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

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Federal, exists in every state

Help with home energy costs

LIHEAP helps with heating costs. New Jersey also offers monthly gas and electric credits through USF.

What it is

LIHEAP helps with heating costs. New Jersey also offers monthly gas and electric credits through USF.

This is the federal background for the state benefit. You use the same application.

Eligibility rules
  • The FY2026 heating-assistance season ran October 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026. The monthly USF credit ranges from $20 to $200 for eligible households.
  • The next LIHEAP heating season is October 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027, while funds last. USF is available outside that season: BPU says households can request USF alone online during the summer. From October 1, 2026, the published FY2027 monthly income ceilings for one through six people are $4,273, $5,587, $6,902, $8,217, $9,532 and $10,846; USF credits remain $20 to $200 a month for gas and electricity combined. The FY2026 income table still applies before that change.
What you get
If you decide to apply

Department of Community Affairs · Official page ↗

Official sources
Ask your social worker

“Could you help us find out when heating assistance opens and whether monthly utility credits could help too?”

Why I’m asking: I want to understand which parts of the bill each program can cover.

More background and detailed requirements

How this works

LIHEAP helps with heating costs. New Jersey also offers monthly gas and electric credits through USF.

This is the federal background for the state benefit. You use the same application.

Eligibility rules

  • The FY2026 heating-assistance season ran October 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026. The monthly USF credit ranges from $20 to $200 for eligible households.
  • The next LIHEAP heating season is October 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027, while funds last. USF is available outside that season: BPU says households can request USF alone online during the summer. From October 1, 2026, the published FY2027 monthly income ceilings for one through six people are $4,273, $5,587, $6,902, $8,217, $9,532 and $10,846; USF credits remain $20 to $200 a month for gas and electricity combined. The FY2026 income table still applies before that change.

The FY2026 heating-assistance season ran October 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026. The monthly USF credit ranges from $20 to $200 for eligible households.

The next LIHEAP heating season is October 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027, while funds last. USF is available outside that season: BPU says households can request USF alone online during the summer. From October 1, 2026, the published FY2027 monthly income ceilings for one through six people are $4,273, $5,587, $6,902, $8,217, $9,532 and $10,846; USF credits remain $20 to $200 a month for gas and electricity combined. The FY2026 income table still applies before that change.

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 in the period with the utility bill and proof of income. Mention any medical equipment.

Your social worker

The social worker helps contact the energy-assistance agency and arrange a clinician's letter about medical equipment or care needs at home.

The care team

The clinician writes a letter about your child's medical needs at home if the utility or agency asks.

Who decides
The local energy-assistance agency
Ask the agency
“We have a child in cancer treatment at home and a utility bill we cannot pay. Is the crisis fund open, and does medical equipment at home change the rules?”

How to apply

First step: Find the state or county energy-assistance office (ask the social worker for the contact) and apply with the bill and proof of income.

  1. Apply before a shutoff.
  2. Name the medical equipment at home.

Where it starts: State item

What to gather

  • The utility bill or shutoff notice
  • Proof of income
  • A note from the clinic about equipment at home, if any

How long: Weeks. Crisis applications are faster.

What a yes looks like

A payment posted to the utility account.

What a no looks like, and the next move

“Over income” or “funds exhausted”. Ask the utility for a medical-hardship plan.

Watch out

  • Funds are seasonal and run out. Apply before the shutoff, not after.
  • Tell the utility in writing that a medically fragile child is at home. Many have their own protections.

The numbers and the rules

The arcane layer, kept on purpose. Checked September 7, 2026.

What it is worth

A one-time or periodic payment toward the utility bill, set by the local program. Shutoff prevention or reconnection.

  • Energy payment — Energy payment

Covers: Utility payment · Shutoff prevention or reconnection · Weatherization referral

What it costs the family: No premium.

The eligibility facts, as published

State specific
yes
Income and energy burden
yes

Decisions this site cannot make: Local eligibility and funds

Expect friction on: Seasonal application periods · Funds run out

The trap: Funds are seasonal and run out. Apply before the shutoff, not after.

What changes by state: The income limit, the application period (Georgia closes July 31), and the crisis rules.

Where I read this

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