A new payment is coming. Did you know that you could receive a $996 stimulus payment to help you with your energy bills? Now that utilities are getting higher, any payment you can access is a good option to alleviate the financial expense at home. So, if you are interested in saving a little on your bills, we are going to tell you right now how you can request this check and who will be eligible for it.
You already know that we love to save, and that any payment that can be used to save is welcome!
I’m interested, can you tell me more?
The first thing you need to know is that New York is one of the states where residents pay the most for heating in the entire country, and when the winter season comes… how can we not want to be warm at home? So, this payment goes directly to families with fewer resources, so that they don’t have to choose between eating or having a habitable home in winter.
This program is called the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP), and it offers these checks of up to $996 so that families with fewer resources can face one of the most expensive expenses of each home.
When will the application be available and who can request it?
The HEAP application has been open since November 1, and there is an emergency application period, this means that there will still be families that can apply for this payment for 2025, the opening date for this “emergency application” will be January 2, 2025.
Who can apply for this payment?
For all those who want to qualify, the application will take into account the benefits that each household receives, its size and also the members, and what is the main source of energy (or heating) in the house. Heat sources accepted by HEAP are: electricity, natural gas, oil, kerosene, propane, coal, wood, and wood pellets (small wood chips that are cheaper than wood).
Another thing that this program requires is that at least one child under 6 years old, one person over 60 years old or one person with a permanent disability lives in the house.
By 2025, the economic parameters that have been established for families are the following and depend on the annual income per person:
- 1 person $47,890
- 2 people $62,570
- 3 people $68,312
- 4 people $76,681
- 5 people $83,470
How will this payment work?
It will be distributed through EBT (Electronic Benefit Transfer) cards, just like the SNAP payment, which means that the issuing entity ensures that the funds are used exclusively for what they are intended for: energy expenditure (and cannot be used in other places or for other purposes).
What to do if you don’t qualify?
If for whatever reason you don’t qualify for this HEAT payment, there are other alternatives, such as, for example, going to a charity (since they often help with some payments on a one-time basis), or other social programs that benefit families in temporary difficulties, such as, for example, SNAP (which is for basic food expenses). Finally, energy companies also offer flexible payment schemes for people with difficult economic situations.
The important thing is that you and your family don’t have to juggle paying the bills, so if you can qualify for this payment, congratulations. Winter is coming and no one should be afraid to turn on the heating to stay warm at home. So, don’t forget that the payment period is already open and you can apply for it.