One month behind schedule, Pennsylvania’s Department of Human Services is accepting applications for residents to take part in this year’s Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, or LIHEAP, beginning Wednesday, Dec. 3.

The federally-funded program allows low-income households to apply for one-time cash grants between $200 and $1,000 to assist in paying for their heating bills. Qualifying households must be at or below 150% of the federal poverty line and income limits depend on the number of people in the household.

Under normal circumstances, the program is operational between November and April, the cold-weather months. The late start of the program is due to this year’s 43-day federal government shutdown, which came to an end on Nov. 12. The shutdown ran through the planned start of the program this year, which was supposed to be Nov. 4.

Despite the late start to the program, LIHEAP-eligible households were protected from potential utility shutoffs due to state action.