New York’s Home Energy Assistance Program, known as HEAP, opens for applications on Nov. 2, and the base benefit for households that heat with oil, kerosene or propane has gone up by $90, to $990. Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the new season on Oct. 16. A family of four can have gross income of up to $82,230 a year and still be eligible.

The state’s announcement says the $990 is a base amount. What a household actually receives depends on its income, its size, how it heats and who lives there, so the final payment can be higher than the base.

Who gets HEAP automatically, and who has to apply

Most households already on HEAP get the benefit without applying because they are enrolled in SNAP or Public Assistance. The Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA), which runs the program, plans to issue those payments to more than 1.1 million households once the season opens.

Everyone else eligible has to apply, starting Nov. 2. The governor’s release gives the income limit for a family of four, $82,230 a year or $6,852 a month, but does not list limits for other household sizes. The state’s HEAP page and county offices can give the figure for a smaller household.

So the question for a New Yorker who heats with oil, kerosene or propane and is not on SNAP is whether household income falls under the limit for its size. Anyone close to the line, such as a retired couple living on a pension and Social Security, can apply and let the county decide. Applications are first-come, first-served, according to OTDA Commissioner Barbara C. Guinn.

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How much HEAP pays this winter

The governor’s office says the base benefit for oil, kerosene and propane rose by $90, to $990. The base for households that burn wood, pellets or coal rose by $65, to $700. The state’s 2026-27 HEAP desk guide for county workers lists the same $990 figure for oil, kerosene and propane.

Two add-ons can raise the amount. An extra $61 goes to households that pay directly for heat and have income at or below 130 percent of the federal poverty level for their household size. An extra $35 goes to households that include someone 60 or older, a child under 6, or a permanently disabled person.

That second add-on matters for a lot of retirees, since any household with a member 60 or older is covered by it. The release does not give a single maximum payment, so no one should count on a specific total until the county decides the case.

Last season’s numbers show how concentrated the program is. The governor’s office put the total at 1,574,316 benefits, with 927,691 of them in New York City, 132,462 in Western New York, 95,898 in the Hudson Valley, 84,288 in the Finger Lakes and 71,406 on Long Island. New York City alone accounted for well over half of them.

Where and how to apply

People can apply online, by mail or in person through their local department of social services. The state’s HEAP page has the application, and OTDA’s program information includes a list of county contacts.

Older adults who would rather talk to someone can contact their local Office for the Aging or call the NY Connects helpline at 1-800-342-9871. Homeowners with inoperable equipment can also ask their county about the Heating Equipment Repair and Replacement program, and those whose equipment works can ask about the Clean and Tune benefit.

Why the timing matters with oil prices up

The governor’s office says heating oil prices are up 67 percent and kerosene prices are up 50 percent compared with last year. The National Energy Assistance Directors Association reported in late September that the average New York heating oil price had reached $6.27 a gallon, against $3.69 a year earlier.

The state expects a similar number of HEAP benefits this winter as last. With applications first-come, first-served and officials expecting hundreds of thousands of additional households to apply, the opening weeks are when the line is longest.

Guinn put the message simply in the release: “HEAP benefits are available for low- and middle-income households on a first-come, first-served basis.” Greg Olsen, the acting director of the New York State Office for the Aging, added that “no older adult should have to worry about staying warm during the winter.”

Emergency help opens Jan. 4

A household gets one regular HEAP benefit per season. Applications for Emergency HEAP open Jan. 4, 2027, and households can qualify if they risk running out of fuel or having utility service shut off.

The release does not name an application deadline for the regular benefit, and it does not give a total funding figure for the season. Because applications are first-come, first-served, the safest plan for an oil customer is to apply as soon as the program opens on Nov. 2 instead of waiting for a cold snap.

Heating with oil in New York and ready for Nov. 2?

With oil near $6.27 a gallon and HEAP handed out first-come, first-served, a missed paper or a late application can leave a tank half empty in January. The $990 base is a start, and it does not cover a full winter for most oil customers.

The Senior Property Tax & Home-Cost Relief Kit lays out heating, cooling and home-repair help for older homeowners, along with an application log and renewal calendar. Part 5 covers utilities and home costs, and the log keeps each application date and decision in one place so nothing slips.

Get the heating-help and home-repair guide for older New York homeowners →

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This article was produced with AI assistance and edited for accuracy against the sources linked above.