Michigan SER Energy Income Limits 2026
SER energy services use 150% of the federal poverty guidelines. MDHHS publishes the energy-related limits as gross monthly income by household size. If your income is above the figure for your household size, you do not qualify for energy-related SER.
| Household Size | Maximum Monthly Income | Approximate Annual Income |
|---|
| 1 | $1,995 | $23,940 |
| 2 | $2,705 | $32,460 |
| 3 | $3,415 | $40,980 |
| 4 | $4,125 | $49,500 |
| 5 | $4,835 | $58,020 |
| 6 | $5,545 | $66,540 |
| 7 | $6,255 | $75,060 |
| 8 | $6,965 | $83,580 |
For each household member beyond eight, add $710 per month.
There is also an asset test: countable cash assets over $15,000 disqualify you, except for burial services applications. Your home, one vehicle, and personal and household goods are excluded. Note that the non-energy side of SER (home repairs, relocation, burial) uses much lower income standards and treats income above the standard as a copayment instead of a denial. The energy limits above are a hard cutoff.
The Weatherization Assistance Program is separate and has its own eligibility rules. Qualifying for SER does not automatically qualify you for weatherization, and the reverse is also true.
What Counts as an Energy Crisis
SER energy services are crisis-triggered. You cannot apply simply because your bill is high. Under the MDHHS State Emergency Relief manual, an energy crisis means one of the following:
- A past due account or shutoff notice on an energy bill for your household
- A residential fuel tank estimated at no more than 25% of capacity, or over 25% but locked by the provider
- A stated need for deliverable fuel or a non-metered fuel source such as wood, corn, or cherry pits
- A notice that the balance on a prepayment account is below $100
- A statement from a licensed service provider that your furnace is inoperable and needs repair or replacement
A life-threatening crisis gets an 18-hour response instead of 48. It requires all of the following: you are not protected by Michigan's Winter Protection Plan or another moratorium, your gas or electric has actually been disconnected or you have run out of fuel or your furnace is inoperable, restoration is medically necessary, and you have no temporary housing alternative.
Michigan SER Payment Caps
SER energy payments go directly to your provider, not to you, and they are capped per fiscal year. The fiscal year runs October 1 through September 30. You may receive one payment for heat and one payment for non-heat electricity per fiscal year.
| Energy Type | Fiscal Year Cap |
|---|
| Natural gas and wood | $600 |
| Deliverable fuel (fuel oil, propane, coal) | $900 |
| Other fuel (kerosene, corn pellets, cherry pits, and similar) | $600 |
| Residential electric not used for heat | $600 |
| All-electric home (combined heat and residential use) | $900 |
| Deposits and fees for energy service | $200 per occurrence |
Two rules trip people up. First, caps attach to individuals, not addresses, and they follow a person who moves from one household to another, including minor children. If a household member already benefited from a heat payment this fiscal year, that counts against them at a new address. Second, MDHHS will not authorize a payment that does not actually resolve the emergency, even if the amount is within your cap. The provider has to agree to maintain or restore service for at least 30 days.
If you are enrolled in a utility-sponsored affordable payment plan, you are generally not eligible for SER energy services for the service that plan covers. That includes Consumers Energy's CARE program, DTE's Low Income Self-Sufficiency Plan, SEMCO's Monthly Assistance Program, UPPCO's EASE program, and Great Lakes Energy's Pathways program. If your plan covers only one service, you may still be able to get SER help for the other one.
How to Apply for SER Energy Assistance in Michigan
Step 1: Confirm you have a qualifying crisis. Have the shutoff notice, past due bill, prepayment balance screenshot, or a licensed contractor's statement about your furnace. For deliverable fuel you need a quote from the provider for a 30-day supply or a minimum fill.
Step 2: Gather your documents. You will need identification, proof of Michigan residency, Social Security numbers for household members, proof of gross income for everyone in the household (pay stubs, benefit award letters, self-employment records), proof of your cash assets, and the actual energy bill. MDHHS will not accept a landlord statement or landlord invoice as proof of a past due or shutoff when heat is included in your rent. The verification has to come from the energy company directly.
