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

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Montana program

Help with the heating bill

Seasonal help with heating bills (LIHEAP, called LIEAP in Montana manuals).

What it is

Seasonal help with heating bills (LIHEAP, called LIEAP in Montana manuals).

Heating help can reduce a household bill during treatment. The office checks household income and savings. Awards depend on your household, fuel and available funds.

Eligibility rules
  • The published 2026–2027 income screen varies with household size. Your local or tribal office checks the applicable row and which income counts. The table does not use one 60%-of-state-median-income formula for every household.
  • For October 1, 2026–April 30, 2027, annual limits are $33,719 for one, $44,095 for two, $54,470 for three, $64,846 for four, $75,221 for five and $85,596 for six.
  • Resource limits shown are $24,017 for three and $25,518 for four.
  • Income must be under about $4,540 a month for three people or $5,400 for four, and savings under $24,017 for three or $25,518 for four. A complete application is decided within 45 days. (items[1] and [2] then duplicate this)
What you get
  • A payment toward heating costs.
What it covers
  • Approved payments go to the fuel supplier. The award varies with fuel, household and funding.
If you decide to apply
  1. Ask the local energy assistance office about the heating-season application.
  2. If you choose to explore this with your social worker, the office can explain the prior-month income records, savings and heating-account information it needs.

The state energy assistance program through local offices · Official page ↗

After you ask
  • The local office explains its household review and supplier payment.
Good to know

Passing the income screen is only part of the review. Resources also count.

Other details
  • A medical shutoff certificate is a separate protection and does not cancel the bill.

Federal background: LIHEAP.

Official sources
Ask your social worker

“Could heating assistance help us this season? How would income and savings affect it, and could you help us apply if we fit?”

Why I’m asking: I want to understand whether heating help could ease our bills during treatment.

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 in season with income and account balances.

Your social worker

The social worker can point you to the local office that takes applications.

The care team

Records and letters when the application asks for them.

Who decides
The state energy assistance programme.
Ask the agency
“Our income dropped when our child started cancer treatment. Can we apply for heating help this season?”

How to apply

First step: Apply on the state energy assistance page during the heating season.

  1. Apply between October 1 and April 30.
  2. Check the resource limit as well as the income limit.

Official application / program page ↗

Where it starts: Apply on the state energy assistance page during the heating season.

What to gather

  • Annual household income
  • Bank and account balances
  • A recent heating bill

How long: No published decision clock; ask the local office.

What a yes looks like

A payment made to your fuel supplier.

What a no looks like, and the next move

Income or savings over the line, or applying outside the season.

Watch out

  • Heating applications are only taken between October 1 and April 30.
  • There is a savings limit as well as an income limit.

The numbers and the rules

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

What it is worth

Help with heating for a household at or under $44,095 a year for two, $54,470 for three and $64,846 for four.

  • $33,719/year — Household of 1, annual income limit (2026-2027 table)
  • $44,095/year — Household of 2, annual income limit
  • $54,470/year — Household of 3, annual income limit
  • $64,846/year — Household of 4, annual income limit
  • $75,221/year — Household of 5, annual income limit
  • $85,596/year — Household of 6, annual income limit
  • $24,017 — Household of 3, resource limit
  • $25,518 — Household of 4, resource limit

Covers: Payment toward heating costs

What it costs the family: None.

The eligibility facts, as published

Income
The published household-size income rows apply to the October 1, 2026–April 30, 2027 heating season. The office checks which income counts; a single 60%-of-state-median-income formula does not describe every row.
Resources
a published resource limit by household size
Season
heating applications October 1 to April 30

The trap: Heating applications are only accepted October 1 to April 30. There is also a resource limit, which most food and cash programmes here do not have.

Where I read this

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