HEAP Program Helps Low-income Households with Heating Costs
The Westchester County Department of Social Services is accepting applications from income-eligible people in need of some help paying heating bills.
The funds are available through the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP), a federally funded program. The maximum base regular benefit an eligible household can receive is $600 for homes that heat with oil, kerosene or propane, and $400 for those heating with electricity or natural gas. A family of four can have a household income of up to $50,184 annually and still qualify for a HEAP benefit.
“Last winter, more than 36,100 households in Westchester County received some assistance through the HEAP program,” County Executive Astorino said in a prepared statement announcing the program. “I urge low-income families to look into whether they qualify, so they can get this help with paying their energy bills.”
To find out more about eligibility, call United Way’s 2-1-1 or the Department of Social Services HEAP unit at 995-5619. You may also check your eligibility by going to www.myBenefits.ny.gov. Applications can be downloaded from the county’s Web site at www.westchestergov.com/heap.
Anyone who received a HEAP benefit last season must submit the HEAP application received in the mail to re-qualify. Anyone who received ongoing Temporary Assistance as of Sept. 13, 2013 or SNAP as of Sept. 20, 2013 is automatically eligible and does not have to file an application. Cases opened after that date must complete a form obtained from the local Social Services district office or by calling (914) 995-5619.
HEAP also offers benefits for households that have heat-related emergencies but don’t have the resources needed to resolve them. Assistance is available to repair or replace furnaces, boilers and other direct heating components necessary to keep the home’s primary heating source functional. The Heating Equipment Repair and Replacement Component of the 2013-14 HEAP season opened November 12, 2013. The HEAP Emergency Assistance component will open January 2, 2014.
