After a month-long delay, the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program opened in Pennsylvania on Wednesday.

The state received LIHEAP funds from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services last week, and announced on Tuesday that applications would now be accepted from low-income households who need help to heat their homes this winter.

Some $3.6 billion in LIHEAP funds were held up by the federal shutdown, which ended Nov. 12. The LIHEAP season typically opens in early November. This year’s will run from Dec. 3 until April 10, 2026.

LIHEAP gives one-time grants of $200 to $1,000 that are paid to utilities on behalf of a struggling customer. Crisis grants of $25 to $1,000 are also available help people avoid losing heat, buy heating fuel or repair broken heating appliances

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