New Yorkers who need help paying heating bills can apply for the Home Energy Assistance Program starting Nov. 2, while many households enrolled in other assistance programs will receive a benefit automatically. The state has also increased payments for households that buy delivered fuel, including heating oil, kerosene, propane, wood and pellets.
Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the 2026-27 program opening Friday. More than 1.5 million HEAP benefits were issued last heating season, and state officials expect a similar number this winter. That figure counts benefits issued, not necessarily individual recipients.
The state expects to issue automatic payments to more than 1.1 million households whose participation in programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or Public Assistance establishes eligibility. Households that do not receive an automatic benefit can apply beginning Nov. 2; officials expect hundreds of thousands to do so.
Who qualifies and how much assistance is available?
Eligibility and benefit amounts depend on household income and size, the heating source and whether a household includes a vulnerable member. A family of four can have gross income of up to $6,852 a month, or $82,230 a year, and still qualify, according to the state.
For households using delivered fuel, the base benefit for oil, kerosene or propane has risen $90 to $990. The base benefit for wood, pellets or coal has risen $65 to $700. Those are benefit amounts for qualifying households, not a payment promised to every applicant.
Households that pay directly for heat may receive an additional $61 if their income is at or below 130% of the federal poverty level for their household size. They may receive another $35 if a member is at least 60, younger than 6 or permanently disabled.
The state said higher delivered-fuel benefits are intended to help households buy a minimum fuel delivery amid rising prices. Hochul also attributed higher heating costs to federal policies and the war in Iran; those political and causal claims are separate from the eligibility rules and benefit amounts announced by the state.
How to apply
Applications can be filed online at ny.gov/HEAP, by mail or in person through a local department of social services. Older adults who need help applying can contact their local office for the aging or NY Connects at 1-800-342-9871.
An eligible household may receive one regular HEAP benefit per season. Emergency HEAP applications are scheduled to open Jan. 4, 2027, for households at risk of running out of heating fuel or losing utility service.
Eligible homeowners may also seek help with cleaning and tuning primary heating equipment, or with repair or replacement of equipment that is not working. The state directs applicants for those services to their local department of social services.
Benefits are available on a first-come, first-served basis, state officials said. Residents who believe they qualify but will not receive an automatic payment can review the application requirements before the Nov. 2 opening.
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