As the cost of groceries and gasoline continue to climb, more people are now eligible for discounts from Commonwealth Edison, North Shore Gas, and NICOR through the Low-Income Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP).
After the Illinois General Assembly increased LIHEAP eligibility from 200% to 300% of the federal poverty level in May and Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed it into law on July 9, more working people throughout the state can see lower electric and gas bills.
A year ago, a family of four with an annual income of $64,290 was eligible for a LIHEAP credit, as well as monthly discounts from ComEd, North Shore Gas and NICOR. Now those benefits are available to a family of the same size making up to $99,000 per year.
State Sen. Adriane Johnson, D-Buffalo Grove, the chief state Senate sponsor of the legislation, said it is important for the state to do as much as it can to help residents get through “this affordability crisis.”
“Before all the instability from this war and the tariffs, you could walk out of the grocery store with three bags of groceries for $100,” Johnson said. “Today you’re lucky if you can walk out with one. Everything has gone up. We want to expand and codify low-income utility discount programs.”
LIHEAP registration is currently underway for seniors, individuals with disabilities, families with children under age 6, and for all income-eligible people, on Nov. 1 at a number of locations across Lake County, qualifying them for a one-time credit and lower monthly utility bills.
Overseen locally by the Community Action Partnership of Lake County, Darlene Johnson, the organization’s deputy director, said the eligibility increase opens the program up to many more people. They can start the process by calling the Community Action Partnership at 847-249-4330.
“Follow the prompts, choose LIHEAP, and the person on the phone will guide you,” Darlene Johnson said. “They’ll take preliminary information so you can make an appointment with one of our representatives or at any township office.”
Applicants must show proof of income with a pay stub and proof of fixed income like Social Security through appropriate documentation, according to the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) website.
Renters whose utilities are part of their monthly payment also qualify for LIHEAP assistance, according to the DCEO. People must also show their most recent utility bills. They should also bring proof of their Social Security or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number.
A successful application for LIHEAP provides the individual with a one-time credit from their utility bills. Darlene Johnson said it also entitles the participant to a monthly discount from ComEd, North Shore Gas or NICOR. The reduction varies with the intent to make utility bills no more than 3% of a family’s income.
Though people have until Aug. 27 or the funds are exhausted to apply, Darlene Johnson said the program continues through Sept. 30 when the new LIHEAP program begins. People must apply each year. For the 2025 LIHEAP year, available money was not depleted.
Zion Township is one of the places where people can go to register for LIHEAP. Township Supervisor Cheri Neal said that while the one-time credit may not be large, the discount from the gas and electric companies can make a significant difference.
“It can be as much as 30% to 70% each month,” Neal said. “LIHEAP makes you eligible for that. We have seen more people seeking assistance for basic expenses like housing and utilities.”
Waukegan Township Supervisor Marc Jones said in the past seven months he has seen more people coming into the township office in need of help to pay for basic needs like housing, gas, and electricity.
“We are seeing working middle-class individuals coming to us for utility assistance, which to me clearly speaks to the issue of affordability and the importance of financial stability to everyone,” Jones said. “This shows an increase we have not seen before.”
When state Rep. Laura Faver Dias, D-Grayslake. first introduced the LIHEAP legislation in January, the cost of living had not begun to accelerate significantly. By the time it passed the state House of Representatives and went to the state Senate in April, tariffs and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz because of the war in Iran started to take their toll.
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Sen. Johnson said the new LIHEAP thresholds may seem like a good living for a working-class family. With the increase in the cost of living over the past seven months, it is not as much as some people may think.
“It sounds like $99,000 is a lot of money, but not when you have four mouths to feed,” she said, referring to the upper limit for a family of four. “It was before the unjust war and all of the tariffs.”
The maximum income enabling one person to participate in LIHEAP is $47,880 annually, $64,920 for a couple, $81,060 for a three-person household, $116,040 with five in the home, and, if there are six, it is $133,080, according to DCEO.