LIHEAP Household Report–Long Format

Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) Household Report

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LIHEAP Household Report–Long Format

OMB: 0970-0060

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Instructions for the LIHEAP Household Report for FFY 2020–Long Form

Division of Energy Assistance

Office of Community Services

Administration for Children and Families

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

August 14, 2020


The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995


This information collection (OMB Control No. 0970-0060; Expiration Date: 02/28/22 is conducted in accordance with the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) statute (Public Law 97-35, as amended), and 45 CFR 96.82. Information received from this collection provides data to the Administration and Congress in its oversight of grantees' performance in administering the LIHEAP program.


Public reporting burden for this information collection, LIHEAP Household Report for Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 2020—Long Form, is estimated as follows for the two parts of the Report: (A) an average burden of 25 hours per respondent for “LIHEAP Assisted Households,” and (B) an average burden of 13 hours per respondent for “LIHEAP Applicant Households.” The estimates include the time for reviewing instructions, and gathering, editing, maintaining, and reporting the data.


The responses to this information collection are required in order to obtain LIHEAP funding data in accordance with Section 2605(c)(1)(G) of the LIHEAP statute. This information collection is required of the 50 States, District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico that are applying for FFY 2021 funds. Direct-grant Indian tribes/tribal organizations and the remaining territories are to report on the number of households assisted on the LIHEAP Household Report for FFY 2020—Short Form.


This information is not considered confidential; therefore, no additional safeguards are considered necessary beyond that customarily applied to routine government information. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.


After signing on to the Online Data Collection (OLDC) system, select OLDC Report and follow the steps for accessing the LIHEAP Household Report-Long Form for FFY 2020. The instructions for completing the Report are built into the Report itself through hyperlinks. A tutorial is also available at the link below using the Carryover Report as an example. (Note: you must log-in to your OLDC account before clicking the link below). The process for completing and submitting the Report is the same for the Household Report form in OLDC.


Final LIHEAP household data for FY 2020 will be reviewed in OLDC for consistency with FY 2020 LIHEAP benefit data from the Performance Data Form – Section I – Grantee Survey and program data from the LIHEAP state plans.


The reporting instructions are organized into the following sections and subsections:


Introduction

Federal LIHEAP Funds

Basic Types of LIHEAP Assistance

Other Types of LIHEAP Assistance

Data Sections of the LIHEAP Household Report

Concept of Unduplicated Household Counts


General Requirements

Grantee Information

Reporting Period

Definition of Household

Estimated vs. Actual Household Counts

State Calculated vs. OLDC Calculated Totals

Households Receiving “Other” LIHEAP Assistance”

Data Consistency

Household Data Elements


Section I. Number of Assisted Households

Number of Households for EACH Type of Assistance

Number of Households for ANY Type of Assistance

Number of Households Receiving Bill Payment Assistance

Number of Households Receiving Nominal Payment Assistance


Section II. Number of Assisted Households by Poverty Intervals

Uniform Counting and Reporting

Gross Household Income Adjusted by Household Size

Calculating and Assigning Households to Poverty Percent Intervals


Section III. Number of Assisted Households by Vulnerable Populations

Number of Vulnerable Households by Each Vulnerable Group for EACH Type of Assistance

Number of Vulnerable Households by Any Vulnerable Group for EACH Type of Assistance

Number of Vulnerable Households by Each Vulnerable Group for ANY Type of Assistance

Number of Vulnerable Households by Any Vulnerable Group, for ANY Type of Assistance


Section IV. Number of Applicant Households


Section V. Number of Applicant Households by Poverty Intervals


Section VI. Number of Assisted Households by Young Child Age Category (Optional)


Notes


Certification


Introduction


Section 309 of the Human Services Amendments of 1994, Public Law 103-252, amended section 2605(c)(1)(G) of the LIHEAP statute to require grantees, as part of their annual LIHEAP grant application, to report certain data on households which apply for LIHEAP assistance and on households which receive LIHEAP assistance in the most recent Federal Fiscal Year.


September 1, 2020 is the deadline for all grantees to submit their LIHEAP Household Report for FFY 2020 as part of their LIHEAP state plans for FFY 2021. (This date may be extended for tribal grantees if the state in which the tribe is located agrees to a later date. The date may be extended for state or territorial grantees if HHS agrees to a later date.). However, any requests for extension need to be made before October 1, 2020.


LIHEAP grant applications will not be considered complete without submission of the data in the LIHEAP Household Report in OLDC, including the identifying information. Consequently, a FFY 2021 LIHEAP grant will not be awarded to a grantee until its completed LIHEAP Household Report for FFY 2020 is received in OLDC, and all other application requirements have been completed.


