With the cold setting in, and the promise of a harsh winter right around the corner, proper heating is an important issue for just about everyone. Of course, along with that comes concerns about astronomical heating bills.

So, what can you do when those bills get out of hand?The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, run by the Office of Community Services at Health and Human Services' Administration for Children and Families, provides assistance to people and families who have trouble paying for energy expenses.The ACF announced this week that it had released $185,523,200 to Pennsylvania residents in need, providing the funding throughout the year to help with heating, cooling, and "cost-effective home energy repairs."LIHEAP offers both cash grants, which go toward paying regular bills, and crisis grants, which can be applied in emergency situations such as broken equipment, or impending termination of services. Since the assistance is provided as a grant, nothing has to be repaid.The application requires the names, dates of birth, social security numbers, and proof of income for all household members, as well as a recent heating bill."Household eligibility is based on their income, household size and heating responsibility," Rachel Kostelac, deputy press secretary for the Department of Human Services, said, starting with an income limit of $17,820 for a single occupant, up to $73,815 for ten occupants."After an application is reviewed, consumers will receive a written notice explaining eligibility and the amount of assistance they will receive if eligible, Kostelac said. "Payments are generally sent directly to their utility company or fuel dealer and are credited to the household's account."Carbon and Monroe Counties will be accepting applications for the programs starting Tuesday, which can be picked up from the respective county assistance offices. An online application is available through

compass.state.pa.us as well.