It may be cold outside and getting colder, but more help than ever is available to Pennsylvanians struggling to pay their heating bills this year.

Just in time for winter, the federal government has increased the allocations for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program's 2009 fiscal year, which began on Oct. 1.

The Bush administration is providing $5.1 billion nationwide, nearly double the amount allocated last year, with $280 million coming to Pennsylvania. Last year the state received about $200 million for LIHEAP, which was used to help 540,000 families. The additional dollars could mean assistance for 60,000 more families this year, and those who are eligible for help will get more money than in the past.

Energy assistance grants, worth at least $300, are for paying monthly heating bills. Because of a more generous funding formula, the income cutoff is now 210 percent of the federal poverty guidelines, which means a family of four can earn as much as $44,443 and be eligible; last year, the income maximum for the same family was set at $30,975.

Additional money is available through so-called crisis grants, which pay up to $800 for emergencies such as broken heating equipment, leaking lines, lack of fuel or impending termination of utility services.

The help couldn't come at a better time. The weakened economy already has raised the state's unemployment rate to 5.8 percent, and the number of Americans receiving food stamps is expected to surpass 30 million, higher than the record set in 2005 after Hurricane Katrina.

You don't need to have an unpaid bill to receive home heating assistance, and no liens are placed against your property if you receive help. Consumers who want to apply can start by contacting their utility companies.

Staying warm in winter isn't a luxury, it's a necessity.