A state program that will give some low-income households more than $1,000 to pay winter heating bills is taking applications next week.

The Low Income Energy Assistance program this year provided an average payout of $1,389 for households that were having a hard time paying their natural gas or other heating bills. The program, run through the Kansas Department for Children and Families, is accepting applications from Jan. 3 through March 31 for the 2022 program.

Households must meet certain financial guidelines. A one-person household must have a monthly gross income of less than $1,610. A four-person household must have a monthly gross income less than $3,313.

The amount of money a household qualifies for varies based on income levels. In 2021, the program assisted 38,750 households, which was about a 14% increase from 2020 levels.

State officials are expecting demand to be high for the 2022 program, as some estimates predict the price of natural gas will be about 30% higher this winter heating season than a year ago.

People interested in applying for the assistance program can do so at https://cssp.kees.ks.gov/apspssp/sspNonMed.portal or by searching online for the LIEAP Kansas Program.