OTDA HomePrograms & Services Home Energy Assistance Program

Overview

The Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) helps low-income people pay the cost of heating their homes.

If you are eligible, you may receive one regular HEAP benefit per program year and could also be eligible for emergency HEAP benefits if you are in danger of running out of fuel or having your utility service shut off.

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Questions regarding the HEAP program should be directed to your HEAP Local District Contact.

HEAP may be able to help you if you heat your home with:

Electricity
Natural Gas
Oil
Coal
Propane
Wood/Wood Pellets
Kerosene
Corn

How to Apply for HEAP

You can apply for Home Energy Assistance Program benefits online, in person, or in writing.

Regular HEAP Benefit

The 2020-2021 Regular HEAP benefit opened November 2, 2020.

myBenefits

Find out if you may be eligible and apply for programs and services.

If you are eligible, you may receive one regular HEAP benefit per program year to help you pay for heating your home.

Eligibility and benefits are based on:

income,
household size,
the primary heating source, and
the presence of a household member who is under age 6, age 60 or older or permanently disabled.

Regular benefits for households that pay directly for heat based on actual usage are paid directly to the vendor that supplies the household's primary source of heat. The participating vendor list can be obtained by accessing the HEAP Participating vendor list. Select your county of residence, the fuel type you use to heat your home, and pressing “Go”.

Your household may be eligible for a Regular benefit if:

You and your household members are United States Citizens or qualified aliens and
Your household's gross monthly income is at or below the current income guides for your household size as posted in the table below or
You receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits or
You receive Temporary Assistance or
You receive Code A Supplemental Security Income (SSI Living Alone)

Regular HEAP Benefit Amounts 2020-2021
Base Benefit Amount	Living Situation
$21	Eligible households that live in government subsidized housing or a group home setting with heat included in their rent.
$40 or $45	Eligible households who have heating costs included as part of their rent.
$675 + applicable add-ons	Eligible households whose primary heat is oil, kerosene, or propane and who make direct payments to the vendor for heating costs.
$525 + applicable add-ons	Eligible households whose primary heat is wood, wood pellets, coal, corn or other deliverable fuel and who make direct payments to the vendor for heating costs.
$350 + applicable add-ons	Eligible households whose primary heat is electricity or natural gas and who make direct payments based on their household’s actual usage to the vendor.

Regular Benefit Add-Ons for Households Paying Directly for Heat

The amount of the base Regular benefit will be increased by $31 if the household’s gross income is in the Tier 1 income range.

Tier I eligibility is based on gross income and household size, on the date of application the household's gross income must be at or below 130% of federal poverty level for the household size; or at least one adult household member must be in receipt of ongoing assistance through Temporary Assistance (TA), Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or code A SSI.

The amount of the base Regular benefit will be increased by $35 if the household contains a vulnerable individual (household member who is age 60 or older, under age 6 or permanently disabled).

View HEAP Monthly Income Limits.

Emergency HEAP Benefit

The 2020-2021 Emergency benefit opened January 4, 2021.

Beginning April 15, 2021, a third Emergency Benefit is available for households who have exhausted the Regular, first Emergency and second Emergency HEAP benefits and who are in a heat or heat-related energy emergency, as defined by HEAP, and who meet the eligibility guidelines for Emergency benefit assistance. The second Emergency benefit was made available effective March 8, 2021.

If you are eligible, the Emergency HEAP Benefit can help you heat your home if you are in a heat or heat related emergency.

Emergency HEAP benefits and eligibility are based on:

income,
available resources, and
the type of emergency

If you have an emergency you must contact your HEAP Local District Contact for assistance. Assistance cannot be provided through this website.

You may be eligible for an emergency HEAP benefit if:

Your electricity is necessary for your heating system or thermostat to work and is either shut-off or scheduled to be shut off or
Your electric or natural gas heat is off or scheduled to be shut-off or
You are out of fuel, or you have less than one quarter tank of fuel oil, kerosene or propane or have less than a ten (10) day supply of wood, wood pellets, corn, or other deliverable heat source.

and

Your income is at or below the current income guidelines as posted in the table below or you receive Family Assistance, Safety Net Assistance, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance (SNAP) or Code A Supplemental Security Income.
The heating and/or electric bill is in your name and
Your household's available resources are:
- less than $2,000 if no member of your household is age 60 or older; or
- less than $3,000 if any member of your household is age 60 or older.

Emergency Heat and Heat-related HEAP Benefit Amounts for 2020-2021
Type of Emergency	Amount
Heat Related Domestic (electric service required to operate heating equipment)	$140
Natural Gas Heat Only	$350
Natural Gas Combined with Heat Related Domestic	$490
Electric Heat Combined with Heat Related Domestic	$490
Non-utility heating fuel (oil, kerosene, and propane)	$675
Non-utility heating fuel (wood, pellets, coal, corn, etc.)	$525

View HEAP Monthly Income Limits.

Heating Equipment Repair or Replacement Benefit

If you have an emergency you must contact your HEAP Local District Contact for assistance. Assistance cannot be provided through this website.

The 2020-2021 Heating Equipment Repair and Replacement benefit opened October 1, 2020.

If you are a homeowner and eligible, the Heating Equipment Repair and Replacement benefit can help you repair or replace your furnace, boiler and other direct heating equipment necessary to keep your home’s primary heating source working.

Benefit amounts are based on the actual cost incurred to repair or replace your furnace, boiler, and/or other essential heating equipment, $3,000 for a repair and $6,500 for a replacement.

You may call your HEAP Local District Contact to apply. The in-person intervi

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