The LIHEAP Household Report for FFY 2020 is to be included as part of the LIHEAP grantee's application for FFY 2021. The due date of October 1, 2020. Estimated counts of household data will be accepted for any of the LIHEAP Household Report’s data elements so as not to be a source of delay in awarding LIHEAP grants for FFY 2021. Final LIHEAP household data for FFY 2020 is to be submitted to OCS through ACF’s Online Data Collection (OLDC) system by December 31, 2020 in preparation of the Department’s LIHEAP Report to Congress for FFY 2020.


Federal LIHEAP Funds


Please note: HHS changed the LIHEAP Household Report form for FY 2020 and FY 2021. These changes require grantees to report the number of households assisted by non-CARES Act funds separately from households assisted by by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (the CARES Act) funding (P. L. 116-136). The form has also been revised to permit the repetition of the question fields for any future supplemental appropriations from Congress during these timeframes.


Households could be assisted in FFY 2020 with the following Federal LIHEAP funds:


  • FFY 2020 LIHEAP regular block grant funds;

  • LIHEAP funds carried over from FFY 2019;

  • LIHEAP Block Grant Funds Reallotted to FY 2020

  • LIHEAP funds obligated in FFY 2014 that were expended in FFY 2020;

  • Oil overcharge (Petroleum Violation Escrow) funds, if any, designated for LIHEAP.


Households may also have been assisted in FFY 2020 with federal CARES Act LIHEAP funding and those household counts must be reported on separate line items in each section of the report.

The purpose of the LIHEAP Household Report is to report on the number of households assisted with all available LIHEAP funds during FFY 2020, including those LIHEAP funds obligated in FFY 2019, but not expended until FFY 2020.


Basic Types of LIHEAP Assistance


LIHEAP grantees have the flexibility to choose which types of LIHEAP assistance best meet the needs of their low income households. Federal LIHEAP funds are used to provide the following basic types of assistance to households:


  • heating assistance;

  • cooling assistance;

  • year round crisis assistance;

  • winter crisis assistance;

  • summer crisis assistance; and

  • weatherization and energy-related home repairs.




Other Types of LIHEAP Assistance


There are states which provide households with “other LIHEAP assistance,” as described in a state's LIHEAP Plan for FFY 2020. For the most part, this would include households receiving “other crisis assistance,” such as furnace or air conditioner repairs. Also, this would include Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) households that were provided a relatively small LIHEAP payment to increase the amount of SNAP benefits that they receive.


Data Sections of the LIHEAP Household Report


The data potions of the LIHEAP Household Report include Sections I –VI, as noted below. Within each section, rows represent the type of LIHEAP assistance provided by the grantee – consistent with the grantee’s state plan.


Section

Description



I

Number of assisted households

II

Number of assisted households by poverty interval

III

Number of assisted households by vulnerable population

IV

Number of applicant household

V

Number of applicant households by poverty interval

VI

Number of assisted households by young child age category (Optional)


Sections I-III are to be completed for assisted household data. Sections IV and V are to be completed for applicant household data. Section VI is optional.


Beginning with the data for FFY 2020, states are to report in Section I the following new data elements: households receiving bill payment assistance and households receiving nominal benefits. Also, states are to report separately on households that received winter crisis assistance or year-round crisis assistance.


Concept of Unduplicated Household Counts


As in the past, grantees are required to report on the LIHEAP Household Report “unduplicated counts” of LIHEAP applicant and assisted households for each type of LIHEAP assistance provided. The reporting instructions on unduplicated household counts and poverty data are the same for assisted and applicant households.


The concept of unduplicated counts means that an item, such as a household, is counted only once for a specific data variable. However, unduplicated counting becomes complex when there are multiple data variables. Such counting requires the use of computerized data systems and tracking of households across a state’s entire LIHEAP program, including households receiving weatherization through LIHEAP funds.


Unduplicated household data must be reported separately for EACH type of LIHEAP assistance and for ANY type of LIHEAP assistance, as described in “Unduplicated Household Counts” under Section II.


Report households that received a LIHEAP basic benefit for EACH and ANY type of LIHEAP assistance in FFY 2020. Unduplicated data also must include households that receive any “other” type of LIHEAP assistance, as explained below.



General Requirements


Understanding of the reporting instructions will minimize our need to contact you for clarification or correction of your states’ reported data, saving both our agencies time and effort. This also will enhance our timeliness in compiling, editing, and reporting the data. If possible, we want to avoid having to note in the LIHEAP Report to Congress that a state’s data are inaccurate, estimated, unavailable, or untimely.


Grantee Information


Please include in your LIHEAP Household Report the name, email address, and telephone number of the person to be contacted if we need to follow up with your state about its LIHEAP Household Report. The Report will be considered incomplete and not accepted in OLDC unless this information is included.


