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Inflation has inflicted pain across many sectors of the nation's economy but none perhaps more so than energy, where forecasts call for a 28% rise in the cost to heat homes this winter, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. To relieve some of the stress caused by higher costs, the Biden administration is providing $13.5 billion aimed at helping households to pay their energy bills.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is issuing $4.5 billion through the Home Energy Assistance Program, which helps low-income families to afford winter heating costs, including assistance with paying bills and making home upgrades and repairs to lower both heating and cooling costs. The program helped more than 5.3 million households with heating, cooling, and weatherization upgrades in the past year.


Gallery: How Much Utilities Cost the Average Household in Your State