Low-income Energy Assistance Program accepting applications for winter season

Colorado’s Low-income Energy Assistance Program has begun accepting applications for winter season.

LEAP is a federally funded program administered by the Colorado Department of Human Services that provides cash assistance to help Coloradans pay a portion of winter home heating costs. The program pays the highest benefits to those with the highest heating bills and lowest incomes by family size. Applicant income cannot exceed 150 percent of the federal poverty level, which equates to $2,982 per month for a family of four.

“We want to make sure that all LEAP-eligible Coloradans are aware of available assistance so they can receive help in paying their heating costs,” said Aggie Berens, LEAP manager, CDHS. “Last year, nearly 107,000 Coloradans applied for LEAP, providing an average benefit of $439 for households that received assistance.”

To qualify for LEAP, applicants must be responsible for paying heating costs directly to an energy provider, fuel dealer, or as part of their rent; and be permanent legal residents of the United States and Colorado, or have household members that are U.S. citizens.

LEAP-eligible households may also qualify for programs that inspect a home’s primary heating source, such as a furnace or wood‐burning stove, and weatherization upgrades that improve a home’s energy efficiency.

The State of Colorado also offers a rebate of property tax, rent, and heat expenses to low-income seniors and disabled persons. Please visit the Colorado Department of Revenue’s website at https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/tax/property-tax-rent-heat-credit-ptc-rebate-file for more information and the rebate application booklet.

To find out if you qualify for LEAP, call toll-free at 1-866-HEAT-HELP (1-866-432-8435) or visit www.colorado.gov/cdhs/leap to view the most current program application requirements. Applications will be accepted until April 30, 2015.