Step 3: Apply through MI Bridges. Go to newmibridges.michigan.gov, create an account or log in, and select State Emergency Relief. MI Bridges is the fastest route because it can place an automatic hold with some providers. You can also apply in person at your local MDHHS office or submit the paper application, form DHS-1514, which is available on michigan.gov/mdhhs, at MDHHS offices, and through community partner agencies.
Step 4: Upload your verifications. Documents have to reach the caseworker before a payment can be authorized. For deliverable fuel, MDHHS cannot release payment until the final invoice has been received. Photocopies of bills are not accepted; a scan, fax, or emailed copy from the provider is.
Step 5: Respond fast to any caseworker request. A caseworker may contact your provider to hold a pending disconnect while eligibility is determined. If they cannot reach you to confirm income, that hold can lapse.
Step 6: Read the DHS-1419 decision notice. It tells you what was approved, what counts against your fiscal year cap, and whether additional MEAP services are available. If you disagree with the decision, the notice explains how to request a hearing.
If you need help navigating any of this, call 2-1-1 or visit mi211.org. MDHHS itself directs applicants to 211 to find additional assistance when a cap has already been used.
The Home Heating Credit (MI-1040CR-7)
This is the piece most Michigan residents miss, because it is filed with the Treasury rather than MDHHS. The Home Heating Credit is Michigan's LIHEAP heating-assistance component, and the state sets its income threshold at 110% of the federal poverty guidelines through the standard allowance ceilings.
You can claim it whether or not you are required to file a Michigan income tax return. The credit is calculated as a standard allowance based on your number of exemptions, minus 3.5% of your total household resources. An extra exemption is allowed for a claimant, spouse, or dependent who is deaf, blind, hemiplegic, paraplegic, quadriplegic, or totally and permanently disabled, which produces a larger credit. An alternate calculation based on your actual heating costs is available and sometimes pays more.
For the 2025 tax year, the standard allowance income ceilings were approximately $17,243 for a household claiming zero or one exemption, $23,271 for two, $29,329 for three, $35,385 for four, $41,443 for five, and $47,471 for six, with roughly $6,057 added for each additional exemption. These ceilings are updated every year, so confirm the current figures in the MI-1040CR-7 booklet at michigan.gov/taxes before you file.
Two details matter:
- The deadline is September 30, and an income tax extension does not extend it. Claims for the 2025 tax year were due September 30, 2026. Claims for the 2026 tax year are due September 30, 2027, and the form becomes available early in 2027.
- Renters whose heat is included in rent get a reduced credit. Michigan reduces the credit by 50% when heating costs are included in rent or the heat service is in someone else's name, because the household cannot document its actual heating obligation.
Depending on how your heat is billed, the credit may be issued as an energy draft payable to your heat provider rather than as a check to you. Forms are available from the Michigan Department of Treasury, local libraries, MDHHS offices, and community agencies.
MEAP: The Expanded Michigan Program
MEAP is funded by the Low-Income Energy Assistance Funding Factor, a surcharge on electric meters, plus federal energy assistance dollars. A 2024 law changed who qualifies. Under the Michigan Energy Assistance Act as amended, an eligible low-income household is one with income at or below 60% of state median income whose electric utility has not opted out of collecting the funding factor. The old 150% of poverty standard applied only through September 30, 2025.
Approximate 60% of state median income figures for Michigan in federal fiscal year 2026, by household size:
| Household Size | 60% of State Median Income (annual) |
|---|
| 1 | $23,649 |
| 2 | $30,922 |
| 3 | $38,195 |
| 4 | $45,468 |
| 5 | $52,741 |
| 6 | $60,014 |
For households larger than six, the state adds 3% of the four-person figure per additional member. Because MEAP and SER use different yardsticks, you can clear one test and fail the other. Apply for both.
