Texas CEAP Utility Assistance: Up to $12,600 for Low-Income Households in 2026

If you're a Texas homeowner or renter struggling to keep the lights on or the air conditioner running, the state's Comprehensive Energy Assistance Program (CEAP) can pay a significant share of your utility bill directly to your provider. CEAP is Texas's implementation of the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), administered by the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA). The Fiscal Year 2026 LIHEAP State Plan was approved on September 18, 2025, with service delivery refreshed in October 2025, and funds are now flowing through local community action agencies across all 254 Texas counties.

What CEAP Pays For

CEAP is built around three core benefits for FY 2026:

• Heating and cooling bill payment: $1 minimum, up to $12,600 maximum per eligible household. Payments go directly to your electric, natural gas, or propane provider.
• Crisis assistance: up to $1,800 for households that have received a disconnection notice, already lost service, or face a life-threatening heating or cooling emergency.
• Weatherization: up to $12,000 for energy-efficiency improvements such as attic insulation, duct sealing, weatherstripping, and in some cases HVAC repair or replacement.

Unlike many assistance programs, there is no asset limit in Texas — your savings account or home equity won't disqualify you.

Who Qualifies

To be eligible you must be a Texas resident and your gross household income must be at or below 150% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines. For FY 2026, that ceiling is roughly $23,475 for a household of one, $31,725 for two, $39,975 for three, and $49,500 for a household of four, with about $8,250 added for each additional person. Both homeowners and renters qualify, whether the utility is in your name or included in your rent. Priority is typically given to households with seniors (60+), people with disabilities, and families with young children.

How to Apply

CEAP is administered through local subrecipients — usually community action agencies — not directly by TDHCA. To find the agency serving your ZIP code:

1. Visit the Help for Texans portal at tdhca.texas.gov/help-for-texans, select "Utility Bill Payment Help," and enter your city or county.
2. Call the statewide CEAP hotline at 1-877-399-8939 (Mon-Fri, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.).
3. Dial 2-1-1 for a referral to the nearest office.

Once matched with your local provider, most agencies let you apply online through their own portal, by mail, or in person. Have these documents ready: a photo ID, Social Security numbers for every household member, proof of income for the last 30 days (pay stubs, Social Security award letter, SNAP determination), your most recent utility bill, and a copy of any disconnection notice if you're in crisis.

Deadlines and Timing

CEAP runs on a federal fiscal year: applications opened in October 2025 and continue until FY 2026 funding for your county is exhausted — typically summer 2026 in high-demand areas. Crisis applications are processed within 18 hours (for life-threatening situations) or 48 hours. Regular bill-payment applications take longer, so apply early in the cycle rather than waiting for a shut-off notice.

Stacking with Other Help

CEAP can be combined with TDHCA's Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP), utility-company hardship funds (Reliant CARE, TXU Energy Aid, CenterPoint's bill assistance), and the statewide LITE-UP Texas discount if you qualify for SNAP or Medicaid. If you own your home and have storm or disaster damage, ask the same intake worker about the Texas Homeowner Assistance Fund utility arrears component as well.

With energy bills still elevated heading into summer 2026, CEAP is one of the most generous utility-relief programs available to Texas households — and the money runs out every year, so don't wait.