Virginia’s help with energy bills falls short [Video]

The several programs to help low-income Virginians stay warm in winter and avoid overheating in summer fall far short of needs, according to a report from the state Department of Social Services.

All in all, federal block grant funds and help from the state’s electric utilities provided some $134 million in subsidies to 231,642 households, out of nearly 923,000 that were eligible for help.

Those eligible households included more than 362,000 where at least one elderly person was living, more than 335,000 with at least one disabled individual and nearly 163,000 with at least one young child.

A survey of recipients, meanwhile, found that energy assistance benefits covered only 29% of recipients’ actual energy costs.

“Many low-income families struggled to pay their monthly energy bills, accruing large unpaid balances, and facing disconnections when moratoriums are not in place,” the report said.

For one of the biggest programs, the Fuel Assistance effort, which distributed …