New Jersey’s energy-assistance season has two calendars running side by side. The window for help with overdue electric and gas bills is open now, and the broader program year runs from Oct. 1 through Sept. 30. Anyone already behind on a utility bill is working against a shutoff notice rather than a season, which makes the order of steps matter.
Can a household that has fallen behind on its electric or gas bill apply right now? Yes. The state Department of Community Affairs says on its Home Energy Assistance page that the application period for help with past-due electric and gas bills is currently open, and the page lists no closing date.
Stay ahead of property tax and utility bill news: Miss an enrollment or claim deadline and the money can be gone. Join the Retirement Money Brief and we’ll send you our Property Tax & Utility Relief Finder as a welcome gift.
Get the Brief + the relief finder →
We may earn a commission from links on this page.
One application, two programs
The state’s federal heating-aid program, LIHEAP, and the Universal Service Fund, known as USF, share a single form. The department’s fiscal 2027 fact sheet says the fall-through-spring window for the combined application runs Oct. 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027, and that requests are handled first come, first served.
Past-due utility bills go through DCAid, the department’s online portal, which is the route the state names for arrears help. The main portal entry sits at the DCAid page, and the department’s hotline at 1-800-510-3102 points callers to the nearest local application agency.
Income ceilings by household size
Eligibility turns on gross income at or below 60 percent of the state median. The fact sheet puts that at $4,273 a month, or $51,273 a year, for one person, and $98,602 a year for a household of four. A two-person household tops out at $67,049 and a three-person household at $82,825.
The household also has to be responsible for heating or cooling costs, either directly or through rent. USF adds one more requirement: a residential electric or gas bill in the name of someone in the household. People in public housing or on rental assistance are generally not eligible for the heating portion unless they pay heating costs straight to a fuel supplier.
What the credits and the Fresh Start do
The state Board of Public Utilities describes USF as monthly credits on electric and gas bills, with a combined maximum of $200 a month and a minimum of $20. Its utility assistance page also describes a feature called Fresh Start for customers with overdue balances of $60 or more.
Under Fresh Start, those customers are enrolled automatically when they join USF. Each month the customer pays the current charges in full, one-twelfth of the overdue balance is forgiven. The board says the benefit is available once every five years, so a household that used it recently would not get it again.
Heating grants work differently. The fact sheet says the amount depends on income, household size, fuel type and heating region, and it lists no dollar figures for the heating benefit. A medically necessary cooling benefit is set at $300, paid as a credit to an active electric account.
Shutoff protection that starts Nov. 15
The Board of Public Utilities runs a Winter Termination Program that bars utilities from shutting off gas, electric, water and wastewater service between Nov. 15 and March 15. Households that receive USF are among the protected groups, along with recipients of Lifeline, HEAP, TANF, SSI, PAAD and General Assistance. Residential customers who cannot pay because of circumstances beyond their control may self-certify.
Protection has to be requested by calling the utility. For questions the utility cannot answer, the board lists a number at (800) 624-0241. A household already disconnected can ask for reconnection once a year per service, with proof of an application to USF, LIHEAP or a similar program, and a down payment of up to 25 percent of the balance.
When the main program is not enough
Households that qualify for USF but still cannot cover a bill have a second stop. The board says PAGE, the Payment Assistance for Gas and Electric program, is meant to follow a USF application and is subject to available funds. Its income ceiling is higher: $85,455 for one person and $164,337 for four.
PAGE applications go through SHARES at www.sharesnation.org or 1-866-657-4273. Because the funds can run out, the board’s order of operations puts the USF application first and PAGE second.
The award year that began Oct. 1 ends Sept. 30, 2027, and the past-due window carries no stated end date. That leaves months to apply, but a shutoff notice does not wait for a calendar. Applying early also starts the clock on credits that can lower each month’s bill.
Can a New Jersey household behind on an electric or gas bill still apply before the Sept. 30 award year ends?
A household that applies late, or applies to one program and misses the other, can leave months of credits unclaimed while a balance keeps growing. Renewal dates for the next award year also arrive quietly, and a lapse means starting over.
The Senior Property Tax & Home-Cost Relief Kit lays out heating, cooling and home-repair help for older homeowners and how to claim each one, plus an application log and renewal calendar. Part 5 covers utilities and home costs, and Part 7 sets out the yearly routine so renewals do not slip.
This article was produced with AI assistance and edited for accuracy against the sources linked above.
