Christie Administration Announces Home Energy Assistance Emergency Benefits Are Now Available
Emergency Benefits Available Through May 31st

TRENTON, N.J. – New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA) Commissioner Richard E. Constable, III today announced that the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) has emergency benefits available to current LIHEAP recipients who are still having difficulty paying their winter heating bills. Recipients may be eligible to receive additional assistance toward their heating costs if they have received a shut-off notice on their gas or electric bill or cannot pay for deliverable fuel such as heating oil. They have until Friday, May 31st, to apply for the emergency benefits.

“We recognize the difficult times that many New Jersey families are living through, especially in the wake of Superstorm Sandy, which is why we are pleased to provide emergency benefits to eligible people to help them pay for unexpected increases in home energy costs,” said Commissioner Constable. “These emergency benefits will allow vulnerable New Jersey families to pay for other necessities such as food, housing, and medical expenses.”  

Income-eligible residents who have not yet applied to participate in the LIHEAP program for the current heating season have a limited time to do so. The LIHEAP application deadline is April 30th.

The DCA’s Division of Housing and Community Resources administers the LIHEAP program, which is a federally-funded initiative that helps low-income residents with their heating and cooling bills, and makes provisions for emergency heating system services and emergency fuel assistance. To be eligible for LIHEAP benefits, a household must be responsible for home heating or cooling costs, either directly or included in the rent; and have gross income at or below 200% of the federal poverty level.

The LIHEAP application also serves as an application for the Universal Service Fund (USF) Program, which is run by the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities. The USF Program helps low-income households pay for their electric and natural gas costs. LIHEAP-eligible households may also be eligible to receive USF assistance.

To be eligible for USF, a household gross income must be at or below 175% of the federal poverty level, and pay more than 3% of its annual income for electric, or more than 3% for natural gas. If a household has electric heat, it must spend more than 6% of its annual income on electricity to be eligible. USF applications are accepted throughout the year.

For more information on LIHEAP, or to find the nearest agency participating in the program, please log on to www.energyassistance.nj.gov or call 1-800-510-3102 (LIHEAP).


MAXIMUM MONTHLY PRE-TAX INCOME ELIGIBILITY LEVELS

Household Size

USF Program

LIHEAP Program

1

 $1,629

$1,862

2

 $2,207

 $2,522

3

$2,784

$3,182

4

$3,362

$3,842

5

$3,939

$4,502

6

$4,517

$5,162

7

$5,094

$5,822

8

$5,672

$6,482

9

$6,249

$7,142

10

$6,827

$7,384

11

$7,404

$7,538

12

$7,982

$7,692

If more than 12, add:

$578 for each person

$154 for each person