Weatherization Help, Apply at or Below 200% of Poverty Level
Households at or below 200% of the federal poverty guidelines, or households receiving SSI (Supplemental Security Income), can apply for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Weatherization Assistance Program; both homeowners and renters can apply. The Energy Department also says each state may choose to use the LIHEAP (Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program) standard of 60% of state median income instead, so income limits can differ by state.
The Energy Department says priority goes to older adults, families with members who have a disability, families with children, high energy users and households with a high energy burden. This article follows the Energy Department’s application guide: who qualifies, how to apply and what happens after you apply.
Who can apply
The Energy Department explains (Energy Department: How to Apply for Weatherization Assistance):
- Income: households at or below 200% of the federal poverty guidelines, or households receiving SSI.
- States may differ: a state or territory may choose to use the LIHEAP standard of 60% of state median income instead; check the rules for your state, territory or tribe.
- Homeowners and renters: both can apply.
- Priority: older adults, families with one or more members with a disability, families with children, high energy users and households with a high energy burden.
How to apply
- Start with your state agency: use the map on the Energy Department page to find your state’s weatherization administrator, and contact them first.
- Then find a local provider: your state, tribal or territorial website may list local providers, usually by county, with an address, phone number and/or website; some states offer online applications.
- Proof of income: your local provider will ask for proof of the previous year’s income, such as pay stubs or Social Security payments.
After you apply
- Eligibility and the waitlist: the provider checks your income eligibility, and eligible applicants go on a waitlist.
- If you rent: before work begins, the provider works with you and your landlord to get the landlord’s permission.
- Energy audit: when your home is selected, an auditor visits and does a computerized assessment, including a review of your energy bills, a blower-door test that measures how much outside air leaks into the house, and an inspection of energy equipment and areas such as attics and basements for possible improvements and health and safety issues.
- The work: the auditor recommends the most cost-effective energy-saving measures, and the auditor or a crew leader explains how work crews or contractors will do the work and how long it should take.
- Final inspection: a provider inspector checks that all work is finished, meets the Standard Work Specifications and that equipment runs safely.
For getting ready for winter storms and outages, see Winter Storms, Never Heat with a Gas Stove, Keep a Car Kit; for telling heat stroke from heat exhaustion, see Heat Stroke, Call 911, Heat Exhaustion, Cool Off, Drink.
What this article doesn’t cover
- Cost: the page doesn’t say whether it’s free, so this article doesn’t either.
- Wait time: the page only says applicants go on a waitlist, not how long it takes, so this article doesn’t say.
- Your state’s income limit: limits can differ by state, and this article didn’t look up each state’s numbers.
- LIHEAP itself: LIHEAP is a separate program that this article didn’t look into.
FAQ
Can renters apply?
Yes. The Energy Department says homeowners and renters can both apply; before work begins, the provider works with you and your landlord to get the landlord’s permission.
How low does income have to be?
The Energy Department says households at or below 200% of the federal poverty guidelines, or households receiving SSI, qualify; a state may also choose to use 60% of state median income instead, so check your state’s rules.
What documents do I need?
Your local provider will ask for proof of the previous year’s income, such as pay stubs or Social Security payments.
Does the work start right after I apply?
The Energy Department says eligible applicants go on a waitlist; when your home is selected, an energy audit comes first, then the work, followed by a final inspection.
Sources and date checked
All checked on 2026-11-01.
- U.S. Department of Energy, How to Apply for Weatherization Assistance (page undated):https://www.energy.gov/scep/wap/how-apply-weatherization-assistance