December 1, 2025 LIHEAP Enrollment for Heating Bill Assistance Opens December 3 Pennsylvania’s Department of Human Services (DHS) will open enrollment for its Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), which helps residents to pay heating bills during the winter, on December 3. Enrollment opened late this year due to the ongoing federal government shutdown. Learn More The LIHEAP grant helps income-eligible families to pay their heating bills. Those who receive assistance do not have to repay it. LIHEAP offers both cash and crisis grants. Cash grants are one-time payments sent to a family’s utility company or fuel provider to help pay their heating bills. The grants range from $200 to $1,000 and are based on household size, income, and fuel type. Crisis grants are available for families experiencing an emergency situation involving the loss of heat. Families can receive more than one crisis grant, if necessary, until a maximum of $1,000 is reached. Crisis situations include: Broken heating equipment or leaking lines Lack of fuel Gas or electric service that has been shut off Danger of being without fuel within 15 days or have received a shut-off notice for gas or electric services How to Apply To receive help, families can apply through the COMPASS websites, by visiting a local county assistance office, or by calling the statewide LIHEAP hotline at 1-866-857-7095. The 2025-26 season was scheduled to begin on Monday, November 3 and end on April 3, 2026. However, the DHS said this week that the federal government shutdown has led to it pushing back the start date to apply for LIHEAP by a month. Those who apply do not need to be on public assistance or to have an unpaid heating bill. Applicants can either rent or own their home. Those applying will need to provide: The names of people in their household Dates of birth for all household members Social Security numbers for all household members Proof of income for all household members A recent heating bill
March 18, 2025 U.S. Rep. Summer Lee’s Office Hours U.S. Rep. Summer Lee (D-12th District) will hold office hours for constituents on Wednesday, March 19. Learn More Residents can visit the congresswoman’s office on the first and third Wednesday of each month from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Visitors can receive assistance with passports, Medicare, Social Security, veterans’ affairs, IRS inquiries, tax issues, or immigration. Lee’s office is located at 551 Ravensburg Blvd. (Clairton City Building) in Clairton. For more information, call 412-804-1189.
February 24, 2025 Pennsylvania Taxpayers Can File for Free to IRS Through Direct File Pennsylvania taxpayers can now take part in a free and secure means of filing for free this tax season through Direct File. Learn More Direct File enables taxpayers to file directly with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) at no cost. It is a new tool that lets eligible taxpayers file their taxes directly online from their smartphone or computer. The website is secure and available in English and Spanish. On average, filing on the site takes less than one hour to complete. Filing To file, taxpayers should: Visit Direct File to check eligibility. If eligible, create an ID.me* login account, which helps to make sure tax data is absolutely secure. For assistance, view this step-by-step guide on creating the account. Use the interview-style tool on the website to complete federal taxes. Upon completing their taxes, visitors will be taken to a free state filing system on the state’s tax website to complete the state return as well. When using Direct File, visitors will have access to live chat support from IRS staff in English and Spanish. Those who do not complete their filing all at once can save their progress and return to it later. Eligibility Most visitors to the site can use it if their 2024 taxes were relatively straightforward – for example, if they don’t itemize deductions, if income came primarily from W-2 employment, and if taxpayers can claim common credits such as the CTC, EITC, or premium tax credit. Tax filers with an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) who have previously filed taxes can participate. Also, taxpayers with a Social Security Number can apply regardless of having previously filed. For more information, visit Direct File.
