Written by a parent, not a doctor. Nothing here is medical advice.

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Arkansas program

Help with the power bill (LIHEAP)

Help paying an energy bill through the community action agency for your Arkansas county.

What it is

Help paying an energy bill through the community action agency for your Arkansas county.

LIHEAP can pay part of an electric or gas bill. Arkansas uses a household-size income chart. Your county agency checks income, available money and whether applications are open.

Eligibility rules
  • The FFY 2026 chart applies October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. Monthly limits for sizes 1–6 are $2,347, $3,070, $3,792, $4,514, $5,236 and $5,958.
  • The county checks household income against the current chart. A new chart is needed for October 2026 onward.
What you get
  • A payment toward an eligible electric or gas bill.
Coverage and limits
  • Season dates and remaining money depend on your county agency. Passing an income screen does not mean applications are open or an award is available.
If you decide to apply
  1. With your social worker, find your county's community action agency through the Arkansas Energy Office page.
  2. If the local program is open, have ready a recent energy bill and household income records.

Arkansas Energy Office / county community action agency · Official page ↗

After you apply
  • The county's community action agency decides the award. No payment amount is guaranteed.
Good to know

The state office does not take applications. Local funding can run out before a listed closing date.

Other details
  • The income table changes each October; the agency has the current one. A doctor's shutoff certificate (next card) is a separate protection.

Federal background: Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program.

Official sources
Ask your social worker

“Could energy assistance help with our bill, and is our local program open? What would it cover, and could you help us with the application if we fit?”

Why I’m asking: I want to see whether bill assistance could ease the cost of caring for our child at home.

More background and detailed requirements
Additional program information and published rules

Who does what

The three parts, side by side. The agency decides; nobody on this page does.

You

Apply during the open season with a recent bill and proof of income.

Your social worker

The hospital social worker can point you to the right agency.

The care team

Records and letters when the application asks for them.

Who decides
The local community action agency.
Ask the agency
“We have a child at home on cancer treatment and the power bill has gone up. When does your energy assistance open, and can we apply now?”

How to apply

First step: Look up your county's community action agency on the Arkansas Energy Office page and ask when it is open.

  1. Find your county's community action agency and ask when it is open.

Official application / program page ↗

Where it starts: Find your community action agency through the Arkansas Energy Office page; the state office does not process applications.

What to gather

  • A recent energy bill
  • Proof of income for the household
  • Photo identification

How long: Varies by agency.

What a yes looks like

A credit on the energy account, usually paid straight to the utility.

What a no looks like, and the next move

Often the season has closed. Ask when it reopens, and ask about the doctor's note that holds off a shutoff meanwhile.

Watch out

  • The state office does not take applications; the community action agency does.
  • It closes when the money runs out, whatever the published dates say.

The numbers and the rules

The arcane layer, kept on purpose. Checked September 11, 2026.

What it is worth

Help with the energy bill for households at or under $3,792 a month for three, $4,514 for four and $5,236 for five.

  • $2,347/month — Maximum monthly income, one person
  • $3,070/month — Maximum monthly income, two people
  • $3,792/month — Maximum monthly income, three people
  • $4,514/month — Maximum monthly income, four people
  • $5,236/month — Maximum monthly income, five people
  • $5,958/month — Maximum monthly income, six people

Covers: A payment towards the energy bill

What it costs the family: None.

The eligibility facts, as published

Income
The state chart's maximum monthly countable income by household size, based on state median income
Residency
Arkansas; applications go to the community action agency for your county
Season
Applications typically open January to April and July to September; local openings vary and close when funds run out

The trap: The state office does not take applications. Find your community action agency, and watch the opening dates: they run roughly January to April and July to September, and close when the money runs out.

Where I read this

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