RALEIGH — The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is now accepting applications through county social services departments for the state’s Low-Income Energy Assistance Program.

The program provides a one-time annual payment to help eligible families pay their heating expenses. Benefits for individual households will total either $200, $300 or $400, depending on the household income and size.

The Robeson County DSS office, at 120 Glen Cowan Road, has been taking applications for the Low Income Energy Assistance Program since the beginning of the year. The application deadline is March 31 or until money run out.

In addition to Robeson County DSS, residents can apply at one of several application centers beginning Monday through Feb. 14 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The centers are at the Heritage Center, located at 207 S. Main St., Fairmont; the Boy Scout Hut, located at 104 N. Fourth St., St. Pauls; Rowland Town Hall, located at 202 W. Main St.; Red Springs Community Center, located at 122 Cross St.; and the Maxton Courtroom/Police Department, located at 105 N. Florence St.

Members of the Lumbee Tribe must apply for low-income energy assistance through the tribal government.

A household must be “vulnerable” at the time of application. A household is vulnerable if it is subject to the rising cost of heating, has its own source of heat, and is billed separately for the cost of heating. Eligibility also requires household members to meet an income test and have resources at or below $2,250 when the application is filed.

For more information on the program and eligibility, visit https://www.ncdhhs.gov/assistance/low-income-services/low-income-energy-assistance.

The Robeson County Department of Social Services can be reached at 910-671-3500.