With energy costs expected to rise more than 10 percent nationally this winter, Colorado’s Low-income Energy Assistance Program (LEAP) can help eligible Coloradans pay a portion of their winter home heating bills by making a one-time payment directly to the utility company on behalf of each LEAP-eligible household. LEAP will start accepting applications on Nov. 1, and will accept applications through April 30, 2025. Last winter, more than 85,000 Colordans statewide received an average benefit of $455 from LEAP.
LEAP recipients may also be eligible to receive furnace repair and replacement in heat-related emergencies and weatherization services pending the results of a home energy audit.
“Eligible families can expect to receive between $200 to $1,000 in energy assistance depending on the type of heating fuel, household income and other factors,” says Theresa Kullen, LEAP manager for the Food and Energy Assistance Division at the Colorado Department of Human Services. “This means they will have more money to spend on other essentials like groceries, medicine or rent. Anyone who thinks they may be eligible should apply.”
To qualify for LEAP, Coloradans may have an income up to 60 percent of the state median income, which is a household income of less than $78,060 a year for a family of four.
Additionally, LEAP recipients must pay home heating costs directly to a utility company or landlord as part of their rent and have at least one U.S. citizen or permanent legal resident of the U.S. living in the household.
To get the LEAP application, visit CDHS’s website. Online applications are processed through the Colorado PEAK system. You can also call the HEAT HELP line at 1-866-HEAT-HELP (1-866-432-8435) to receive an application via mail or email, or you can visit your local county Department of Human Services office to pick up or drop off an application.