 Call toll-free:
USF Hotline:
1-866-240-1347
LIHEAP Hotline:
1-800-510-3102 |
Did you know that if you are having trouble affording your utility bills, there are many options for help?
- Comfort Partners
This Program is designed to improve energy affordability for income eligible households through direct installation of free energy efficiency measures and education about steps everyone can take to save energy. Participants are asked to partner with the program to develop and carry out a household energy savings Action Plan.
For more information please call 1-888-773-8326 or click here.
- LIHEAP
This program, which is administered by the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, helps you pay for heating costs and may cover certain medically-necessary cooling expenses. Even if your heat is included in your rent, you may qualify, if you meet the eligibility criteria. You may submit an application for LIHEAP from November 1st, through March 30th.
For more information, please call 1-800-510-3102 or click here
- Universal Service Fund
The State of New Jersey created the Universal Service Fund (USF) program to help make energy bills more affordable for low-income customers. Households with income equal to or less than 175% of the Federal Poverty Level are income eligible, but must also pay more than 3% of its annual gross income for electric, or more than 3% for natural gas. If a household has electric heat, it must spend more than 6% of its annual gross income on electricity to be eligible. The New Jersey Department of Community Affairs administers the USF program.
For more information about USF, please go to www.energyassistance.nj.gov or call toll free at: 1-866-240-1347
- Winter Termination Program
This program is in effect from November 15 through March 15. The program prevents residential gas and electric customers who participate in the LIHEAP, Work First New Jersey/Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (WFNJ/TANF), Federal Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Pharmaceutical Assistance to the Aged and Disabled (PAAD) from having their gas or electric service disconnected during the winter months. The Program is administered by the Board of Public Utilities.
For more information on the Winter Termination Program, please call 1-800-624-0241.
- Lifeline Program
Lifeline is a program that offers a $225 energy benefit to persons who meet the PAAD eligibility requirements or who receive SSI. This includes utility customers as well as tenants whose utility bills are included in their rent.
For more information about Lifeline, please call 1-800-792-9745.
- NJSHARES
NJ SHARES is a non-profit corporation that provides assistance to individuals and families living in New Jersey who are in need of temporary help in paying their energy bills. To qualify for NJ SHARES, a person or family must be facing a financial crisis and not be eligible for welfare or other income-based energy assistance programs. Recipients must also have a history of good-faith payments of their utility bills. Applications for NJ SHARES grants can be made at any of the more than 150 participating social service agencies throughout the state. Upon approval, recipients may receive a one-time grant of up to $700 for gas and up to $300 for electric (or up to $700 for an all-electric home).
Please call NJSHARES at 1-866-657-4273 or visit them at www.njshares.org
- Telephone Assistance
Telephone assistance programs provide a discount on your monthly bill and/or provide a reduction in installation (hook-up) fees. Eligibility is determined based on your income or participation in other assistance programs. In general, if you participate in any of the following programs you also may qualify for telephone assistance: Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Temporary Assistance to Needy Families/Work First New Jersey (TANF), General Assistance, Lifeline Utility Credit/Tenants Lifeline Assistance, Pharmaceutical Assistance to the Aged and Disabled (PAAD), Food Stamp Program, Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP/HEAP), Medicaid. You must contact your local telephone company if you wish to participate in any of the telephone assistance programs.
Telephone assistance is available to you if you are a qualified residential telephone customer. The federal government sponsors two programs, namely Lifeline and Link-Up.
Lifeline provides you with a discount to your monthly bill that could be as much as $13.26 depending on your local telephone company.
Link-Up provides a 50 percent reduction in the initial telephone connection charges (up to $30.00).
In order to be eligible for any of these assistance programs, you must either participate in one of the qualifying programs specified by each plan or your income must meet certain criteria. When you are seeking telephone assistance, please keep in mind that each telephone company and/or each program has different eligibility requirements, different benefits available and different restrictions. Some programs have restrictions on the optional services available to participants.
The following list of telephone service providers participate in Lifeline Assistance and Link Up programs in New Jersey: AT&T Communications of New Jersey, MCImetro Access Transmission Services, Inc., Sprint/United Telephone Company of NJ, Inc., Verizon New Jersey Inc, and Warwick Valley Telephone Company.
Please contact your local telephone company to participate in any of these programs.
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