Colorado will start taking applications for its Low-income Energy Assistance Program, known as LEAP, on November 1, 2026. A person living alone can qualify with gross income of up to $3,774 a month, which is income before taxes and deductions.
The state says LEAP will begin to accept applications Nov. 1, 2026, for the 2026-27 season, and that applications are accepted through April 30. The program pays part of winter heating bills and, for some households, covers the repair or replacement of a broken furnace.
The income limit for each household size
Eligibility rests on one test: household gross income cannot exceed 60 percent of the state median income, and the household has to pay home heating costs, either directly to a utility or through rent. For 2026-27 the state lists maximum gross monthly income of $3,774 for one person, $4,936 for two, $6,097 for three and $7,258 for four.
The limits keep climbing with household size, to $8,420 for five people and $9,581 for six, according to the state’s table. Larger households continue up the list, reaching $11,541 for 15 people.
The one-person figure is higher than last year’s. Denver’s LEAP page still shows the 2025-26 season limit of $3,607 for one person, which is $167 a month less. A household that missed the cutoff last winter by a small amount may now fall under it.
The federal energy assistance clearinghouse lists $43,293 a year as 60 percent of Colorado’s state median income for one person in federal fiscal year 2026. That works out to the same $3,607 a month Denver shows for 2025-26, which matches the 60 percent test the state describes for this season. Seven people can have up to $9,799 a month and eight up to $10,017.
Retirement deadlines, in your inbox: Miss an enrollment or claim deadline and the money can be gone. Join the Retirement Money Brief and we’ll send you our Property Tax & Utility Relief Finder as a welcome gift.
Get the Brief + the relief finder →
We may earn a commission from links on this page.
How to apply and what to bring
The state says applications can be made online through Colorado PEAK starting November 1. A paper application can be mailed or emailed to the county LEAP address or dropped off at the county human services office, and a paper copy can be requested at 1-866-HEAT-HELP, or 1-866-432-8435. The state’s main page adds that no interview is required.
Applicants need to answer every question and list everyone in the household, including Social Security numbers and birth dates. Proof of all monthly household income is required, such as pay stubs or award letters, along with a recent heating bill. A rent receipt works if heat is included in the rent.
Household members born outside the United States have to show proof of lawful presence when required, such as a naturalization certificate, a U.S. passport or a permanent resident card. Self-employed applicants must include receipts for the expenses they claim, and every application needs a signature.
Counties may add their own handling. Larimer County says its application window opens on November 1, 2026 and that Goodwill of Colorado handles all Larimer County LEAP applications, with completed forms returned to a drop box in Fort Collins, by mail or by email.
What LEAP pays, and what it leaves out
LEAP usually pays between $200 and $1,000, according to the state’s main page. The amount depends on heating costs, household income, available funding and the number of applications received. Payments usually go directly to the heating fuel company or utility, and a household gets a notice of the amount.
The program pays the highest benefits to the households with the highest primary heating fuel costs, and a household can receive heat assistance only once per season. LEAP is not meant to cover an entire heating bill, a point Denver’s page makes as well, and it does not pay for temporary or portable heating.
Because the payment varies with funding and demand, an early application is the one lever an applicant controls. The season is open to April 30, but the dollars available per household can change as applications arrive.
When the furnace is failing or the heat is about to go off
The state says a household whose heat is about to be shut off, or that is running out of propane, may have its application expedited in about 10 days if it qualifies. The way to ask is the same phone line, 1-866-HEAT-HELP.
A separate Crisis Intervention Program operates year-round and helps repair or replace a home’s primary heating system, such as a furnace or a wood-burning stove. Qualifying LEAP households may also be eligible for the LEAP heating system repair and replacement program. Larimer County describes LEAP’s coverage the same way, as help with heating costs and with repair or replacement of inoperable heating equipment.
Older adults and people with disabilities have one more state option. The main LEAP page notes a Property Tax, Rent and Heat Credit rebate with a maximum heat expenses rebate of $192, administered by the Colorado Department of Revenue. Energy Outreach Colorado may offer heating help to households that do not qualify for LEAP.
Is a Colorado household under the $3,774 line for one person?
A household sitting near the limit can lose the winter’s help by listing income wrongly or by sending the application without the heating bill, and a household that applies late may see a smaller payment from a funding pool that depends on demand.
The Senior Property Tax & Home-Cost Relief Kit gathers heating, cooling and home-repair help in one place, so a household that turns out to be over the LEAP line can see what else to try. Its worksheets and contact lists are built for older homeowners keeping the house running through a cold season.
Get the heating, cooling and home-repair help kit for this winter’s bills →
More Financial Reading
- 21 Ways to Stretch a $2,087 Social Security Check
- 15 Places to Find Your Share of the $4.25 Billion States Give Back
- The New $6,000 Senior Deduction and 14 More Tax Moves for Retirees
This article was produced with AI assistance and edited for accuracy against the sources linked above.
