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To qualify, a household must have a child six years of age or younger, an adult 60 years or older, or an individual living with a disability. Additionally, there are income requirements based on a household’s gross monthly income (before taxes), which can be found here. Individuals and families in need of cooling assistance are encouraged to apply even if they are unsure of their eligibility status.
Assistance is available for:
- Payment of electric bills and/or security deposits to operate cooling equipment,
- Repair of a central air conditioning system or heat pump,
- Purchase of a whole-house fan, including ceiling or attic fans,
- Purchase and installation of a window unit air conditioner.
Households who received a one-time benefit of $365 for payment of electric bills to operate cooling equipment in June will not be eligible to receive additional payments for this type of assistance in 2025. However, these households remain eligible to receive other cooling assistance services listed above, including air conditioning system repair and the purchase of a whole-house fan. Receiving cooling assistance does not impact a household’s eligibility for fuel or crisis assistance.
Applications (available in English and Spanish) can be submitted to the household’s local department of social services, online via CommonHelp, or by calling 855-635-4370 Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eligibility is determined by the local department of social services.
The Virginia Energy Assistance Program has provided relief to local residents through the federally-funded Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) for more than 20 years. Last year, the Department served more than 88,000 Virginia households with cooling assistance through the LIHEAP.
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About the Virginia Department of Social Services
The Virginia Department of Social Services (VDSS), one of the Commonwealth’s largest government agencies, is comprised of approximately 2,000 state staff who proudly serve alongside more than 10,000 employees of 120 local departments of social services and community action agencies to deliver critical social services to Virginia’s most vulnerable citizens. VDSS is committed to ensuring Virginians have access to the high-quality human services and resources needed to enhance their individual and collective well-being, and shape strong futures for themselves, their families and communities. The agency provides a wide range of services and resources in the areas of food and energy assistance, foster care and adoption, child support, and abuse and neglect prevention, among others. For more information, visit dss.virginia.gov.
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