHCDA gives under EAP Apply Now. You get a login number and code by email. Keep them, because they are your personal identifier for the application. (IHCDA, Energy Assistance Program)
- To apply by mail, in person, or by phone appointment, contact your Local Service Provider and ask for an application or appointment. (IHCDA, Energy Assistance Program)
- Send your documents (see the next section). Your provider reviews them and decides eligibility. (IHCDA, Energy Assistance Program)
- Watch for the decision. If you are denied or think the amount is wrong, you can appeal in writing to your provider or through LITT within 30 days of the denial. The provider answers in writing within 14 calendar days. (IHCDA, Energy Assistance Program)
If a first appeal does not resolve it, a second level appeal goes to IHCDA at eap@ihcda.in.gov, Attn: Appeals. For help with the appeal process, IHCDA lists eap@ihcda.in.gov and 317-232-7777. If an application is denied, you can apply again with updated documents 55 days after your previous submission. (IHCDA, Energy Assistance Program)
Applying is free. You submit your application yourself on the official site. Benefit Bull is free and never files for you.
Save your LITT login number and code somewhere you will find it in March. If you lose them, your Local Service Provider or a LITT email can get them back to you.
What documents do you need for Indiana EAP?
IHCDA lists these required documents: (IHCDA, Energy Assistance Program)
- Proof of income
- Current utility bills or account statements
- A Tenant Verification Statement or your current lease, if your utilities are included in your rent
Your Local Service Provider may ask for more documents based on your household's situation. (IHCDA, Energy Assistance Program)
Gather income proof that covers the same three months your application asks about, for everyone in the household. Missing months are the usual reason a file sits waiting.
What if your heat or electric is about to be shut off?
Tell your Local Service Provider right away if you have a disconnection notice, have already been disconnected, or are within 10 days of running out of bulk fuel. In a heating crisis, providers must take a mitigating action within 48 hours. In a life-threatening crisis, such as no heat with a documented medical need, the window is 18 hours. (IHCDA, Energy Assistance Program)
Indiana's moratorium law (Indiana Code 8-1-2-121) says that from December 1 through March 15, a regulated utility may not shut off residential service to a customer who is eligible for and has applied for EAP. The protection starts once you submit an application, so tell your utility you applied if a shutoff is scheduled. It covers electric and gas utilities, whether municipal, private, or cooperative. (IHCDA, Energy Assistance Program)
IHCDA also suggests calling your utility to set up a payment arrangement, and reaching your Local Service Provider, community action agency, or 2-1-1 for other local help. (IHCDA, Energy Assistance Program)
If a shutoff notice arrives between December and mid March, apply first, then call the utility and tell them your application is in. The application is what starts the protection.
Can your utility help too?
Often, yes. IHCDA says many utility companies provide their own energy assistance to their customers, and points you to your utility, your Local Service Provider, or 2-1-1 for referrals. (IHCDA, Energy Assistance Program) Ask your utility directly what it offers, and check that any program you find comes from the utility's own website or bill.
For everyday ways to bring the bill down, see 7 Ways to Lower Your Utility Bills.
When you call the utility about a payment plan, ask in the same call whether it has its own assistance fund. One call can cover both.
What Indiana energy assistance numbers should you know?
- $2,796
- Official EAP monthly income limit, 1 person, PY2027
- $5,377
- Official EAP monthly income limit, 4 people, PY2027
- 55 days
- Time a Local Service Provider may take to decide, PY2027
- April 30, 2027
- Last day to apply, 5:00 PM
See which Indiana programs may fit your household, with estimated values and official links.
Sources: (IHCDA, Energy Assistance Program)
What this adds up to
An Indiana family of four with income up to $16,133 over the last three months may qualify for EAP this program year. The benefit is a one-time credit, usually paid to your utility, and the amount depends on income, household size, and energy costs. Your Local Service Provider decides, applying is free, and the last day is April 30, 2027.
Sources
Every claim above links to the source it came from. Figures checked October 2026. Last updated October 17, 2026.