The MPSC set the funding factor at $1.50 per electric meter per month beginning with the September 2026 billing month, and its fiscal year 2027 grant solicitation put an estimated $93 million on the table. The state estimates that can provide a year of energy security to roughly 90,000 households, up from about 50,000 before the 2024 expansion. Grantees must also provide self-sufficiency services: help with on-time payment, budgeting, and weatherization referrals. Beginning in fiscal year 2026, you no longer have to apply for SER before applying for MEAP.
To find your MEAP grantee, check the MPSC's Michigan Energy Assistance Program page at michigan.gov/mpsc or call 2-1-1.
Shutoff Protection While You Wait
Michigan's Winter Protection Plan, administered through regulated utilities, shields enrolled households from shutoff during the winter heating season, generally November 1 through March 31. Low-income and senior customers are the intended audience, and enrolled low-income households typically pay a modest monthly amount rather than the full bill. Enrollment runs through your utility, not MDHHS, so call your gas or electric company and ask to be enrolled. Note that being protected by the plan is one of the things that rules out the 18-hour life-threatening crisis response, because the immediate shutoff risk is already removed.
For more on other Michigan assistance programs, see our Michigan benefits guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I apply for LIHEAP in Michigan?
Apply for State Emergency Relief energy services online at newmibridges.michigan.gov, in person at a local MDHHS office, or on paper form DHS-1514. Separately, claim the Home Heating Credit on form MI-1040CR-7 with the Michigan Department of Treasury by September 30, and contact a local MEAP grantee or call 2-1-1 for Michigan Energy Assistance Program help.
What is the income limit for Michigan energy assistance in 2026?
State Emergency Relief energy services use 150% of the federal poverty guidelines, which works out to $1,995 per month for one person and $4,125 per month for a household of four, plus $710 per month for each member beyond eight. MEAP uses 60% of state median income, roughly $23,649 a year for one person and $45,468 for four. The Home Heating Credit uses its own standard allowance ceilings set at 110% of the poverty guidelines.
How much can Michigan SER pay toward my heating bill?
The fiscal year cap is $600 for natural gas or wood, $900 for deliverable fuels such as propane or fuel oil, $600 for non-heat residential electric, and $900 for an all-electric home. Deposits and fees are capped at $200 per occurrence. You can receive one heat payment and one non-heat electric payment per fiscal year, and the payment must fully resolve the emergency.
How fast does Michigan respond to an energy crisis?
MDHHS is required to provide some form of assistance within 48 hours of receiving a crisis application, and within 18 hours when the household meets all four life-threatening criteria. Caseworkers are instructed to contact your provider to secure a hold on a pending disconnection while eligibility is determined.
Can I get help if my heat is included in my rent?
Yes, but the rules are stricter. For SER, verification of a past due or shutoff must come from the energy company through its online portal or by direct contact. A landlord statement or landlord invoice is not accepted. For the Home Heating Credit, renters whose heating costs are included in rent, or whose heat service is in someone else's name, receive a credit reduced by 50%.
Does being on a utility payment plan affect eligibility?
Yes. Households on a provider-sponsored affordable payment plan such as Consumers Energy CARE, DTE's Low Income Self-Sufficiency Plan, SEMCO's Monthly Assistance Program, UPPCO's EASE, or Great Lakes Energy Pathways are generally not eligible for SER energy services for the service that plan covers. If the plan covers only one service, SER may still help with the other.
Is there an asset limit for Michigan SER?
Yes. Countable cash assets over $15,000 disqualify a household, with burial services as the exception. Your homestead, one vehicle, and personal and household goods are excluded from the calculation.
Do I have to apply for SER before applying for MEAP?
No. Beginning in fiscal year 2026, households are no longer required to apply for State Emergency Relief before applying for MEAP. Applying for both is still worth doing, because an approved SER energy payment makes a household eligible for MEAP services.