Reporting Period


Household data are for the reporting period for FFY 2020 (October 1, 2019 - September 30, 2020). Grantees may operate their programs on a different program year (e.g., starting January 1 or July 1). However, complete household data still need to be reported for the reporting period of FFY 2020.


Definition of Household


The unit for LIHEAP counting is the household; not the head of household or persons in the households. LIHEAP household counts need to be consistent with Section 2603(5) of the LIHEAP statute that defines the term "household" as “any individual or group of individuals who are living together as one economic unit for whom residential energy is customarily purchased in common or who make undesignated payments for energy in the form of rent.”


Given the above definition, a homeowner, a renter whose home energy costs are not included in its rent, and a renter whose home energy costs are included in its rent are counted as separate households. Also, a boarder who rents from a homeowner an apartment or living space with its own heating or cooling system is counted as a separate household. The counting of households becomes complicated if a household splits into two households over the FFY. This is a critical point when reporting an unduplicated number of households.


Estimated vs. Actual Household Counts


The Long Form includes the general question, “Do the data below include estimated figures? Select one YES or NO.”


If actual data are not available, then be sure to indicate which data elements are estimated using the check boxes within Column A in Sections I and V. Include estimates for poverty level and vulnerable households to ensure completeness. When actual data are reported later in a revised report, please uncheck the boxes for estimated data.


State Calculated Total Counts vs. OLDC Calculated Total Counts of Number of Households


The total number of calculated households should equal the number of assisted or applicant households indicated in the grantee’s records. If not, check the data entries and/or provide a note as to why the totals do not match each other.



Households Receiving “Other LIHEAP Assistance”


Counting and reporting on the number of households receiving “other LIHEAP assistance” are needed to credit states for their efforts in assisting such households (consistent with states’ LIHEAP Plans for FFY 2020), and to provide an accurate accounting of the program’s entire caseload.


Households receiving “other LIHEAP assistance” are to be counted and reported as follows:


  • ADD those households that received "other crisis assistance" to year round, winter, or summer crisis fuel assistance if they represent additional households excluded from the crisis assistance data. Also include poverty data and vulnerable household data. Include a note at the end of the Report that indicates how many of these households are included in the crisis data and the nature of the assistance.


  • DO NOT ADD those households that received "other crisis assistance” to year round, winter, or summer crisis assistance if they already received year-round, winter, or summer crisis assistance so as to avoid duplicating the household count. Include a description of the assistance type and how many of the reported households received the “other crisis assistance” in the blank rows at the end of the crisis section (lines 3e and 3f). Other crisis assistance could include non-cash benefits provided to households in the form of air conditioner units, blankets, space heaters, etc.


  • ADD those households that received "other non-crisis assistance" to the basic type of related basic assistance (i.e., heating, cooling, or weatherization assistance) if they represent additional households. Add those household’s data to the poverty levels and vulnerability groups for that basic type of LIHEAP assistance. Include a note that briefly describes “other,” as to which basic type of assistance includes these households, and the number of such households and benefit per household.


  • DO NOT ADD those households that received "other non-crisis LIHEAP assistance" if they also received heating, cooling, or weatherization assistance. Include a brief note that describes “other non-crisis assistance,” and indicates the related basic type of LIHEAP assistance. An unused row of LIHEAP assistance on the LIHEAP Household Report can be labeled “other non-crisis assistance” to report only the number of households receiving that type of assistance.


SNAP households receiving a reduced LIHEAP benefit of $50 or less are not to be included with the heating assistance data. Instead, include households that received a reduced LIHEAP benefit in line 7 in Section I. The number of such households will be included in a footnote for the relevant states in the annual LIHEAP Report to Congress.


Data Consistency


The data will be checked for consistency against the type of LIHEAP assistance that states report in their state plan for FFY 2020 and on the LIHEAP Performance Data Form – Grantee Survey Section for FFY 2020 that will be due January 31, 2020. For example, if obligated funds are reported for cooling assistance and there are no household data reported for cooling assistance, then the state should include a note which explains the inconsistency. States may correct such issues by creating a revision and resubmitting their LIHEAP Household Report or LIHEAP Performance Data Form in OLDC.


