Energy assistance in Peoria, IL runs primarily through the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), which pays your gas or electric company directly on your behalf if your household income qualifies. In Peoria County, applications are handled by the Peoria Citizens Committee for Economic Opportunity (PCCEO), the local community action agency that processes intake, reviews documents, and issues the approval notice. Beyond LIHEAP, you may also qualify for a percentage-of-income payment plan, reconnection help, furnace repair, weatherization, or winter shutoff protections built into Illinois law.
Where to Apply in Peoria
PCCEO is located at 711 W. McBean Street, Peoria, IL 61605. The office is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and the phone number is (309) 671-3900.1Peoria Citizens Committee for Economic Opportunity. Home Call first to schedule an appointment. An in-person visit lets a caseworker check your paperwork on the spot and flag anything missing before you leave.
If getting to the office is difficult, the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) also runs an online portal where you can upload documents and submit forms digitally.2Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. How To Apply – Utility Bill Assistance Mailed applications are processed in the order they arrive.
When to Apply and Who Gets Priority
LIHEAP is not open year-round. For the 2025–2026 program year, the application window runs October 1, 2025 through August 15, 2026, or until funding runs out.2Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. How To Apply – Utility Bill Assistance Money typically goes fast. Waiting until spring is risky.
Starting October 1, priority access goes to four groups:
- Adults age 60 and older
- Households with a member who has a disability
- Families with at least one child age 5 or younger
- Households already disconnected, facing a disconnection date within 7 days, or with less than 25% remaining in their propane tank
All other income-eligible households can begin applying November 1.2Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. How To Apply – Utility Bill Assistance If you fit a priority group, apply in October.
Who Qualifies
Income Limits
Eligibility uses your household’s gross income over the 30 days before you apply. Illinois sets the ceiling at 60% of state median income, and the dollar amounts update each program year.2Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. How To Apply – Utility Bill Assistance For 2025–2026, the monthly limits by household size are:3Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. LIHEAP Flyer 2025-26
- 1 person: $3,332
- 2 people: $4,357
- 3 people: $5,382
- 4 people: $6,407
- 5 people: $7,432
- 6 people: $8,457
These figures are gross, meaning income before taxes. Every household member’s income counts, including wages, Social Security, pensions, unemployment, and child support.
Residency and Utility Responsibility
You must live in Peoria County and be responsible for your own utility costs. Your account needs to be active or facing a disconnection notice. Renters whose utilities are bundled into rent can still qualify, though the utility portion generally needs to exceed 30% of household income.
Citizenship
LIHEAP is available to U.S. citizens and to lawful permanent residents, refugees, asylees, and individuals paroled into the country for at least one year. In mixed households, benefits are prorated based on eligible members, but for services that cannot be split, like an arrearage payment to stop a shutoff, the full benefit can still be provided to keep service running.4Office of Community Services. LIHEAP Assistance for Eligible Household Members Residing With Ineligible Household Members
Documents to Bring
Gather everything before your appointment. For every person in the household, you need:2Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. How To Apply – Utility Bill Assistance
- Proof of income for the past 30 days: pay stubs, Social Security award letter, pension statement, unemployment letter, or documentation of any other income
- Social Security cards or ITINs. If you have neither, PCCEO staff can help you through the process
- Current gas and electric bills, showing account numbers, balances, and the utility providers at your address
If a household member has no income, be ready to explain how expenses are being covered. Ask PCCEO when you call whether a written statement or other verification will be required. Missing documents are the single most common reason applications stall.
Types of Help Available
Direct Vendor Payment
The most common form of LIHEAP help is a one-time payment sent directly to your utility company. The amount depends on household size, income, and fuel type. It reduces your outstanding balance but usually does not clear it in full.5Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. Frequently Asked Questions – Utility Bill Assistance
Percentage of Income Payment Plan
PIPP restructures how you pay going forward. You pay 6% of your gross household income toward energy costs each month, and the state covers the gap. Yearly usage is spread evenly across 12 months, which eliminates seasonal spikes. PIPP is available through Ameren Illinois, ComEd, Nicor Gas, and Peoples Gas.6Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. Percentage of Income Payment Plan and Budget Billing For households with very tight budgets, PIPP is often a better long-term fit than the one-time payment.
