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PY26 WHEAP Manual
Revised: August 2025 3.2 Non-Financial Eligibility Non-financial eligibility includes several types of tests, and households must satisfy the requirements of each test. These tests include residence, citizenship or immigrant status, valid SSN, student status, and energy burden.
3.2.1 Applicant/Case Head An eligible case head must have a validated SSN and be a U.S. citizen or an eligible non-citizen. If the case head is an ineligible non-citizen, the application will deny. The HE+ System automatically generates a letter stating that the household was denied. If there is an eligible non- citizen or U.S. citizen of any age in the household, the worker must encourage that person to apply (become the case head).
A case head must be 18 years or older, or be a minor head-of-household, or be a child who meets one of the following exceptions: 1. All adults in the household are ineligible non-citizens, and: a. The dependent child is either a citizen or an eligible non-citizen, and b. The child has an SSN, or 2. An emancipated minor over 15 may be a case head if the minor is living independently, and: a. Is married, or b. Was married, or c. Is the principal support of a child, or d. Has visible independent means of support and cannot be claimed as a dependent on the income tax return of someone not in the household
3.2.2 Residence A person who lives in Wisconsin and makes Wisconsin their principal residence meets the Wisconsin portion of the residence requirement. They must also intend to remain in Wisconsin.
A person must apply for energy assistance where they are residing in Wisconsin. An applicant/household member with multiple residences must apply based on their primary residence. When an applicant/household member resides in more than one residence, the local WHEAP agency must indicate in HE+ System Notes on what basis they determined the primary residence. Applications for an address that has been determined to not be the primary residence will deny as an “ineligible dwelling.”
Applicants who already received LIHEAP assistance in another state are not Wisconsin residents for the same heating season.
3.2.2.1 Type of Residence Only applicants living in an eligible dwelling are eligible for WHEAP benefits. If a dwelling is not listed in Table 3.1 below, workers shall contact the HE+ Help Desk for assistance in determining the eligibility of a dwelling. If an applicant resides in a motel, hotel, or a stationary RV or camper,