Government Income Programs: How They Can Help You If You Have Low Income
Written by
Gina Hagler
Edited by
Emily Gadd
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If you’re struggling to pay for basic living expenses because you don’t have an adequate income, you’ll be glad to learn there are government programs designed for you.
Different types of assistance are available to meet different needs. Be sure to familiarize yourself with the programs and what is required for you to be eligible.
General Assistance and Utility Bills
These resources can provide assistance with utility bills and other household expenses.
- TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) is a federal program administered by each state. The first step is to apply for TANF in your state. You’ll find links to each state here. If you qualify, you will be eligible for assistance with food, housing, home energy, child care and job training.Â
- Energy bill assistance is available from two programs:
- The Benefit Finder at USA.gov will direct you to programs that are not specific to food, housing, healthcare or utility bills.
Food
The government has several food assistance programsÂ
- SNAP pays for eligible food from grocery stores and farmers markets. Apply for SNAP at your local SNAP office.Â
- WIC pays for formula, nutritional counseling and food for you and your young children. Visit your local Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) office to apply. You can find your local office here.
- School meal programs provide free or reduced-price meals to kids at their school or day care center. There is also food assistance during summer break. There are three different programs.
- If you’re 60 or older, you might qualify for assistance from two government income programs you apply for locally. Search for your local office using this page.
- Apply for the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSRF), which supplements your groceries with nutritious staple food products, from this page.
- Native Americans are eligible for the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR). Contact your tribal organization or your regional FNS office, which you can find here.
- D-SNAP pays for food assistance after a natural disaster.
Housing
Government housing assistance comes in many forms.
- Emergency housing assistance helps to avoid homelessness.
- Eviction and foreclosure assistance is available to those who’ve been unable to keep up with their rent or mortgage payments.
- Rental assistance can help you afford housing. Programs include Housing Choice vouchers, rent subsidies, income-restricted public housing and housing for veterans and the disabled.
- Home repair and energy efficiency programs help those who need assistance making necessary improvements and repairs or improving their home’s energy efficiency. Native Americans, veterans and individuals in rural areas may qualify for special assistance.
- Home-buying assistance can help qualified individuals purchase a home with little or no money down. Special programs are available for first-time buyers. Also, the government sells federal land on occasion and auctions real estate it has acquired through foreclosure and bank failures.
Health Insurance
There are several government healthcare programs for low-income individuals.
- Medicaid and CHIP are for low-income adults and children.
- The Health Insurance Marketplace of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) provides access to health insurance, and in some cases, subsidizes the premiums.
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