New York Opens Heating Aid Worth Up to $1,086 This Winter, and a Family of Four Earning Up to $82,230 a Year Can Qualify

Applications for New York’s Home Energy Assistance Program opened Monday, Nov. 2, 2026, and the state says eligible households could receive up to $1,086 toward heating this winter. A family of four can qualify with gross income up to $82,230 a year, or $6,852 a month, according to Gov. Kathy Hochul’s office.

The amount depends on income, household size, heating source and whether the household includes a vulnerable member, the governor’s announcement says. Benefits are first-come, first-served, so the dollar figure is a ceiling and not a payment any household is promised.

What changed in the base benefit

The state raised the base benefit for households that rely on delivered fuel. Those heating with oil, kerosene or propane can receive a base benefit of $990, up $90. Households heating with wood, pellets or coal have a base benefit of $700, up $65, according to the governor’s office.

Last winter’s top amount was lower. A December 2025 announcement posted by LeadingAge New York said households could receive up to $996 and that Regular HEAP opened Dec. 2, 2025, about a month later than planned because of a 43-day federal government shutdown. This year’s season began on Nov. 2.

Public radio network WAMC reported that the state raised benefits because of rising heating oil and kerosene costs, and that payments go directly to the vendors for the expenses. WAMC gave one other income example: a family of five could make up to $7,948 a month and still qualify.

Who qualifies, and who is enrolled automatically

The governor’s office describes the program as aimed at low- and middle-income households and older adults. The state says households that do not automatically receive HEAP assistance can apply now, which means households enrolled in certain benefit programs can receive aid without filing.

New York City’s Human Resources Administration lists the basic test on its energy assistance page. A household member must be a U.S. citizen or qualified non-citizen, and gross monthly income must fall within the income guidelines for the household’s size. Households that receive SNAP, Temporary Assistance or SSI Code A (living alone) qualify on that basis. The page says the benefit also depends on whether someone in the home is under 6, 60 or older, or permanently disabled.

One regular benefit is available per heating season, the governor’s office says. For a household that heats with oil, $990 is the base figure, and the announcement says the final amount depends on income, household size, heating source and vulnerable members.

Regular aid now, emergency aid in January

Regular HEAP and Emergency HEAP are separate. Regular HEAP is the seasonal benefit that opened Nov. 2. Emergency HEAP is for households in danger of running out of heating fuel or having utility service shut off, and applications open Jan. 4, 2027, according to the state.

The program also pays for equipment. The governor’s office lists a Heating Equipment Clean and Tune benefit, which covers inspection and cleaning of primary heating equipment, and a Heating Equipment Repair and Replacement benefit for homeowners whose equipment does not work. Households contact their local department of social services for either one. New York City’s page describes clean and tune as worth up to $500 and repair or replacement as up to $4,000 for repairs or $8,000 for replacement, available once every ten years.

Other heating help on the same calendar

HEAP is not the only program with a winter clock. LeadingAge New York’s announcement points to the state’s Energy Affordability Program, which it says offers up to $500 in annual energy bill discounts, with details at ny.gov/EAP. That program is separate from HEAP, so a household would need to check its rules on its own.

Other states run their own versions of federally funded heating aid, each with its own dates and limits. This site has covered Pennsylvania’s LIHEAP cash grants, which stay open through April 23, 2027, and Ohio’s Winter Crisis Program, which began taking applications Nov. 2. New York’s rules apply only to New York households.

Where to apply

Households can apply at local departments of social services, online, by mail or in person, and the state points people to ny.gov/HEAP for information and applications. Older adults who need help can contact their local office for the aging or the NY Connects helpline at 1-800-342-9871.

In New York City, HRA says regular and cooling applications can be filed online through ACCESS HRA, and regular applications can also be mailed or faxed on the HEAP application form (LDSS 3421). Phone applications for emergency benefits go through the DSS OneNumber at 718-557-1399.

The federal program behind HEAP is the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program. The federal Administration for Children and Families says LIHEAP does not give direct grants to individuals and does not charge fees, and it advises reporting any offer of a grant or a request for payment to the HHS Fraud Hotline at 1-800-447-8477.

The governor’s office quoted Hochul as saying, “No New Yorker should have to choose between heating their homes this winter and keeping food on the table.” Barbara C. Guinn, commissioner of the state Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance, called HEAP a “lifeline” for households confronted with rising energy prices. Because funds are limited, Broome County’s social services commissioner, Nancy J. Williams, urged eligible households to apply early.

Get stories like this by email. Sign up for The Parent Diaries Letter.

This article was produced with AI assistance and edited for accuracy against the sources linked above.

Image: Daderot – CC0 1.0/Wikimedia Commons