Free, plain-English help for seniors and families in Virginia. Education, not advice. Verify before you rely on it.
Start here (works anywhere in Virginia)
- 211 (dial 2-1-1) for local rent, utility, food, and medical help, 24/7
- Eldercare Locator 1-800-677-1116, the federal front door to your Area Agency on Aging
- BenefitsCheckUp.org screens you for every benefit you may qualify for
- Medicare 1-800-633-4227 | Social Security 1-800-772-1213 | VA Benefits 1-800-827-1000
- Alzheimer's Association 24/7 Helpline 1-800-272-3900 | National Elder Fraud Hotline 1-833-372-8311 | Crisis Lifeline 988
Free Medicare counseling (Virginia VICAP)
Virginia's program is VICAP (Virginia Insurance Counseling and Assistance Program), run by the Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS). Free, unbiased, confidential one-on-one Medicare help, delivered through your local Area Agency on Aging. Statewide line: 1-800-552-3402. Online: vda.virginia.gov/vicap.htm.
Medicaid in Virginia
Virginia Medicaid (including FAMIS) is jointly called Cardinal Care, run by the Department of Medical Assistance Services. Apply online at commonhelp.virginia.gov, call the Cover Virginia Call Center at 1-855-242-8282 (Mon-Fri 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., Sat 9 a.m. to noon, TTY 1-888-221-1590), or apply through your local Department of Social Services. Cardinal Care can help pay Medicare premiums and long-term care costs for those who qualify.
Prescription help
Virginia does not run a general statewide pharmaceutical assistance program (SPAP) for seniors. Start with Medicare's Extra Help / Low-Income Subsidy (apply through Social Security, 1-800-772-1213) and screen for drug-cost programs at BenefitsCheckUp.org. VICAP counselors (1-800-552-3402) can walk you through Part D and Extra Help.
Energy and utility help
Virginia's LIHEAP program is the Energy Assistance Program (EAP), run by the Department of Social Services. It has four parts with set application windows: Fuel Assistance (apply roughly mid-October to mid-November), Crisis Assistance (winter months), Cooling Assistance (apply roughly June 15 to August 15), and year-round Weatherization. Apply online at commonhelp.virginia.gov, call the VDSS Customer Service Center at 1-855-635-4370, or visit your local Department of Social Services. Windows and income limits reset every year, so check dss.virginia.gov/relief/ea before applying.
Property tax relief (Virginia)
Virginia handles senior property tax relief at the city and county level, authorized by Code of Virginia § 58.1-3210. Each locality that opts in sets its own income limits, asset limits, and benefit (exemption, deferral, or both) for homeowners 65 or older or permanently and totally disabled. The differences are big: a program in Fairfax County looks nothing like one in Alleghany County. So there is one right move: call your local Commissioner of the Revenue (or city/county tax office) and ask about "real estate tax relief for the elderly and disabled." Separately, Virginia REQUIRES a full exemption statewide for veterans with a 100% permanent service-connected disability (and certain surviving spouses), which also runs through the Commissioner of the Revenue. One caution on deferral options: a deferral is a postponed bill that comes due when the home is sold or the owner passes, helpful for some families, costly for others, so understand which one you are signing up for.
Food, in-home help, caregiver, transportation, and legal help
The Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services (vda.virginia.gov) oversees Virginia's 25 Area Agencies on Aging, which handle home-delivered meals, in-home care, caregiver support, and senior transportation. Find yours through the Eldercare Locator (1-800-677-1116) or by dialing 211. For free civil legal help, ask your Area Agency on Aging or 211 for the legal aid office serving your county or city.
Frequently asked questions
What is Virginia's SHIP program? It's called VICAP, the Virginia Insurance Counseling and Assistance Program, run by DARS through local Area Agencies on Aging. Free Medicare counseling at 1-800-552-3402.
Does Virginia offer senior property tax relief? Yes, but it is local. Cities and counties set their own elderly/disabled real estate tax relief programs under state law, so income limits and benefits vary by locality. Call your local Commissioner of the Revenue to ask what your city or county offers.
How do Virginia seniors get help with heating bills? Through the Energy Assistance Program. Fuel Assistance applications generally open mid-October; apply at commonhelp.virginia.gov or call 1-855-635-4370.
How do I apply for Virginia Medicaid? Online at commonhelp.virginia.gov or by calling Cover Virginia at 1-855-242-8282. Virginia Medicaid is called Cardinal Care.
Sources
- Virginia DARS, VICAP: https://www.vda.virginia.gov/vicap.htm . Verified June 5, 2026.
- Cover Virginia (Cardinal Care), how to apply and contact: https://coverva.dmas.virginia.gov/apply/how-to-apply/ and https://coverva.dmas.virginia.gov/contact/ . Verified June 5, 2026.
- Virginia DSS, Energy Assistance Program: https://www.dss.virginia.gov/relief/ea/ . Verified June 5, 2026.
- Code of Virginia § 58.1-3210 (local elderly/disabled exemption or deferral): https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title58.1/chapter32/section58.1-3210/ . Verified June 5, 2026.