FFY 2027 FACT SHEET

The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is designed to help low-income families and individuals meet home heating and medically necessary cooling costs. This year, the application period, based on a first come first serve basis, is October 1, 2026, to June 30, 2027. To apply for LIHEAP, you can apply online at www.energyassistance.nj.gov or contact an authorized local agency in your county for assistance. For persons aged 60 or over, or who are disabled, applications may be received and returned by mail or a home visit may be requested from the agency in the applicant’s county of residence if needed. Other households may apply by mail at the discretion of the local agency.

To be eligible for LIHEAP benefits, the applicant household must be responsible for home heating or cooling costs, either directly or included in the rent; and have a gross income at or below 60% of the State Median Income. The chart below gives specific monthly gross income maximums for FFY 2027. Persons who live in public housing and/or receive rental assistance are not eligible for LIHEAP heating assistance, unless they pay their own heating costs directly to the fuel supplier. The amount of the LIHEAP heating benefit is determined by income, household size, fuel type, and heating region.

The LIHEAP medically necessary cooling assistance benefit amount will be $300.00, which will be issued as a direct credit to an active electric account in our system, otherwise they will be issued as one-party check to the eligible applicant.

An eligible household that heats with natural gas or electricity may have its benefits directly forwarded to its utility company. Otherwise, in most cases eligible households directly responsible to a fuel supplier for payment of home heating costs receive a two-party check in the name of the applicant and “the fuel supplier”. Households whose heating costs are included in their rent receive a one-party check made out to the eligible applicant.

Please Note: The FFY 2027 LIHEAP application is also an application for the Universal Service Fund Program (USF). Applicants can receive benefits from both programs at the same time.

The Universal Service Fund (USF) is a program created by the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities and administered by the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs to help make natural gas and electric bills more affordable for low-income households. To be eligible, a household gross income must be at or below 60% of the State Median Income, (please refer to income guidelines listed below) and have a residential electric or gas bill in a household member’s name. USF helps pay gas and non-heating electric costs over a certain percentage of household income, based on heating type, up to a cap of $200 per month.

For further information on LIHEAP or USF or to locate the nearest application agency, call 1-800-510-3102. Additional information about LIHEAP and USF, including an application, is also available at www.energyassistance.nj.gov.