Reconnection Help
If service has already been shut off for nonpayment, reconnection assistance can restore it. You can receive one reconnection payment for gas and a separate one for electric within the same program year. You’ll need to show some effort to maintain your account or pay part of the reconnection cost.
Furnace Repair or Replacement
When a heating system fails in winter, LIHEAP can fund repairs or full replacement through the Furnace Voucher Program. This is a separate benefit from the direct vendor payment and is meant for genuine heating emergencies.7The LIHEAP Clearinghouse. Illinois
If You Earn Too Much for LIHEAP
Warm Neighbors Cool Friends fills the gap between LIHEAP eligibility and self-sufficiency. It serves customers with incomes between 200% and 300% of the federal poverty level, or up to 80% of the county’s area median income.8Warm Neighbors Cool Friends. Apply for Help That range covers many working families, single parents, and seniors on fixed incomes who don’t look poor on paper but still can’t absorb a heavy winter bill.9Warm Neighbors Cool Friends. Power Bill Help
Weatherization: Reducing the Bill Itself
The Illinois Home Weatherization Assistance Program (IHWAP) sends contractors to your home for an energy audit and then makes improvements so you use less energy. Covered work includes air sealing around doors, windows, and pipes; attic and wall insulation; HVAC repair or replacement; water heater work; and efficient lighting and appliances.10Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. Home Weatherization
The program covers up to $20,000 per home for energy improvements and up to $4,000 for health and safety measures such as ventilation and moisture control.10Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. Home Weatherization The income rules match LIHEAP. Ask PCCEO which agency handles weatherization for Peoria County.
Winter Shutoff Protections
Even without an approved application, Illinois law limits when investor-owned utilities can disconnect service used for primary heat during the heating season, December 1 through March 31. Before any disconnection, the utility must give six business days’ notice by phone, personal visit, or first-class mail. The utility must also offer a deferred payment arrangement with a down payment capped at 10% of the balance and at least four months to pay the rest. Active LIHEAP participants cannot be disconnected during the heating season, and neither can active-duty military households.
These rules apply to investor-owned utilities like Ameren Illinois. They do not automatically cover municipal utilities or rural electric cooperatives. If you’re unsure who regulates your provider, call the Illinois Commerce Commission’s Consumer Services Division.
Medical Certificate
Outside the winter moratorium, a licensed physician can certify that losing gas or electric service would worsen a medical condition in your household. That certificate blocks disconnection for 60 days.11Legal Information Institute. Illinois Admin Code Title 83 280.130 – Disconnection of Service
If Your Application Is Denied
Most denials come from incomplete paperwork rather than actual ineligibility, so start by asking PCCEO exactly what was missing. Resubmitting a complete file is often faster than appealing.
If you do want to appeal, Illinois provides a four-step path. You have 30 days from the denial to request an informal conference at PCCEO, which must be held within 15 days. If that doesn’t resolve it, you have 30 days to request a state-level review, with a written decision in 15 days. From there, you have 30 days to request a formal hearing through the Illinois Department of Human Services; the hearing occurs within 30 days and a decision follows within 10. Finally, you have 35 days after that decision to seek judicial review in court.
How LIHEAP Interacts with SNAP
Receiving a LIHEAP benefit of at least $20 qualifies your household for the Standard Utility Allowance used in SNAP calculations, which can raise your monthly food assistance amount.12LIHEAP Clearinghouse. Farm Bill Mandates Changes to Heat and Eat Programs LIHEAP payments are not treated as taxable income, so accepting help will not affect your tax return.