New Jersey’s Winter Shutoff Protection Starts Nov. 15 for Enrolled Households, and the State Quadrupled the Minimum Monthly USF Credit From $5 to $20
A New Jersey household that opens a gas bill in mid-November, with the furnace already running and the balance already behind, has one date to know. The state’s Winter Termination Program protects qualifying households from utility shutoffs from Nov. 15 through March 15, according to the Board of Public Utilities (BPU), and the minimum monthly credit from the Universal Service Fund (USF) has been raised from $5 to $20.
The protection is not automatic. The BPU says customers must call their utility during the protection period and ask to be enrolled.
What Enrollment Does Between Nov. 15 and March 15
The Winter Termination Program is the shutoff piece of the state’s energy-aid system. Under the BPU’s announcement, a household that enrolls is protected from having service terminated across the four-month stretch from mid-November to mid-March. The board’s release says customers enroll by calling their utility and requesting it.
USF participation brings a related protection. The BPU says enrolling in USF gives access to LIHEAP and to USF-Fresh Start debt forgiveness, along with shutoff protection in both winter and summer. The state’s Home Energy Assistance hotline, run by NJ 211, describes USF as a monthly credit on gas and electric bills for customers of seven regulated New Jersey utilities.
The Department of Community Affairs keeps its own Winter Termination Program page with the same Nov. 15 to March 15 dates. It lists who can qualify, including households that receive HEAP benefits, TANF, SSI, PAAD, General Assistance, USF or a Lifeline credit, and households that cannot pay because of circumstances beyond their control such as job loss, illness or medical costs. That page describes eligibility being shown at the time of an intended shutoff and refers households behind on bills to DCAid or NJ 211.
The USF Floor Moves From $5 to $20, and the Cap From $180 to $200
The BPU says the minimum monthly USF credit is now $20 each for gas and electric, up from $5. That is a fourfold increase, or $15 more a month for each fuel on the lowest-credit accounts. The maximum monthly credit rises to $200 for gas and electric combined, from $180.
The credit is built around a ceiling on what energy should cost a household. According to the board, households should not pay more than 3% of household income on energy costs, up to the cap. The new $20 minimum applies to the smallest credits.
BPU President Ben Hertz-Shargel said in the announcement that affordability is at the center of the board’s work. The board adds that utilities must help first-time applicants and meet multi-year enrollment targets, and that more than 8,000 first-time participants enrolled statewide in the last program year.
For households that were already in the program, the credit changes are separate from the winter shutoff call. USF is an income-based credit applied to bills, while the Winter Termination Program is the pause on shutoffs.
Who Qualifies and What the Single Application Asks For
One application covers both USF and the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), and benefits can be received from both at once. The application period opened Oct. 1, 2026, and LIHEAP applications run through June 30, 2027, according to the BPU. Applications are made through the state Department of Community Affairs (DCA) portal.
NJ 211 gives figures for the federal fiscal year 2027: all three programs, LIHEAP, USF and Weatherization, require gross household income at or below 60% of New Jersey’s State Median Income, which works out to $51,273 a year for a household of one and $67,049 for two, with each added person raising the limit by $246 a month.
New applicants are asked to upload proof of identification, income for each adult household member, proof of U.S. citizenship or legal residency, a recent utility bill, and a tax bill, mortgage or lease, according to NJ 211. The hotline also says applications take about 60 days to process and that recipients must recertify each year. LIHEAP is first-come, first-served while funding lasts, so the BPU’s June 30, 2027 end date is the latest possible day, not a promise of money through spring.
LIHEAP itself pays a lump-sum benefit toward home heating costs, including gas, electric and deliverable fuels, plus help with energy costs included in rent, the board says. It also covers emergency aid for households facing disconnection and heating repair or replacement.
If a Shutoff Notice Arrives Anyway
Because the application takes about 60 days to process, a household that applies in mid-November may not have an approved credit before the coldest weeks. NJ 211’s utility assistance page says anyone who receives a shutoff notice should contact the utility to set up a payment plan and make good-faith payments.
The same page says households already receiving LIHEAP or USF may qualify for an emergency payment after March 15. Online applicants submit a request and upload the notice through the DCA portal, and applicants who used a local agency can bring the notice to that agency. It adds that first-time recipients with a past-due balance of $60 or more may be automatically enrolled in the USF Fresh Start Program, which can forgive past-due amounts.
Help with the application is available by phone. The BPU and the DCA’s energy assistance office page list 1-800-510-3102 for USF and LIHEAP eligibility, available aid, in-person help locations and application status. NJ 211 says the same hotline can be reached by dialing 2-1-1, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
DCA Commissioner Jacquelyn A. Suárez said in the BPU release that the department encourages eligible residents to apply for USF and LIHEAP benefits. For a household facing a winter gas bill, the sequence the state describes is short: apply once, call the utility to enroll in the shutoff program, and keep the notice if one arrives.
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This article was produced with AI assistance and edited for accuracy against the sources linked above.
Image: Lisafern – CC0/Wikimedia Commons
