Apply Now For Government Assistance This Winter

High unemployment, low temperatures, and higher energy costs will hit families hard all over the country this winter. According to the National Energy Assistance Directors’ Association (NEADA), the average cost of energy for one household in a one-year period is expected to rise to $1,152 this year, up from $986 in 2007 (a 17% increase), as reported in an article at Stateline.org. HEAT USA members and other residents of the Northeast who might have trouble paying heating oil, electricity, and/or gas bills this heating season are encouraged to apply for government assistance right away.

People who believe they might need government assistance to pay their home energy bills should call the National Energy Assistance Referral (NEAR) project hotline at 1-866-674-6327 (1-866-NRG-NEAR), or send an email including their city, county and state to energyassistance@ncat.org . Operators will help applicants determine if they are eligible for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) in their state. Eligibility qualifications are based on the number of persons per household, income level, area of residence, and other more complex factors, so the best way to determine if you and your family are eligible for assistance is to call the toll-free number, 1-866-674-6327. Beneficiaries of LIHEAP program (“grantees”) would receive assistance from the federal government in the form of direct payments to their energy providers (including heating oil suppliers).

Although leaders in congress from both parties have included the largest-ever LIHEAP funding package ($5.1 billion) in the fiscal year 2009 budget bill, economic woes and a bloated deficit may force stiff reductions in funding, reducing the number of families who would receive LIHEAP benefits. So if you think you will need help paying your energy bills this winter, increase your chances of receiving assistance by calling 1-866-674-6327 today.