Past Recipients of Regular HEAP Can Mail In 2009 - 2010 HEAP Applications

Last year there were delays in some counties as low-income households attempted to apply for one-time "Regular" benefits in the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program. See Slow Processing of Applications for HEAP Benefits; OTDA Receiving Comments on Next Year's HEAP Program, SNAFU in OTDA's Administration of the HEAP Program; State Tells Suffolk County to Handle Energy Emergencies; Unmanned HEAP Hotline Fails to Serve the Blind.

According to the OTDA website, applicants who received "Regular" HEAP benefits during last year's HEAP program will be able to mail in their applications for this year's "Regular" HEAP benefit in advance of the program starting date, which is November 2, 2009:

Regular benefit applications are being mailed to all households that received a HEAP benefit in 2008-09. These applications may be mailed back to the local social services district or alternate certifier in advance of the opening of the 2009-10 HEAP program; however, regular HEAP benefits will not be paid until on or after November 2, 2009. Regular HEAP applications for households that did not receive a HEAP benefit in 2008-09 will not be made available until November 2, 2009.

The mail-in option for those who received "Regular" HEAP last year may be very helpful in reducing long waiting times and repeat visits to overwhelmed HEAP certification offices.

This year, benefits for "Regular HEAP" (as distinguished from "Emergency" HEAP) are as follows, according to OTDA:

Regular HEAP Benefit Amounts 2009-2010

Benefit Amount	Living Situation
$1	Eligible households that live in government subsidized housing or a group home setting with heat included in their rent.
$40 or $50	Eligible households responsible for their shelter costs but do not pay directly for heat.
$600 + applicable add-ons	Eligible households that pay directly for heat with their main source of heat being oil, kerosene, wood, coal, pellets, corn, propane or other non-utility fuel.
$400 + applicable add-ons	Eligible households that pay directly for heat with their main source of heat being natural gas or electric heat provided by a PSC regulated utility company
$200 + applicable add-ons	Eligible households that pay directly for heat with their main source of heat being electric heat provided by a municipal electric company

Regular HEAP Benefit Add-Ons

+ $50 if the household’s gross income is in the Tier 1 income range (e.g., at or below 130% of the Federal Poverty Level)

+ $50 if the household contains a vulnerable individual (i.e., household member who is age 60 or older, under age 6 or permanently disabled)

For further information on the HEAP program see the OTDA web page on this year's program.