Household Data Elements


Unduplicated household counts must be reported for the following data elements:


  1. number of assisted households funded by regular FFY 2020 funding, by EACH type of LIHEAP assistance;

  2. number of assisted households funded by CARES Act LIHEAP funding in FFY 2020, by EACH type of LIHEAP assistance;

  3. number of applicant households seeking regular FFY 2020 LIHEAP funding; by EACH type of LIHEAP assistance;

  4. number of applicant households seeking CARES Act LIHEAP funding in FFY 2020, if applicable, by EACH type of LIHEAP assistance;

  5. number of assisted households by poverty level assisted by regular FFY 2020 funding, by EACH type of LIHEAP assistance;

  6. number of assisted households by poverty level assisted by CARES Act LIHEAP funding in FFY 2020, by EACH type of LIHEAP assistance;

  7. number of applicant households by poverty level applying for regular FFY 2020 LIHEAP funding, by EACH type of LIHEAP assistance;

  8. number of applicant households by poverty level applying for CARES Act LIHEAP funding in FFY 2020, if applicable, by EACH type of LIHEAP assistance;

  9. number of assisted households having at least one member 60 years or older (elderly vulnerability group) assisted with regular FFY 2020 LIHEAP funded, by EACH type of LIHEAP assistance;

  10. number of applicant households with at least one member 60 years or older (elderly vulnerability group) seeking CARES Act LIHEAP funding in FFY 2020, by EACH type of LIHEAP assistance;

  11. number of assisted households having at least one member with a disability (disability vulnerability group) according to the state’s definition of disability, assisted with regular FFY 2020 LIHEAP funding, by EACH type of LIHEAP assistance;

  12. number of assisted households having at least one member with a disability (disability vulnerability group) according to the state’s definition of disability, assisted with CARES Act LIHEAP funding in FFY 2020, by EACH type of LIHEAP assistance;

  13. number of assisted households having at least one member 5 years or under (young child vulnerability group), assisted with regular FFY 2020 LIHEAP funding, by EACH type of LIHEAP assistance.

  14. number of assisted households having at least one member 5 years or under (young child vulnerability group), assisted with CARES Act LIHEAP funding in FFY 2020, by EACH type of LIHEAP assistance.

15. number of assisted households by ANY type of LIHEAP assistance with regular FFY 2020 LIHEAP funding;


16. number of assisted households by ANY type of LIHEAP assistance with CARES Act LIHEAP funding in FFY 2020;


17. number of assisted households by any vulnerable group, assisted with regular FFY 2020 LIHEAP funding, for EACH type of LHEAP assistance;


18. number of assisted households by any vulnerable group, assisted with CARES Act LIHEAP funding in FFY 2020, for EACH type of LHEAP assistance;


19. number of assisted households by each vulnerable group for ANY type of LIHEAP assistance, assisted with regular FFY 2020 LIHEAP funding; and


20. number of assisted households by each vulnerable group for ANY type of LIHEAP assistance, assisted with CARES Act LIHEAP funding in FFY 2020;


21. number of assisted households by any vulnerable group and for ANY type of LIHEAP assistance, assisted with regular FFY 2020 LIHEAP funding.


22. number of assisted households by any vulnerable group and for ANY type of LIHEAP assistance, assisted with CARES Act LIHEAP funding in FFY 2020.


Examples are included to help in understanding the instructions, and are included in the following tables:


Table

Title



1

Scenarios in Counting Unduplicated Assisted Households for EACH and ANY Type of Assistance;

2

Required Data Counts of Assisted Households with Vulnerable Members;

3

Counting Unduplicated Households for EACH and ANY Type of Assistance; and

4

Requested (Optional) Counts of Assisted Young Child Households by Age Category.


Section I – Number of Assisted Households


Count all households assisted in FFY 2020 with Federal LIHEAP funds, as indicated above. Include complete data for households receiving LIHEAP weatherization assistance even if those funds were used under the Department of Energy’s Low Income Weatherization Assistance Program.


Item 6 (Bill Payment Assistance) and Item 7 (Nominal Payments) are new data elements for FFY 2020 under Section I, as described below.


Number of Households for EACH Type of Assistance


Report households that received a LIHEAP basic benefit for EACH and ANY type of LIHEAP assistance in FFY 2020. Unduplicated data also must include households that receive any “other” type of LIHEAP assistance, as explained below.


State grantees are required to report unduplicated counts of the number of assisted and applicant LIHEAP households as described below. Only the number of applicant households and the number of applicant households by poverty level are to be reported for by EACH type of LIHEAP. Reporting pointers include:


  • An unduplicated count of households means that households are to be counted only once for each type of LIHEAP assistance that they applied for and did or did not receive (not all households that apply receive assistance). For example, a household receives two heating assistance benefits and three winter crisis assistance benefits. Count that household once under heating assistance and once under winter crisis for both applicant and assisted households.


  • A household is counted separately as a heating assistance applicant and recipient household if it receives heating assistance, for example, in October 2019. If in January 2020 the household divides into two households, e.g., due to divorce or an adult child moving out of the house, the new household is to be counted as an applicant household and assisted household if it receives a specific type of LIHEAP assistance later in the Federal Fiscal Year.


  • In most cases, the count of applicant households is greater than the count of assisted households for each type of assistance, depending on a state’s definition of an “applicant” household. However, the count of applicant households cannot be lower than the count of assisted households.


