Reducing administrative burdens in an energy bill assistance program

This article investigates the impact of categorical eligibility, a policy aimed at easing administrative burdens, on outcomes of the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program. Through two-way fixed effect analyses, the study extends the focus of administrative burden scholarship beyond program take-up and examines the programmatic costs of reducing burdens in a new empirical context – a budget-constrained program. Findings indicate categorical eligibility is associated with boosted enrolment and improved program efficiency, reducing overhead costs and increasing assistance expenditures. However, increased participation relies on sufficient funding, underscoring the need to consider policy designs’ effects on participation and expenditures in budget-constrained programs.