While nothing is ever certain about the weather in New England, cold winters are a given, and temperatures can sometimes dip below zero degrees. The cost of home heating, be it oil, electricity or natural gas, can be expensive. Local aid organizations have seen an increase in the number of people unable to make ends meet when the mercury drops.
Forecasts cited by the state Department of Energy Resources predicted that, despite an 11% decrease in the cost of heating oil as compared to last year, the cost of heating for the 2024-2025 winter season is expected to be 24% higher for customers with natural gas, 6% higher for those with electric heat and 1% higher for propane customers.
To help address the needs of people who have difficulty affording the cost of heating and cooling, the federal government created the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, known as the Home Energy Assistance Program in Massachusetts. Commonly referred to as fuel assistance, HEAP provides federally funded assistance to reduce the costs associated with home energy bills, energy crises, weatherization and minor energy-related home repairs. The program helps reduce the risk of health and safety problems, including fires and carbon monoxide poisoning, that arise from unsafe heating and cooling situations and practices.
At the beginning of November, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced it will provide $3.7 billion for this year’s HEAP season, will run until April 30, 2025. In fiscal year 2023, the program served Massachusetts 152,011 households with reported average benefits of $1,414. Additionally, 8,042 households in the state received home weatherization services.
“We have definitely seen a spike in applicants,” said Melissa White, director of programs for Valley Opportunity Council. While it is still early in the heating season, she said 18,000 households have applied since Nov. 1, whereas just over 20,000 households applied over the entirety of the 2023-2024 season.
“I think part of it is need. The cost of things just keeps going up,” White said. The impact of the weather is also a major factor. She said, “The weather has stayed kind of warmish through November, but when the first cold snap happened, I think people started to get worried. You can’t get by anymore with not turning on the heat or putting on a blanket or lighting a fire.”
The program is administered by the state, through several local organizations. Applicants must earn 60% of the state median income or less to be eligible. This year’s guidelines cap annual income for one person at $49,196, a family of two at $64,333, a family of three at $79,470 and a family of four at $94,608. There is also documentation required, including a photo ID, proof of all household income, the most recent home heating and electric bills, and a mortgage statement or monthly rent.
Applying for the program is free. The state cautions people to beware of scams asking for an “application fee.” In Western Massachusetts, there are a handful of organizations that offer help applying for LIHEAP. In northern Hampshire County, there is Community Action Pioneer Valley, online at communityaction.us. In the greater Springfield and Holyoke areas, as well as the Hampden County hilltowns, the Valley Opportunity Council offers these services. It can be found at valleyopp.com.
The Valley Opportunity Council, with offices in Holyoke, Chicopee, Westfield, Springfield, West Springfield and soon in Ludlow, administers HEAP.
“We have seen an increase in applications this year. We have almost as many applications received already as we received for the entire season last year,” said White. “This could be due to the sudden spike in cold temps, more accessibility [and] awareness for applicants about the program or more folks struggling to make ends meet.”
The amount recipients receive depends on several factors that are set by the state Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities. One major factor is the amount of funding released by the state for the program each year.
“The amount [received by households] has decreased or stayed the same, based on how you heat and other household information. We do also offer HWAP, or heating system repair and replacement for households that qualify for some of Hampden County.”
Other programs
HEAP is not the only assistance program available to Massachusetts residents. “If you call and you’re not eligible for fuel assistance, we can help you with that,” White said.
The following organizations and agencies also offer energy assistance and weatherization services:
- Mass 2-1-1 — Dial 211
- MassSave — tinyurl.com/y5z79pkp, 1-866-527-SAVE (7283)
- The Massachusetts Good Neighbor Energy Fund — magoodneighbor.org, 1-800-262-1320
- Springfield Partners for Community Action — springfieldpartnersinc.com, 413-263-6500
Springfield Partners for Community Action operates an emergency fuel fund to residents in most of Hampden County for those who do not qualify for HEAP but still struggle to pay heating bills. The two-year program, funded through a $100,000 Residential Energy Assistance grant from the state Attorney General’s office, is eligible for those who meet gross annual income and economic hardship criteria.
Tabitha Desplaines, director of community services at Springfield Partners for Community Action, said, “We have received about 50 applications since two days ago,” when the program was featured in a segment on WWLP-22News. “People are struggling. Everything is expensive.” She said Springfield Partners for Community Action receives calls every day from people seeking resources because they cannot pay a utility bill.
“Just because you’re $300 over the [HEAP income] limit doesn’t mean you didn’t have a car repair or an unexpected medical bill that made it hard to put oil in your tank,” Desplaines said. She emphasized that people who are eligible for HEAP should apply because more funding is available through that program. “We might be able to fill your tank once, but HEAP will help you heat for the whole season,” she said.
While not directly addressing energy bills, there are forward-looking programs from Mass Save. The organization, which offers free energy assessments and helps connect people with services to upgrade a home’s energy efficiency, also offers income-eligible homeowners and renters no-cost insulation upgrades and increased rebates on efficient heating equipment.
Similarly, the Valley Opportunity Council helps people with applications for the state’s Heating Emergency Assistance Retrofit Task Weatherization Assistance Program, which has similar guidelines to HEAP and applies to residents in Hampden County, except Springfield. There has also been an increase in the number of unhoused people seeking housing assistance from the Valley Opportunity Council, with shelter being another necessity in cold weather.
Desplaines said Springfield Partners for Community Action is working the housing assistance nonprofit, Way Finders, to connect people with the state’s Residential Assistance for Families in Transition program, which provides up to $7,000 per 12-month period for rent, utilities, moving costs and mortgage payments. Springfield Partners for Community Action also sets people up with financial counseling for long-term stability, limiting the likelihood they will need home heating help in the future.
For more information on LIHEAP, visit mass.gov/info-details/learn-about-home-energy-assistance-heap.