  • A household receives “fast track” or “expedited” heating assistance in a crisis fuel situation when the grantee does not have a separate amount of funds designated for crisis fuel assistance. The ‘expediting’ or ‘fast tracking’ of benefits constitutes crisis intervention and the payment to the household constitutes heating assistance. Count that assisted household once under heating assistance and once under crisis assistance. Count that household as an applicant household under heating assistance only, as no crisis assistance funds were used.


Number of Households for ANY Type of Assistance


Count a household once that received at least one type of LIHEAP assistance regardless of the type(s) of assistance provided to a household. For example, if a household received three heating assistance benefits, one winter crisis assistance benefit, and one cooling assistance benefit, then count that household only once under ANY Type of LIHEAP assistance.


Table 1 provides examples for counting vulnerable households for EACH and ANY Type of Assistance as described below. The table presents scenarios of five households lettered A–E. The scenarios provide examples of reporting of unduplicated household counts for those household by EACH type of LIHEAP assistance.


Table 1. Counting Unduplicated Numbered of Assisted Households for EACH and ANY Type of Assistance


Household Scenarios

Number of Assisted Households by Type of LIHEAP Assistance

Heating

Cooling

Year Round

Crisis

Winter Crisis

Summer Crisis

Other Crisis

Wxz.

Household A receives three heating assistance benefits and one year round crisis assistance benefit.

1

0

1

0

0

0

0

Household B receives a heating assistance benefit, a cooling assistance benefit, and weatherization assistance.

1

1

0

0

0

0

1

Household C receives a winter crisis benefit, emergency replacement of its heating unit, and summer crisis assistance benefit.

0

0

0

1

1

1

0

Household D receives an “expedited” or “fast tracked” heating assistance benefit to avoid a utility shutoff.

1

0

0

1

0

0

0

Household E receives “fast tracked” heating assistance, regular cooling assistance, summer crisis assistance, replacement of an air conditioner, and weatherization assistance.

1

1

0

1

1

1

1









Unduplicated Number of Households for EACH Type of LIHEAP Assistance

4

2

1

3

2

2

2

Unduplicated Number of Households for ANY Type of LIHEAP Assistance

5


The number of households counted for EACH type of LIHEAP assistance cannot be added to calculate the unduplicated number of households that received ANY Type of LIHEAP Assistance because a household may receive more than one type of LIHEAP assistance.


Number of Households Receiving Bill Payment Assistance (Item 6)


Count those households that received LIHEAP “bill payment assistance” in FY 2020. Please report an unduplicated count of those households that received any type of bill payment assistance, defined as any LIHEAP benefits used to pay a share of household energy bills and utility deposits. This includes heating (line 1), cooling (line 2), and crisis (line 3a, line 3b, line 3c, and other cash benefits of $50 or greater).


Households that should NOT be counted in this item include:


  • Households receiving only LIHEAP weatherization assistance or energy-related home repair (e.g. heating or cooling equipment repair or replacement) and


  • Households receiving nominal benefits ($50 or less)


Number of Households Receiving Nominal Payment Assistance (Item 7)


Count those households that received Nominal Payment assistance of $50 or less, including those households that received assistance as part of a partnership with the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). This is often referred to as the "Heat or Eat" or "Cool or Heat" Program.


Please include a note that indicates the amount of SNAP benefit per household in the notes section of the Household Report Form. States that operate multiple nominal benefit programs should briefly describe the various programs in the notes section of the Household Report Form.


Section II - Assisted Households by Poverty Intervals for Each Type of LIHEAP Assistance


Household poverty levels must be reported according to the specified percent intervals. The number of assisted and applicant households are to be counted by poverty level for EACH Type of LIHEAP Assistance, but not for applicant and assisted households that received ANY Type of LIHEAP Assistance. Reporting pointers include the following:


  • An unduplicated number of households by poverty level means that a household is to be counted only once within a poverty level for EACH type of LIHEAP assistance provided to the household. The poverty intervals for applicant households also include the category of Income Not Available. For example, a heating assisted household’s poverty level is 79%. Count that household once within the interval of 75%-100% poverty for heating assistance under both applicant household and assisted household.


  • The sum of the number of assisted households across the poverty intervals must equal the total number of assisted households for each type of assistance provided by the state. If this is not the case, provide the reason in the notes section at the end of the Report. Identify the data variable that is being described.


