Massachusetts households that qualify for the state’s Home Energy Assistance Program, known as HEAP or LIHEAP, can have part of their heating costs paid from Nov. 1 through April 30. Applications for the coming season opened Oct. 1, and a household of four can earn up to $103,049 and still be eligible. The state’s program page says the aid covers a portion of home energy costs, not the whole bill.
The Nov. 1 to April 30 span is the stretch of winter the benefit pays for. It is not the window for turning in an application, which opened earlier and which the state’s page does not tie to a closing date.
Income limits by household size
Household income cannot exceed 60% of the state’s estimated median income, according to the state. Not all income counts toward that figure. The fiscal 2027 limits on the state page are:
- 1 person: $53,585
- 2 people: $70,073
- 3 people: $86,561
- 4 people: $103,049
- 5 people: $119,536
- 6 people: $136,024
- 7 people: $139,116
- 8 people: $142,207
- 9 people: $145,299
- 10 people: $148,390
Those ceilings are well above what many people expect from a low-income program. A retired couple living on Social Security and a small pension could sit comfortably under $70,073, and a single retiree can qualify at $53,585. Homeowners and renters are both eligible, including renters whose heat is included in the rent.
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What the aid pays and what it does not
The state’s page does not publish dollar benefit amounts. It says levels depend on federal funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and on a household’s housing subsidies. Payments for fuel usage or delivery go directly to the heating vendor, so the money never passes through the household’s own account.
Oil, electricity, natural gas, propane, kerosene, wood and coal are all eligible heat sources. Eligible households also receive discounts on electric and gas bills from investor-owned utilities automatically, which is separate from the fuel payment.
Because no amount is posted, a household cannot work out its benefit in advance. The state ties levels to federal funding and housing subsidies, so the local agency is the place to ask what a given household would receive.
How to apply, and what to bring
Applications can be filed online at the state’s application portal, in person at a local HEAP agency or by mail. First-time applicants must complete an intake appointment, which starts with an online application or a call to the local agency. The state’s LIHEAP page is the official starting point, and a lookup tool matches a town to its agency.
Households that received aid before reapply every year. After the first year, the state mails applications to households, which can be renewed online, in person or by mail. A household that moved or that has not seen a renewal packet by now should contact its agency rather than wait.
The state lists what to gather: a photo ID for the head of household, a list of everyone living there, heating bill information such as the company name and account number, a lease or mortgage statement, and proof of income for the 30 days before the application date. Wages and pension statements both count as proof.
Why the date matters even without a posted deadline
The state’s page names no closing date for applications, and it names no cutoff for the season beyond April 30. No date is posted, so the safe course is to apply early. A household with an empty oil tank in December is better placed with an application already on file in October.
The application also opens other doors. The same application covers the Heating System Repair and Replacement Program, which offers emergency repair or replacement of a failed heating system for low-income households, and the Weatherization Assistance Program, which pays for full-scale home energy efficiency work.
Scams, phone lines and help in an emergency
The state warns on its page: “Beware of scams by people charging an ‘application fee.'” The program is free. Anyone asked to pay to apply is not dealing with the state’s program.
The Cold Relief Heatline, at (800) 632-8175, is listed for heating emergencies, and Mass211 answers general housing and home energy questions around the clock, with translation available, by dialing 2-1-1. The state’s TTY line is (617) 573-1140.
Is the oil tank full for the whole winter?
Heating aid pays only part of the bill, and the house still has a property-tax bill, a repair list and a utility account that all run on their own calendars. A household that handles the HEAP application and misses a tax break or a repair program can lose more than the heating benefit is worth.
“The Senior Property Tax & Home-Cost Relief Kit” includes “heating, cooling and home-repair help,” alongside the five kinds of property-tax relief, the circuit-breaker credit that includes renters, and an application log and renewal calendar for tracking each program’s yearly date.
Track every heating and home-cost date with the Relief Kit renewal calendar →
This article was produced with AI assistance and edited for accuracy against the sources linked above.
David M. Keller is a finance writer based in Columbus, Ohio, covering personal finance and consumer-focused economic topics. He earned his degree in journalism from Ohio University and began his career reporting on local business and economic trends for a regional media outlet. Since then, he has contributed to a variety of online publications, focusing on clear, practical coverage of topics such as cost of living, debt, and everyday financial decision-making.
