Low-income home energy assistance

Technical Report · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1991

OSTI ID:6085215

The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program provides eligible households with assistance for home energy costs. Assistance is available to (1) help families with cooling costs, (2) prevent energy cutoffs in crisis situations, and (3) help families make their homes more energy efficient. GAO found that between fiscal years 1986 and 1989, the states - while offsetting about one-fourth of the cuts in federal funding for the program, mainly with oil overcharge funds resulting from legal settlements with major oil producers, scaled back energy assistance benefits. In addition, most states served fewer households, although 43 percent attributed to the decrease to factors other than federal funding cuts, such as improved economic conditions that reduced the need for assistance. States generally compiled with key program requirements by assuring the Department of Health and Human Services that they were (1) doing outreach activities, especially for the elderly and handicapped, and (2) targeting benefits to households most in need. Also, the four states GAO visited had incorporated fiscal controls to prevent erroneous payments. GAO found that in nearly all states, other government and private sector programs provide home energy assistance to low-income households. In fiscal year 1989, this assistance amounted to about $200 million.

• Research Organization: General Accounting Office, Washington, DC (United States). Resources, Community and Economic Development Div.
• OSTI ID: 6085215
• Report Number(s): GAO/HRD-91-13
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
290100 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Energy Analysis & Modeling
290200* -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Economics & Sociology
ACCOUNTING
ENERGY ACCOUNTING
ENERGY ANALYSIS
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
FINANCIAL INCENTIVES
FINANCING
HOUSEHOLDS
HUMAN POPULATIONS
LOW INCOME GROUPS
MINORITY GROUPS
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
POPULATIONS
STATE GOVERNMENT
US GAO
US ORGANIZATIONS