Iowa State Auditor Rob Sand issued an advisory yesterday (Monday) assuring Iowans enrolled in the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) that their heat will stay on despite delays in payment processing to providers. Sand says, “I have received several inquiries from Iowans who qualify for energy assistance through LIHEAP, but their accounts have not been credited by their utility vendor, or they have not received their direct payment from LIHEAP. We want to assure those Iowans that their heat will not be turned off in the dead of winter.” LIHEAP is a federally funded program administered by the Iowa Department of Human Rights that helps households at or below 200 percent of the 2022 federal poverty guidelines meet their heating needs. Sand notes Iowa law prohibits LIHEAP customers from being disconnected from their electric or natural gas supply from Nov. 1 through April 1 of each year, regardless of temperature. Iowans experiencing delays should contact their local community action outreach office for additional assistance.
