HEATING APPLICATION PERIOD
OCTOBER 1, 2025 – MARCH 31, 2026
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Catholic Charities Delaware Energy Assistance Program (DEAP) will accept applications for this year’s LIHEAP heating season beginning October 1 through March 31.
Catholic Charities offices have restricted access due to the Public Health State of Emergency in Delaware.
Income eligible Delawareans, who wish to apply for LIHEAP heating assistance through this online portal, will need to complete, electronically sign, and submit the online application, and upload copies of the required documents. Incomplete applications or those missing required documents will not be processed.
First time LIHEAP applicants or applicants with 10 or more people residing in the household must contact one of the following three DEAP locations to schedule a LIHEAP intake appointment. Fill in fields only for the number of Household Members applying, and then scroll down to the Income section to continue.
Find us
New Castle
2601 W. 4th St. Wilm., DE 19805
Kent
2099 S. DuPont Highway Dover, DE 19901
Sussex
404 S. Bedford St., Ste. 9 Georgetown, DE 19947
You may also contact your local county DEAP office should you have any questions. If you would like to see whether or not your family income falls within the guidelines, click here.
Anyone who needs to make a LIHEAP intake appointment is encouraged to call early in the season. The offices get busy once the weather gets cold.
Important reminders and the required documents are listed.
REMINDERS FOR LIHEAP CLIENTS
Your application CANNOT be completed if ANY information is missing.
PLEASE BE REMINDED that the benefit amounts and when they are released MAY CHANGE from year to year. This program is NOT MEANT TO PAY ALL YOUR ENERGY COSTS, and you should continue to pay your heating bills until you receive your Eligibility Letter. YOU MUST PAY any amount due that EXCEEDS your benefit or you risk account termination/disconnection. CONTINUE TO PAY your budget or deferment plans, as you are under contract with your energy vendor to do so.
PLEASE BE REMINDED that Eligibility for LIHEAP does NOT guarantee a benefit will be paid. LIHEAP funding is limited and its availability is dependent on the number of clients that apply. We encourage clients to complete the LIHEAP application process in order to also be eligible for other supplemental programs such as Summer Cooling, Crisis, Weatherization, etc.
INFORMATION ON DOCUMENTS FOR THE WINTER LIHEAP PROGRAM:
- Photo ID for all adults
- Social Security cards (or letter from the Social Security office showing the Soc. Sec. #) must be provided for ALL household members over 6 months of age. NO OTHER TYPE OF PROOF OF SOC. SEC. # WILL BE ACCEPTED. IF YOU ARE NOT SURE YOU HAVE PROVIDED A SOC. SEC. CARD IN THE PAST, PLEASE SEND A COPY WITH YOUR APPLICATION.
- Proof of U.S. Citizenship (birth certificate; passport or passport card; Native American tribal card; certificate of naturalization; certificate of citizenship).
- Proof of Qualified Alien status (lawful permanent resident, cross border North American Indian, asylee, refugee, Cuban/Haitian entrant; paroled into U.S. for at least one year; deportation being withheld; battered immigrant spouse/children; victim of trafficking; members of armed services or veterans).
- Proof of Delaware residency (current driver’s license or non-driver ID card; mortgage statement/lease/utility bill/cable bill/bank statement with DE address; federal or state government correspondence with DE address).
- Fixed Income – Social Security, SSI, Veteran’s Assistance Award Letter or a bank statement showing direct deposit amount; proof of pension.
- Variable Income – Paystubs for the last 3 months, or year-to-date pay stub if household member has worked at the same company for 1 year or more; proof of tax records for self- employed
- Current electric, natural gas and propane bills with current address and account numbers.
- Proof of Unemployment Compensation or Child Support (12-month printout).
- Proof of the amount of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) – e.g. copy of check, food stamp award letter, etc.; or General Assistance (GA) – e.g. copy of check, etc.
- If a household member is 18+ and in college, please provide a current class schedule.
Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) Online Application
NEW CASTLE: 302-654-9295 ● KENT: 302-674-1782 ● SUSSEX: 302-856-6310 APPLICATION PERIOD October 1, 2025 – March 31, 2026