Wisconsin Hardship Relief: Emergency Assistance, W-2, WHEAP, FoodShare, and BadgerCare

Wisconsin hardship relief options by need

Wisconsin splits help between the Department of Children and Families (DCF), the Department of Health Services, the Department of Administration, and the Department of Workforce Development. Most of it is applied for locally, through a W-2 agency, a county or tribal agency, or an energy assistance office.

Emergency Assistance for families in crisis

DCF describes Emergency Assistance (EA) as help for needy families with a current emergency caused by fire, flood, or natural disaster, impending homelessness, homelessness, or an energy crisis. The detailed rules are in the state administrative code, chapter DCF 120. In plain terms:

• A child in the home. You must be a parent or relative caring for a child under 18.
• Income. Gross household income at or below 115% of the poverty line. With the 2026 guideline, that is about $31,418 a year, or $2,618 a month, for a family of three.
• Assets. Up to $2,500, with some vehicle equity left out.
• Frequency. Once in any 12-month period.
• Payment. The lower of your actual need or a cap. For housing emergencies the cap is a per-person amount that shrinks as the family grows; an energy crisis has its own, lower cap (listed in the code as $750).

Worked example: back rent

A family of three gets a 5-day notice for $1,500 in unpaid rent and late fees. Under the per-person cap of $400 for a three-person family, EA can pay at most $1,200 toward it. The family still needs $300, so the next calls are to 211, the local community action agency, and the Salvation Army, ideally the same day. Bring the landlord's written agreement to accept the combined payment and drop the case. Because EA is once a year, use it for the biggest crisis, and ask the W-2 agency for the exact cap before you count on it.

W-2 cash, job placements, and loans

Wisconsin Works (W-2) is the state's TANF program, and it is built around work. A W-2 agency places parents in an unsubsidized job, a trial job, a Community Service Job (CSJ), or a transition placement if they cannot work. The National Center for Children in Poverty's 2025–26 Wisconsin profile reports these rules:

W-2 also offers a Job Access Loan: an interest-free loan of $25 to $1,600 in a 12-month period for a work need, such as fixing the car you drive to your job. Our Wisconsin car assistance guide explains how it is repaid. A W-2 payment is small, so pair it with FoodShare, BadgerCare, and child care help.

WHEAP help with heat and electric bills

WHEAP is run by the Department of Administration through county, tribal, and nonprofit agencies. According to the state's October 1, 2026 announcement, the program opened for the 2026–27 season expecting to serve about 170,000 households, with average benefits of $441 for heating and $257 for electricity. It pays the utility or fuel supplier directly. Crisis help is available year-round, and some households can get furnace or water heater repair or replacement. The income limits are:

Call 1-866-HEATWIS (432-8947) to reach your local agency, or apply online through the state's energy benefit site. Nationally, EnergyHelp.us also lists offices.

Winter disconnection rules

Wisconsin's winter moratorium runs from November 1 to April 15. During it, utilities cannot disconnect residential heating service for nonpayment, but only if your service is on when the moratorium begins. If you are already disconnected, ask for reconnection right away and ask WHEAP for crisis help. The debt still builds up, so set up a payment plan before April 15. If the utility will not agree to a fair plan, the Public Service Commission takes complaints at 1-800-225-7729. Our Wisconsin utility relief guide covers utility hardship funds.

FoodShare, BadgerCare Plus, and child care

FoodShare is Wisconsin's name for SNAP. For Oct. 1, 2026 – Sept. 30, 2027, the most a household of one can get is $306 a month, and a household of four $1,023. Use our SNAP calculator for an estimate, and ask for expedited benefits if you have almost no cash. Feeding Wisconsin's food banks supply pantries in every county.

BadgerCare Plus covers adults with income up to 100% of the poverty line, and children and pregnant people at higher incomes. Wisconsin did not adopt the full Medicaid expansion, so adults above 100% usually buy subsidized coverage on HealthCare.gov instead. Wisconsin Shares helps working parents pay for child care. Apply for all three through ACCESS Wisconsin or your county or tribal agency.

Unemployment through DWD

If you lost your job, file a claim with the Department of Workforce Development in the first week. The maximum weekly benefit is $370, a figure DWD's own 2026 financial report says has not risen since 2013. Benefits last up to 26 weeks, but your total is also capped by your earnings in the base period. You must do work search actions each week. With a cap this low, a family that loses a paycheck may also qualify for FoodShare and BadgerCare, so apply for both at the same time.

Rent, mortgage, and eviction notices

The pandemic-era Wisconsin Emergency Rental Assistance program has closed, and the state's Help for Homeowners page says that program stopped taking applications on March 8, 2024. Renters now rely on EA (for families), community action agencies found through WISCAP, charities, and local eviction prevention funds in places like Milwaukee and Dane County when they are funded. Homeowners can use free HUD-approved housing counseling.

Under Wis. Stat. § 704.17, the first notice for unpaid rent is usually a 5-day notice to pay or leave, though month-to-month tenants can get a 14-day notice with no chance to pay. Only a court can order you out. Legal Action of Wisconsin and, in northern counties, Wisconsin Judicare give free help. See our Wisconsin rent relief guide for more detail.

What should you bring to the W-2 agency?

For Emergency Assistance, the key paper is proof of the emergency itself: the eviction notice or court summons, a shutoff or disconnection notice, or a fire or insurance report. Also bring proof of income for everyone in the household, ID, and proof that a child lives with you, such as a birth certificate or school record. For WHEAP, bring recent heating and electric bills and proof of recent household income; your energy agency will tell you which months it counts. Our document checklist covers the general list and what to do if something is missing.

How to apply, step by step

1. Facing eviction, homelessness, or a shutoff with children at home? Call your W-2 agency about Emergency Assistance today.
2. Apply at ACCESS Wisconsin for FoodShare, BadgerCare Plus, and Wisconsin Shares.
3. Call 1-866-432-8947 for WHEAP and crisis energy help.
4. File for unemployment with DWD if you lost work.
5. Dial 211 Wisconsin for rent funds, charities, and legal aid referrals.

For a wider list of state programs, see our Wisconsin assistance programs guide.

Related guides

• Wisconsin mortgage relief
• Wisconsin disaster relief
• Wisconsin unclaimed property
• Hardship grants for individuals

Frequently asked questions

This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice, and not an application. Program rules change; confirm with DCF, your W-2 agency, or ACCESS Wisconsin. National Relief Program is an independent website, not a government agency.