Help With Your Electric Bill in Texas: LIHEAP
Texas does not publish when you can apply for LIHEAP, which is the one thing you need to know. Here is what it does say, and the number to call to find out.
- Applications
- Not stated
- Pays
- Not stated
- Shut-off help
- Yes, crisis track
- How to apply
- Online · Phone
When can I apply for help with my energy bill in Texas?
Texas does not publish its application dates. Call 2-1-1 and ask when the current season opens — and ask about crisis help in the same call if your power is at risk.
My power is about to be cut off in Texas. What do I do today?
CEAP includes crisis assistance for households in an energy-related emergency, delivered by the same local subrecipient. There is no separate statewide crisis line: call 2-1-1 to be routed to your county's provider. Separately, PUCT rules bar disconnection for non-payment during an extreme weather emergency and require ERCOT retail providers to offer a deferred payment plan for bills that came due during one.
How do I apply for LIHEAP in Texas?
Not online at the state level. Apply through the local CEAP subrecipient for your county. Find it on TDHCA's Help for Texans page (https://www.tdhca.texas.gov/help-for-texans) or call 2-1-1.
Who qualifies in Texas?
| Household size | Monthly income limit |
|---|---|
| 1 | $23,940 |
| 2 | $32,460 |
| 3 | $40,980 |
| 4 | $49,500 |
| 5 | $58,020 |
| 6 | $66,540 |
| 7 | $75,060 |
| 8 | $83,580 |
At or below 150% of the Federal Poverty Income Guidelines. Program Year 2026 table, effective January 26, 2026: 1 person $23,940; 2 $32,460; 3 $40,980; 4 $49,500; 5 $58,020; 6 $66,540; 7 $75,060; 8 $83,580; add $8,520 per extra person.
How much does LIHEAP pay?
Texas does not publish the benefit amounts on the page we read. It is paid to the utility, not to you, and depends on household size, income and fuel type.
What do I need to bring?
Not itemized on the Texas page we read. Expect ID, a recent energy bill, proof of income for everyone in the household and, if you have one, the shut-off notice.
Can they legally cut off my power in Texas right now?
No calendar winter moratorium. Under PUCT Substantive Rule 16 TAC 25.483 (with 25.29), retail electric providers may not disconnect for non-payment during an 'extreme weather emergency', defined by National Weather Service advisory criteria (heat advisory, or a previous-day temperature at or below freezing). Extra protection exists for customers who are ill or disabled and can show that losing service would cause or worsen an illness (critical care / chronic condition designation).
This comes from the Texas utility commission, not from the energy assistance programme — they are different offices and only one of them publishes it.
Worth knowing in Texas
The 2026 LIHEAP State Plan was approved 09-18-2025 and amended 02-18-2026; a draft 2027 plan is posted. The income table on the state page is the January 2026 federal update, so it is current. https://www.tdhca.texas.gov/help-texans-find-help-utility-bill-payment-assistance is dead (404) - use /help-for-texans.
One application, two bills
In most states the same office runs SNAP food benefits, and receiving one often makes the other automatic or faster. SNAP in Texas →
Read on tdhca.texas.gov on Sep 10, 2026. Income limits are the ones Texas publishes itself: states choose between 150% of the federal poverty level and 60% of state median income, so copying from a neighbouring state gives the wrong answer. Last review Sep 10, 2026.
Checked by the PocketBoosters team against the official source. How we check this →
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