Uniform Counting and Reporting


Annual gross household incomes, adjusted by the number of household members (household size), are to be used in computing household poverty percentages, using the 2019 HHS Poverty Guidelines that were in effect at the beginning of FFY 2020 (October 1, 2019). See:

https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ocs/resource/liheap-im2019-01-hhs-poverty-guidelines-fy2019


Gross Household Income Adjusted by Household Size


Gross household income, adjusted by household size, is to be used in calculating a household’s poverty level regardless of whether net income is used to establish income eligibility for LIHEAP assistance. Count an assisted household under the poverty level which is determined by the household's gross annual income and the household size. Gross income is the household's income before any deductions or adjustments, such as taxes or medical costs, are made to household income. Household members represent those related and/or unrelated individuals who are living together as one economic unit for whom residential energy is customarily purchased in common or who make undesignated payments for residential energy in the form of rent. (U.S.C. 8622)


If gross household income determinations are made using less than a full year's income for a household, then annualize the months of income used, e.g., 12 times one month of household income, or four times three months of household income. Gross household income and household size also are needed for those households that are categorically eligible for LIHEAP assistance, such as households receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Supplementary Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), or certain needs-tested veterans’ benefits.


A household's gross annual income and/or household size can change during the fiscal year. If a household received two benefits or services under the same type of LIHEAP assistance, use that household's gross annual income and household size at the time of the initial determination of benefits or services in calculating that household's poverty level for statistical reporting.


Calculating and Assigning Households to Poverty Percent Intervals


The specific intervals for the poverty percents are shown in the Long Form. Compiling the data is best handled by computer programming. The basic steps in calculating both an applicant and assisted household's poverty level for FFY 2020 are as follows:


  1. Obtain information on the household's gross income and number of members in that household.

Refer to the 2019 HHS Poverty Guidelines for the state’s dollar amount that constitutes 100% of the HHS Poverty Guidelines for the number of members in the household.


  1. Divide the assisted household's gross income by the dollar amount equal to 100% of the 2019 HHS Poverty Guidelines, multiply the result by 100, and express the result as a rounded percent.


Based on each assisted household’s calculated percent, add the applicant or assisted household under the appropriate poverty interval. For each type of assistance, adding the number of assisted households by poverty intervals should result in the unduplicated number of households assisted by that type of LIHEAP assistance. If this is not the case, please note the reason. The guidance also applies to reporting the number of applicant households by poverty intervals (including applicant households with “Income data unavailable”).


Some households that qualify for LIHEAP income eligibility using a household’s net income can be counted in a higher poverty level using gross income. For example, a household’s net income, adjusted for household size, may equal that state’s income cutoff of 125% of poverty. The use of the household’s gross income would most likely result in that household’s classification of “126 - 150%” of poverty. To further illustrate, below are four examples of calculating and classifying a household's poverty interval.


  1. A weatherization assistance household with one member residing in Maine has a gross household income of $11,998. According to the 2019 HHS Poverty Guidelines for Maine, $11,670 represents 100% of the Poverty Guidelines for a one-person household. Divide the household’s income of $11,998 by $11,670 and multiply by 100 = 102.81. Rounding off to the nearest whole percent = 103% of the 2019 HHS Poverty Guidelines. That household is classified as being within the interval of “101%-125% poverty” for weatherization assistance.


  1. A heating assistance household with three members from Arizona has a gross income of $26,139.According to the 2019 HHS Poverty Guidelines for Arizona, $19,790 represents 100% of the HHS Poverty Guidelines for a three-person household. Divide the household’s income of $26,139 by $19,790 and multiply by 100 = 132.08 %. Rounding off to the nearest whole percent = 132% of the 2019 HHS Poverty Guidelines. That household is classified as being within the interval of “126% to 150% poverty” for heating assistance.


  1. A winter crisis assistance household with five members from Ohio has a gross income of $25,368. According to the 2019 HHS Poverty Guidelines for Ohio, $27,910 represents 100% of the HHS Poverty Guidelines for a five-person household. Divide the household’s income of $25,368 by $27,910 and multiply by 100 = 90.89%. Rounding off to the nearest whole percent = 91% of the 2019 HHS Poverty Guidelines. That household is classified as being within the interval of “75% to 100% poverty” for winter crisis assistance.


  1. A summer crisis assistance household with 10 members from North Dakota has a gross income of $73,131. According to the 20194 HHS Poverty Guidelines for North Dakota, $48,210 represents 100% of the HHS Poverty Guidelines for a 10-person household. Divide the household’s income of $73,131 by $48,210 and multiply by 100 = 151.69. Rounding off to the nearest whole percent = 152% of the 2019 HHS Poverty Guidelines. That household is classified as being in the interval of “over 150% poverty” for summer crisis assistance.


Section III – Number of Assisted Households by Vulnerable Populations


An assisted household is classified as vulnerable if it has at least one household member who belongs to any of the following three groups of vulnerable households:


  1. elderly, i.e., one member 60 years or older;


  1. disabled (using the grantee's definition of "disabled", as the LIHEAP statute does not define the term); or


  1. young child, i.e., age 5 years or under (include all children who are not yet 6 years old, that is, up to 5 years and 364 days old.


