Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program

Power AZ is administered alongside LIHEAP. Applicants will complete the combined utility assistance application online in the A-to-Z Arizona Portal or using a paper application. The application will be screened for eligibility for both Power AZ and LIHEAP. 

Eligibility requirements for Power AZ are the same as LIHEAP, except that households whose income exceeds the LIHEAP threshold may qualify. Due to the different income requirements, applicants may only be approved for and receive standard benefits from one of these programs during an eligibility period; not both. The income eligibility threshold for Power AZ is up to 100% State Median Income (SMI).

Power AZ provides both regular and crisis benefits to approved households. Eligibility is limited to one (1) standard benefit and one (1) crisis benefit in a 12-month period.

Power AZ benefits are calculated using the Power AZ Benefit Matrix. The Power AZ Benefit Matrix mirrors the LIHEAP Benefit Matrix, except that it uses 100% SMI for benefit calculation and income eligibility receives a flat one (1) point allocation. See Appendix B of the Power AZ Policy.

Grievances and fraud safeguards for Power AZ are handled in the same manner as LIHEAP. For assistance, please visit your local Community Action Agency or contact the Child and Community Services Division at 1-866 494-1981. The call center is available 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.

The amount of LIHEAP benefit that an eligible household receives is determined based on a household’s (1) income, (2) energy burden, and (3) household demographics. Based on these criteria, points are allocated to the household; the more points a household receives, the household will qualify for a higher Standard LIHEAP benefit. This system prioritizes households with a higher need (such as households with lower incomes or higher utility costs) and households with vulnerable household members (such as individuals with disabilities or individuals 60 years or older).

Points are evaluated based on the following:

1. Income Need:

   Total Monthly Gross Income Divided by the Monthly Gross Income Limit for the Household Size = % Income

   Example: A household of three has a gross monthly income of $2,000, and the maximum income to qualify for a household of three is $4,535. Their income equals 44% of the maximum, which has three points applied.

   2,000/4,535 = 0.44 x 100 = 44%

   Percent of Poverty	Points Applied
   0% to 20%	5 points
   21% to 40%	4 points
   41% to 60%	3 points
   61% to 80%	2 points
   81% to 100%	1 point

2. Energy Burden:

   Monthly Utility Cost Divided by Monthly Gross Income = % of Energy Burden

   Example: A household with a gross monthly income of $2,000 has an electric bill of $350. The energy burden percentage is 17.5%, which has three points applied.

   350/2,000 = 0.175 x 100 = 17.5%

   Energy Burden Percentage	Points Applied
   5% or less	0 points
   6% to 10%	1 point
   11% to 15%	2 points
   16% to 20%	3 points
   21% to 25%	4 points
   26% to 30%	5 points
   31% or over	6 points

   2 points are added for households that utilize deliverable/portal fuel

3. Energy Need:

   Energy Need	Points Applied
   Elderly	1 point
   Disabled	1 point
   Child age 6 or younger	1 point
   Veteran	1 point

   NOTE: Only one point per category is allowed

   A household may receive up to the following benefit based upon their household’s evaluated points:

   Points	Benefit
   1 to 4	$160
   5 to 8	$320
   9 to 12	$480
   13 or over	$640

   Crisis assistance is also available for applicants who have exhausted their full Regular LIHEAP benefit. Crisis assistance may be awarded once per twelve-month eligibility period, based upon need, up to a maximum of $500.

   Note: LIHEAP benefit amounts and points are subject to change annually based upon federal funding. The information contained on this page is effective for applications received on or after October 12, 2024.

   Eligible Households may request LIHEAP benefits for more than one energy utility. In these cases, the applicant must indicate the order in which benefits will be paid by selecting a number from Priority 1 (highest priority) to Priority 5 (lowest priority).

   Once an application is approved, LIHEAP benefits will be paid directly to each energy utility account in order of priority. If the LIHEAP benefit can pay the full balance for Priority 1, leftover benefits will be applied to Priority 2, and so on until the full benefit has been paid. If all of your energy utilities are paid in full, any leftover amounts will be paid to your Priority 1 benefit as a credit toward future bills.

For questions about LIHEAP, or for assistance completing a LIHEAP application or grievance, please visit your local Community Action Agency or contact the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program service line at 1-866 494-1981. The call center is available 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.

DES will mitigate fraud by verifying the identities of LIHEAP applicants before an application is submitted by using the identity verification service ID.me. During the application process, applicants will receive a notice through their selected method of communication with a unique link and instructions on how to use ID.me.

Applicants may submit a paper application, along with a government-issued identification to verify their identity if ID.me is not used.

Individuals who suspect fraud or believe they may have been a victim of identity theft and believe their personal information was used to file a fraudulent application for LIHEAP can submit a fraud report online to DES or contact the fraud hotline at 1 (800) 251-2436 or (602) 542-9449. When reporting potential fraud, please be prepared to provide identifying information that will help locate the application in our systems.