LOW INCOME HOME ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
UNIVERSAL SERVICE FUND
FFY 2021 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 is October 1, 2020 to June 30, 2021. To apply for
LIHEAP, you can apply online at www.energyassistance.nj.gov or contact an authorized local community action agency or community-
based organization in your area for assistance. For persons age 60 or over, or who are disabled, applications may be received and returned
by mail. 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 gross income at or below 200% of the federal poverty level. The chart below gives specific monthly gross
income maximums for FFY 2021. Persons who live in public housing and/or receive rental assistance are not eligible for assistance,
unless they pay for 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 medically necessary cooling assistance benefit amount will be $200, 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 single party check
made out to the eligible applicant.
Please Note: The FFY 2021 LIHEAP application is also an application for the Universal Service Fund Program (USF).
The USF is a program created by the State of New Jersey to help make natural gas and electric bills more affordable for low-income
households. If you are eligible, USF can lower the amount you pay for gas and electricity. To be eligible, a household gross income
must be at or below 185% of the Federal Poverty Level, (please refer to income guidelines listed below), and pay more than 3% of its
annual 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
income on electricity to be eligible. For more information about USF, call: 1-800-510-3102.
For further information on LIHEAP 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.
