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PY26 WHEAP Manual

119 Revised: August 2025 Refunds may be for one or more customers. Each customer needs to be identified if multiple customers’ refunds are on one single check. The amount returned needs to be identified per customer.

When it is appropriate to return funds to the Division, checks should be made payable to DOA/ DEHCR, and the following information should be provided: 1. Customer/applicant’s name 2. Customer/applicant’s address 3. Name of agency where customer applied for WHEAP 4. Date of energy assistance (or heating season) benefit 5. Reason for the return of funds (such as moved and unable to contact, deceased, or moved but new vendor does not participate in the PB program) 6. Type of funds returned (such as LIHEAP Heat Benefit, LIHEAP Crisis Benefit, PB Electric Benefit, PB Crisis Benefit, or HE+ Program Services Benefit) 7. Amount of funds being returned

8.7.1 Regular WHEAP Benefits Regular WHEAP Benefit payments made to a fuel supplier shall be applied to the current heating season costs. WHEAP payments that exceed current heating season costs must be applied as a credit to the customer’s account. Supplemental payments are considered part of the original WHEAP benefit. 1. If a recipient retains the same supplier with an active account, the credit balance remains with the supplier until exhausted. 2. If the account becomes inactive, a reasonable effort must be made to contact the applicant and/or the local WHEAP agency to identify the new fuel provider to transfer the credit to the new supplier. Exception: PB non-heating assistance (electric) is not transferable to a vendor who does not participate in the PB program. If the vendor does not participate, the funds should be refunded to the Division. 3. If a new fuel provider cannot be identified, the funds should be transferred to the customer/applicant. Exception: PB non-heating assistance (electric) is not transferrable to an applicant whose vendor does not participate in the PB program. If an applicant’s vendor does not participate, the funds should be returned to the Division. 4. If the customer/applicant cannot be located, the funds should be refunded to the Division. 5. If the customer/applicant moves out of the state, any LIHEAP heat benefit is to be transferred by cash or check to the customer/applicant. All PB (electric) assistance balances are to be refunded to the Division. 6. If a credit balance remains for a deceased applicant and the account is closed, the balance must be refunded to the Division no later than the end of the program year (September 30). 7. When a WHEAP recipient who uses deliverable fuel moves their household, and as a result the recipient has no direct relationship with a fuel supplier, a vendor must notify the landlord of the amount of remaining fuel in the tank of the WHEAP recipient tenant who has moved