HHS Continues Yearly Home Energy Assistance Reporting
Published Date: 6/12/2026
Notice
Summary
The government is bringing back the yearly report that tracks how many households get help paying their energy bills through LIHEAP. States and territories must submit this report by September 2026, but the form is getting simpler to save time and effort. This helps make sure funds go to families who need it most, especially seniors, young kids, and people with disabilities.
Analyzed Economic Effects
5 provisions identified: 5 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Reported Burden Hours Reduced
The agency reduced estimated reporting time: the long format (used by 52 respondents) is cut from 67 hours to 41 hours per response, the short format is cut from 10 hours to 6 hours per response (133 respondents), and household application reporting is estimated at 0.3 hours per response for 6,160,000 households. Total annual burden hours are estimated at 1,850,930.
LIHEAP Household Report Returns
The Annual LIHEAP Household Report is being reinstated and the next completed report is due September 2026. States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, U.S. territories, and tribal governments must submit the report, and the form is simplified to reduce the number of items requested and related administrative burden.
Categorical Eligibility Eases Access
The notice states 25 of 52 state grant recipients use categorical eligibility, which automatically makes a household income-eligible for LIHEAP if any member receives benefits like Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, SNAP, or Supplemental Security Income. Those 25 states account for about 55 percent of all assisted households and categorical eligibility simplifies and reduces burden on households.
Targeting Funds to Vulnerable Households
The Household Report collects counts of assisted households that have at least one vulnerable member (age 60 or older, disabled, or age 5 or younger) and subcounts for members age 0–2 and 3–5. The data are used to target LIHEAP funds to families who need assistance most, including seniors, young children, and people with disabilities.
Tribal Recipients Use Short Format
Indian tribal grant recipients are required to submit only the number of households, by funding source, receiving heating, cooling, energy crisis, and/or weatherization benefits, using the Annual LIHEAP Household Report Short Format. The short format time estimate was reduced from 10 hours to 6 hours per response.
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