Budget cuts and eligibility changes will slash the number of low-income Mecklenburg County households that get help paying their heating bills this winter.

The Low Income Energy Assistance Program spread $5.5 million among 28,000 Mecklenburg households last year. This year it's expected to spend about $1 million serving fewer than 6,000 clients.

The federally funded program was previously open to a wide array of low-income residents, automatically approving people who get food stamps. Recipients got checks each February.

Changes to the N.C. program reflect a shrunken pool of money, legislative mandates and a federal audit.

The revamped program will focus solely on the elderly and disabled people who meet poverty guidelines. Their numbers will be smaller but the average amount of help will be higher than before.

Eligibility will be limited to households in which all members are 60 or older, or to disabled adults who get services through the N.C. Division of Aging and Adult Services. People who fit those requirements may apply through January.

Other low-income households can apply for help in February and March if any money is left by then.

The department will have $11.6 million for the program statewide, down from the $70 million last year. The program typically served about 350,000 N.C. households, but there's no estimate of how much that number will shrink this winter.

Aid is allocated to counties based on their poverty statistics and other factors.

"Right now, people are still unsure exactly what's going on," said Tyandle Sims-Coleman, a social services manager at the Mecklenburg County Department of Social Services. "We have clients coming in and they're a little uncertain about the criteria and not sure why the changes are coming."

Under the new procedure, residents will have to apply for aid instead of being automatically enrolled as many of them previously were, a procedure the federal audit frowned on, Simpson said.

As the General Assembly dictated, checks will go directly to the provider of electricity, natural gas or oil. Up to $200 for help paying electricity bills and $400 for oil or gas bills will be available.

A separate crisis-intervention program, which helps low-income people survive heating and cooling emergencies, will continue without similar cuts. About $52 million will be available this year, roughly the same amount as last year.