Written by a parent, not a doctor. Nothing here is medical advice.

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New Jersey program

Help with the gas and electric bills

New Jersey offers a heating grant and monthly gas and electricity credits (LIHEAP and USF).

What it is

New Jersey offers a heating grant and monthly gas and electricity credits (LIHEAP and USF).

Energy help has two parts: a heating grant and a utility credit. Income and the share spent on energy affect the review. The application season matters as well as the income limit.

Eligibility rules
  • FY2026 uses 60% of state median income. Monthly ceilings for one through six people are $4,167, $5,449, $6,732, $8,014, $9,296 and $10,578.
  • The energy-burden test is more than 2% of income for gas or electricity, or more than 4% for electricity when it heats the home.
What you get
  • $20 to $200 a month in combined gas and electricity credits under FY2026 rules.
  • A separate annual heating grant for eligible households.
What the help covers
  • An income-eligible household that does not meet the energy-burden test receives a $20 monthly credit under FY2026 rules.
  • The combined gas and electric credit is capped at $200 monthly.
If you decide to apply
  1. You can ask the county energy-assistance office or utility about the current application season and both types of help.
  2. For that discussion, it helps to have household income and recent energy bills ready for the state energy-assistance application.

Department of Community Affairs · Official page ↗

After you ask
  • The Department of Community Affairs reviews the request, and the utility applies an approved credit.
  • The heating grant for 2026–27 is open from October 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027 while funds last; the utility credit can be requested at any time of year. From October 2026 the income line rises slightly, to about $6,900 a month for three.
Good to know

USF does not cover municipal utilities. A medical shutoff hold is a separate protection and does not pay the bill.

Other details
  • The FY2026 application season ran October 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026.

Federal background: LIHEAP energy assistance.

Official sources
Ask your social worker

“Could we receive both the heating grant and monthly utility credit? When can we apply, what would we still owe, and could you help us with the forms?”

Why I’m asking: I want to keep energy costs manageable while our child is in treatment.

More background and detailed requirements
Additional program information and published rules

Who does what

The three parts, side by side. The agency decides; nobody on this page does.

You

Apply when the season opens, with income and recent bills.

Your social worker

The utility applies the monthly credit once it is approved.

The care team

Records and letters when the application asks for them.

Who decides
The Department of Community Affairs, with the utility applying the credit.
Ask your social worker
“Can you tell us when New Jersey's energy assistance season opens, and help us apply for both parts?”

How to apply

First step: Ask the utility or the county when the next season opens.

  1. Ask the utility or the county when the next application season opens: the last one closed June 30, 2026.
  2. When it opens, apply for both the yearly grant and the monthly credit on the same form.

Official application / program page ↗

Where it starts: The state energy-assistance route accepts LIHEAP during its published season. A household can request USF separately outside the heating season.

What to gather

The diagnosis letter, the child’s insurance card, and the last two pay stubs cover most applications. The official page lists the rest.

How long: unknown: the processing time was not published.

What a yes looks like

A grant paid to the utility and a monthly credit appearing on the bill.

What a no looks like, and the next move

Over the income ceiling, or a municipal utility. Ask the utility about its own medical and payment-plan protections instead.

Watch out

  • The last season closed on June 30, 2026 and the next opening date was not published. Ask first.
  • The monthly credit does not cover municipal utilities.

Dates that change this

2026-07-01: FY2026 heating intake closed June 30, 2026. The next LIHEAP season is October 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027 while funds last; USF can be requested outside that season.

The numbers and the rules

The arcane layer, kept on purpose. Checked September 11, 2026.

What it is worth

A yearly heating grant, plus $20 to $200 a month off gas and electricity, for a household of four up to $8,014 a month.

  • $8,014/month — Gross monthly income ceiling, household of 4 (60% of state median income)
  • $6,732/month — Gross monthly income ceiling, household of 3
  • $5,449/month — Gross monthly income ceiling, household of 2
  • $20/month — Minimum monthly credit where the household passes on income but not on energy burden
  • $200/month — Maximum monthly credit for gas and electricity combined

Covers: A yearly heating grant · A monthly credit on the gas and electric bills

What it costs the family: Nothing to apply.

The eligibility facts, as published

Income
60% of state median income: $4,167 / $5,449 / $6,732 / $8,014 / $9,296 / $10,578 monthly for households of 1 to 6, FY2026
Energy burden
more than 2% of income on electricity or on gas, or more than 4% on electricity where electricity heats the home; failing this still gives $20 a month
Exclusions
the monthly discount does not cover municipal utilities
Season
The next LIHEAP season is October 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027 while funds last. USF has a separate application route outside that season.

The trap: The last published application season ran from October 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026 and has closed. The date the next opens was not published. Ask now rather than assuming it is open.

Where I read this

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