Pennsylvanians will have more help available than ever before in paying their heating bills this year, thanks to a massive increase in federal funds for the leading heating assistance program and changes in the state's administration of that program, including the second-ever allocation of state funds to supplement the federal dollars.

The Bush administration released $5.1 billion for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program for the 2009 fiscal year, which began Oct. 1. That nearly doubles the $2.59 billion allocated last year. Pennsylvania's share, at $308.4 million, is more than triple last year's $100.5 million.

Additionally, the Rendell administration has allocated $280 million in state funds for the program. The only other time that the state has provided Liheap funding was in January 2006, when the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina sparked record heating fuel prices. Then, the governor authorized $19.3 million in supplemental funds for the program.

Fiscal year 2006 was also the year in which the program received its largest federal allocation before now -- $3.08 billion.

Besides allocating more money than ever before, Congress changed how that money would be disbursed this year.

"We used to send states quarterly block grants," said Ken Wolfe, spokesman for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. "In addition, we would supplement it with contingency funding.

"This year, everything was rolled into one chunk of money that went out on Oct. 16."

The mid-October announcement of additional funding came well after the state had completed its plan for conducting the program in fiscal year 2009. That plan assumed that Pennsylvania would receive $100.5 million in federal dollars.

"We were beyond pleased" when Congress upped the funding, spokeswoman Stacey Witalec said. "It was definitely much-needed relief for the program this year.

"We were very concerned with the previous amount of funding, given the cost of just about everything a family uses on a daily basis increasing."

The funding increase has not led the agency to rewrite its plan entirely, but it has changed some aspects of the plan.

The income levels that determine eligibility for assistance have been raised, to approximately 210 percent of federal poverty income guidelines, from last year's 150 percent level. That means a family of four can qualify with an income of up to $44,443, vs. the $30,975 limit last year.

The amount of assistance being offered to households also has increased. The program offers two types of grants, called benefits.

The cash benefit is the more commonly given of the two. In past years, the minimum cash benefit was $100, now it is $300.

The actual amount of a cash benefit is based on a number of factors, including household size and income, the applicant's location and fuel type. There is no maximum.

The second benefit, the crisis benefit, is for households that are either "without heat or in imminent danger of being without heat." The crisis benefit previously had a maximum of $300; now it is $800.

In past years, consumer advocates have lobbied the state to extend the program year, which has typically run from November through March. Ms. Witalec said the agency has not yet decided whether or not to extend the program this year.

"That won't be determined until we get through the heating season," she said, "because we don't know how much funding we'll have left over."

Consumers who would like to enroll in the program can begin by calling their natural gas utility: for Dominion Peoples, call 1-800-400-9276; for Equitable Gas, call 1-800-644-8090; for Columbia Gas, call 1-800-272-2714.