Topeka ? The Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services plans to start taking applications Wednesday from people who need help paying their winter heating bills.

SRS has about $24 million to distribute under the Low Income Energy Assistance Program, which targets the elderly, the disabled and families with children. The agency will take applications through March 30.

Individuals qualify if their incomes are $1,180 a month or less. A family of four qualifies if its income is $2,400 a month or less.

Applicants must show they’ve paid at least $80 on their utility bills for the last three months, with payments in two of those three months.

SRS helped about 62,000 Kansas households last year, with an average benefit of $263.