Table 2 includes scenarios about four households that provide further examples of the counting and reporting of unduplicated household counts for each group of vulnerable households.


Table 2. Required Data Counts of Assisted Households With Vulnerable Members


(E) elderly (D) disabled (C) a young child 5 years or under




Vulnerability Group Category

Household A Cathy--29

Frank--36

Martha--67 (E)

Al--76 (E) (D)

Household B

Alice--46

Tom--17

Fran—12

Household C

Andrew--42 (D)

Pauline--35

Susan--72 (E)

Charlie--5 (C)

Household D

Sylvia--23

Carl--27

Rick--2 (C)

Chet--4 (C)



Total number of assisted households


REQUIRED DATA

Number of assisted households


1


1


1


1


4

Number of assisted households with at least one member who is:

60 years or older (E)

1

0

1

0

2

Disabled (D)

1

0

1

0

2

Age 5 years or under (C)

0

0

1

1

2







E, D, or C

1

0

1

1

3


Number of Vulnerable Households by Each Vulnerable Group for EACH Type of Assistance


Data need to be reported separately for each of the three vulnerable groups of households for EACH type of LIHEAP, as shown in Table 3. In calculating and reporting the data, note the following:


  1. A household is to be counted for each vulnerable group in which the household has at least one member who is 60 years or older, disabled, or age 5 years or under. For example, a household that receives heating assistance includes one child 2 years old, another child 4 years old, and an elderly member who also is disabled. This household would be counted once under each of the following vulnerable groups for heating assistance: 60 years or older; disabled; and age 5 or under.


  1. An assisted household with two or more members in the same vulnerable group is to be counted once. For example, a household with two members who are both 65 years old would be counted once under 60 years or older.


  1. The data on vulnerable groups are household counts; not the count of vulnerable persons or the number of heads of households that are vulnerable.


Number of Vulnerable Households by Any Vulnerable Group for EACH Type of Assistance


Data need to be reported separately for each type of LIHEAP assistance provided for the unduplicated number of households that had at least one member belonging to any of the three vulnerable household groups. For example, if a cooling assisted household includes any vulnerable members, then count that household once under any vulnerable group (Elderly, Disabled, or Young Child) for cooling assistance.


Number of Vulnerable Households by Each Vulnerable Group, for ANY Type of Assistance


Data need to be reported separately for each group of vulnerable households that received ANY type of LIHEAP assistance. For example, if a heating assisted household has two children under the age 5 and one person over the age of 60, then count that household under Any Type of Assistance, once under elderly, once under young child, and once under Elderly, Disabled, or Young Child. See Table 3 on the next page for examples.


Number of Vulnerable Households by Any Vulnerable Group, for ANY Type of Assistance


Data need to be reported for households having at least one member that is 60 years or older, disabled, or 5 years or younger for ANY Type of LIHEAP Assistance. For example, if a household receives cooling and weatherization assistance and includes at least one vulnerable member, then count that household as receiving ANY Type of Assistance under Elderly, Disabled, or Young Child.

Table 3. Household Scenarios in Counting Unduplicated Vulnerable Households by EACH and ANY Type of LIHEAP Assistance





Household scenarios

Household

A receives three heating benefits & one summer crisis benefit.

B receives a heating benefit, cooling benefit, & weatherization

C receives a year round crisis benefit, an emergency furnace replacement, & summer crisis benefit.

D receives an “expedited” heating benefit to avoid a shutoff, summer crisis benefit, air conditioner repair, & weatherization.

E splits from Household D & receives two winter crisis benefits.


Household members who are vulnerable

Cathy-29

Father-67

Al-36 (disabled)

Mother-72 (disabled)

Alice-46

Father 61

Tom-17

Fran-2

Andrew-42

Mother-72

Pauline-35

Charlie-6 (disabled)

Silvia-23

Ellen-8

Carl-27

Rick-6

Silvia-23

Ellen-5



EACH Type of LIHEAP Assistance

Number of Assisted Households


Household A - E with least one member who is

With anyone who is Elderly, Disabled, or Young Child

Total

Elderly

Disabled

Young Child







HEATING

3

2

1

1*

2*


A, B, D

A, B

A

B

A, B







COOLING

1

1

0

1

1*


B

B

--

B

B







YEAR-ROUND CRISIS SISTANCE

1

1

1

0

1*


C

C

C

--

C







WINTER CRISIS

2

0

0

1

1*


D, E

--

--

E

E







SUMMER CRISIS

3

2

2

0

2*


A, C, D

A, C

A, C

--

A, C







WEATHERIZATION

2

1

0

1

1*


B, D

B

--

B

B

ANY Type of LIHEAP Assistance

5**

3**

2**

2**

4***

A, B, C, D, E

A, B, C

A, C

B, E

A, B, C, E


*Do not add the separate numbers of elderly, disabled or young child households to calculate the unduplicated number of Elderly, Disabled, or Young Child households for EACH Type of LIHEAP Assistance, as assisted households can have members counted under more than one vulnerable group.


