Wisconsin is seeing a slight uptick in the number of households requesting assistance through the Wisconsin Home Energy Assistance Program this year.

The program is part of the state’s Home Energy Plus programs that provide energy and weatherization assistance for low-income homeowners. Barbara Klug, bureau director for the program, said more people are looking for help with their heating bills this year.

“Last year was a very mild winter so we did see a drop in the caseload, but compared to last year at this time we’re seeing about a 4 to 5 percent increase,” Klug said.

Klug said they’re expecting to serve 7,000 more households this winter. Last year, about 200,000 homeowners received assistance with energy costs. Klug noted that’s still falls short of the roughly 230,000 households that received benefits during the 2014 propane shortage.

She said they’re targeting bulk fuel customers and seniors in need of assistance.

“We like to get them in the door, get some fuel in their tanks and have them be ready for the winter just in case,” Klug said. “Seventy percent of our caseload in Wisconsin is natural gas customers. We like to have them come in early and get their application. We do send their benefit directly to their energy provider so they get that credit on their bill as early as possible.”

The energy assistance program provides a one-time payment to help with energy bills while the Wisconsin Weatherization Assistance program helps with energy conservation measures.

“For the weatherization program, we usually look at air-sealing the home,” she said. “Providing insulation in the attic and the side walls and also taking a look at their furnace, their water heater, refrigerator or freezer and any lighting we can do to reduce the energy consumption in the home.”

A family of four making $50,336 a year or less is eligible to apply.

Klug said they weatherized about 6,000 homes in Wisconsin last year.

The state receives around $6 million in Department of Energy funding for weatherization services and spends about $50 million to weatherize homes. Wisconsin also has about $102 million through a mix of state and federal dollars to fund the Wisconsin Home Energy Assistance Program.

The state is accepting applications for assistance through May 15.

Utility providers can’t disconnect people who are having trouble paying their energy bills once the winter heating moratorium takes effect. The moratorium begins Tuesday and lasts through April 15.