The winter-season use of the 2026 Energy Voucher program, which helps ease heating cost burdens during the cold months, began on October 1. Applications can be submitted until December 31 of this year, and vouchers issued can be used through May 31 of next year. According to the Korea Energy Agency, the energy voucher is a system that supports costs so that vulnerable groups can purchase energy needed for cooling and heating.

Who Is Eligible

To be eligible, a household must receive at least one of the livelihood, medical, housing, or education benefits and also meet the household member characteristic criteria. The criteria apply to households with members including those aged 65 or older, children aged 7 or younger, persons with disabilities, pregnant women, or patients with severe, rare, or serious incurable diseases. Single-parent families and children's households are also included, with foster children counted among the latter. Households with a father or mother and two or more children under age 19 also qualify.

Applications can be made at the administrative welfare center of one's resident eup, myeon, or dong, or through the Bokjiro website. Since both benefit recipient status and household member criteria must be verified, applicants should review the eligibility requirements before applying.

How Much Support Is Provided

This year's subsidy is set according to household size, without distinguishing between summer and winter. Single-person households receive 295,200 won, and households of four or more receive 701,300 won. Any amount left over from summer use can be applied toward winter heating costs. However, note that this is the annual support amount, not a separate additional payment for the winter season.

Where and How to Use Vouchers in Winter

In winter, vouchers can be used not only for city gas, district heating, and electricity, but also for purchasing kerosene, LPG, and briquettes. Users choose between a method in which the support amount is automatically deducted from utility bills and a method of direct payment with the National Happiness Card. The method can be changed at the responsible administrative welfare center until May 31, 2027, the end of the winter-season use period.

Additional Kerosene and LPG Support Balances Must Be Used by October 25

There is also a separate deadline to check. If any balance remains from the 197,000 won additionally provided through last year's 'Energy Voucher Kerosene and LPG Expanded Support Project,' it must be used by October 25 of this year. Once the use period ends, the remaining balance on the prepaid card expires. This additional support was implemented for 2025 energy voucher recipient households that used kerosene or LPG as their primary heating fuel. Since it is separate from this year's energy voucher application deadline and winter use period, households holding the prepaid card should check the balance and use deadline.

Expanded Outreach Support for Non-Using Households

The agency also plans to expand home-visit support for households that receive vouchers but face difficulties using them. The target of the 'visiting welfare service' will increase from 59,000 to 122,000 households on a budget basis. Postal carriers and social workers will directly visit households that have not used their vouchers to assess their situations and explain the program. One-on-one customized usage support taking living conditions into account will also be linked. In cooperation with local governments, the system for identifying and supporting households in crisis due to energy costs will be strengthened.

Eligibility criteria and application and usage methods can be checked at eup, myeon, and dong administrative welfare centers, the Energy Voucher Integrated Call Center, and the Energy Voucher website.

[This article was written with AI assistance for the purpose of providing information about the energy voucher system. Actual eligibility and usable amounts and periods may vary depending on household conditions, so the latest guidance from the relevant authorities should be confirmed before applying or using the vouchers.]