**Do not add the column of the unduplicated number of assisted households for each type of assistance to calculate the unduplicated number households for ANY Type of Assistance, as assisted households can be counted under more than one type of LIHEAP assistance.


***Do not add the number of Elderly, Disabled, or Young Child households for each type of LIHEAP assistance to calculate the unduplicated number of Elderly, Disabled, or Young Child households under ANY Type or LIHEAP Assistance, as such households can be counted under EACH Type of LIHEAP Assistance.



IV. Number of Applicant Households


The Long Form includes Sections IV and V for applicant household data. The reporting instructions on unduplicated household counts and poverty data are the same for reporting on assisted and applicant households.


The definition of "applicant" households is left to each LIHEAP grantee, as the LIHEAP statute does not define the term. Consequently, there will be variation among states in their counts due to differences in how states define "applicant" households. For example, some states may not count those households screened out before a formal LIHEAP application is completed. Also, states may not have households apply for LIHEAP once their programs close.


The count of applicant households should include the number of households that applied for EACH type of LIHEAP assistance, whether or not they actually receive LIHEAP assistance. Stated differently, the count should include the number of approved, denied, and pending applications for each type of LIHEAP assistance. This count should be greater than the count of assisted households for each specific type of LIHEAP assistance, depending on a state’s definition of an “applicant” household. If this is not the case, please include a brief explanation in the notes section.


V. Number of Applicant Households by Poverty Intervals


An unduplicated number of applicant households by poverty level means that an applicant household is to be counted only once within a poverty level for EACH type of LIHEAP assistance that the household applied. The poverty intervals for applicant households also include the category of Income Not Available. For example, a household applying for heating assistance has a poverty level of 79%. Count that household once within the interval of 76%-100% poverty for heating assistance under applicant households. Further information is applicable in Section II that applies to assisted households.


VI. Number of Assisted Households by Young Child Age Category (Optional)


Both House Report 103-483 and Senate Report 103-251 on S. 2000, the predecessor to Public Law 103-252 (the Human Services Amendments of 1994), instructed the Department to develop reporting requirements that distinguish between children under 3 years of age and those 3 years through 5 years of age.


The count of assisted households with at least one child 5 years or under is required. Counts of assisted households with at least one child who is (a) 2 years old or under and (b) between 3 years and5 years are requested, i.e., optional data items if the grantee elects to report the data. See Table 4 for examples.


If reporting the requested data the requested data:


  1. Count the number of assisted households with at least one child 5 years or under for each type of LIHEAP assistance provided.


  1. Using those assisted households with at least one child 5 years or under, count the number of households with at least one child who is 2 years old or under.


  1. Using those assisted households with at least one child 5 years or under, count the number of households with at least one child who is between 3 years through 5 years old regardless of whether those households have already been counted age 2 years or under.


The sum of the number of households with at least one child 2 years or under and the number of households with at least one child between 3 years-5 years should be greater than the number of households with at least one child 5 years or under.

Table 4. Requested (Optional) Data Counts of Assisted Households with Young Children


(C*) a young child 2 years or under (C**) a young child between 3- 5 years



Household

Number of assisted households



Vulnerable Group Category

A

Cathy--29

Frank--36

Martha--67 (E)

Tom--76 (E) (D)

B

Alice--46

Don--17

Fran—12

C

Andrew--42 (D)

Pauline--35

Susan--72 (E)

Charlie--5 (C**)

D

Sylvia--23

Carl--27

Raymond--2 (C*)

Chet--4 (C**)



REQUESTED DATA



Number of assisted households with at least one member who is:


Age 2 years or under (C*)

0

0

0

1

1


Age 3 years through 5 years (C**)

0

0

1

1

2


Notes


The notes section is where all notes need to be entered concerning the data in the way of explanations and qualifications. Full use of the notes section can help to minimize or avoid follow up queries. Please identify which part of the LIHEAP household report that you are noting.


Certification


This is where the official signing the LIHEAP Household Report clicks the “certify” and “click to sign” buttons in OLDC, which will then populate the date. Also provide the official’s name, job title, and telephone number. Please submit the completed Household Report on the On-Line Data Collection (OLDC) system at: https://extranet.acf.hhs.gov/ssi.

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File TitleFederal LIHEAP Household Report Reporting Requirements
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