Basic Client Eligibility

Policy 1.0.0:  Basic Client Eligibility Guidelines

• A-Preliminary Eligibility Criteria
• B-Poverty/Income Guidelines

Policy 1.0.0 (A):  Preliminary Eligibility Criteria

A household will be eligible to apply if the household meets the following criteria:

1. The household has not received a LIHEAP benefit during the current program year, October 1st to June 30th.
   
   SEE:  Policy 1.0.2, Avoiding Duplicate Benefits
            Policy 1.2.0 (B), Eligible Applicants Can Receive One-Time Assistance
    
   xxxxx
2. When applying for the Energy Assistance Program, the household pays for home heating costs, either directly to an energy vendor or indirectly through rental costs.
   
   SEE:  Policy 1.2.0, Determining Benefits        
           Policy 1.2.2, Heat Cost Benefit Calculation 
                                  xxxx                      
3. The household is not eligible for assistance through a LIHEAP-funded program administered by a Native Tribal Organization. Tribal organizations in the state of Washington receiving LIHEAP funds directly from the Department of Health & Human Services include:
   
   

Coliville Confederated Tribes	Quileute Tribe
Hoh Tribe	Quinault Tribe
Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe	Samish Tribe
Kalispel Indian Tribe	Small Tribes Organization of Western WA
Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe	South Puget Intertribal Planning Agency
Lummi Indian Tribe	Spokane Tribe
Makah Indian Tribe	Suquamish Tribe
Muckleshoot Indian Tribe	Swinomish Indians
Nooksack Indian Tribe	Yakima Indian Nation
Port Gamble S'Klallam Tribe

SEE:  Policy 1.0.1, Servicing Tribal Members 
        Policy 3.3.0, Tribal Information 
        Policy 3.3.1, Tribal LIHEAP Coordinators
        Policy 3.3.2, Example Tribal Agreement

Back to Top ^

Policy 1.0.0 (B):  Poverty/Income Guidelines

For the 2015 Program Year, the gross income received by all members of the household must be at or below 125 percent of the poverty level.*  Income limits are determined by multiplying the 2012 Poverty Guidelines for the 48 continental states (Alaska and Hawaii amounts differ) by 125 percent. 

On the following table, columns A (monthly amounts) and B (annual amounts) show the income amounts allowed at 125 percent of the poverty guidelines for the current program year.

Column C shows the monthly income amounts for earned income taxed at the time of payout.  Column C is adjusted so that it is 20 percent more than Column A. This is due to the allowable 20% deduction for taxed earned wages (SEE Policy 1.3.0 (D)).  This column can be used as a quick reference to determine eligibility for applicants whose income is from actual taxed wages.

NOTE:  Further income documentation testing must be done to determine actual income eligibility.

SEE: 2015 LIHEAP Income Guidelines
        Policy 1.3.0, Determining Income
        Policy 1.3.1, Defining Income  
           

*The federally-established poverty guidelines to be used for the 2015 LIHEAP program year were issued by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.

Back to Top ^