New York HEAP Heating Assistance 2026–27: Who Qualifies and How to Apply

HEAP (the Home Energy Assistance Program) helps New Yorkers with low and middle incomes pay to heat their homes. For the 2026–27 winter, the Regular benefit opens November 2, 2026 [1][2]. Benefits are paid first come, first served, so it pays to apply early [2].

What HEAP covers

HEAP has several parts. Each has its own rules and dates.

• Regular benefit. One payment per season to help with heating costs [1][2].
• Emergency benefit. For a heat emergency, such as a utility shutoff notice or running out of fuel [1].
• Heating Equipment Repair and Replacement . Fixes or replaces a primary heating system that doesn’t work [2][3].
• Clean and Tune. Pays to inspect and clean your primary heating equipment [2][3].
• Cooling Assistance. An air conditioner or fan in summer. The 2025–26 cooling benefit closed June 5, 2026, and no 2026–27 date has been posted yet [3].

Who qualifies

Eligibility depends on your household’s size and total gross monthly income (before taxes) [1][2]. Benefit amounts also depend on your heating source and whether someone in the home is older, very young or disabled [2].

For a family of four, that works out to about $82,230 a year [2].

How much you can get

The state publishes these 2026–27 amounts for the Regular benefit [2]:

• $990 base if you heat with oil, kerosene or propane. That’s $90 more than last season.
• $700 base if you heat with wood, pellets or coal. That’s $65 more than last season.
• Extra $61 for households that pay directly for heat and have income at or below 130% of the federal poverty level.
• Extra $35 for households that pay directly for heat and have someone who is 60 or older, under 6, or permanently disabled.

For the equipment benefits, HRA (which runs HEAP in New York City) lists these limits, based on actual cost [3]:

• Heating Equipment Repair and Replacement: up to $4,000 for a repair and $8,000 for a replacement, once every ten years.
• Clean and Tune: up to $500.

How to apply

1. Online. In New York City, apply through ACCESS HRA (access.nyc.gov). Everywhere else, use myBenefits.ny.gov [1].
2. In person. Go to your county’s HEAP local district contact, usually the local department of social services [1][2].
3. By mail. Outside NYC, print the application and mail it to your local district contact. In NYC, mail it to HRA/HEAP, PO Box 1401, Church Street Station, New York, NY 10008 [1].

For the Emergency benefit, apply by phone or in person. In NYC, call 718-557-1399. Outside NYC, contact your local district [1]. For the equipment benefits, contact your local department of social services [2].

Older adults who need help applying can call their local office for the aging or the NY Connects helpline at 1-800-342-9871 [2]. General questions go to the OTDA hotline, 1-800-342-3009, weekdays 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. [1].

What to have ready

• Proof of where you live: a lease, rent receipt, mortgage receipt, deed, tax bill, homeowner’s insurance policy or utility bill [1].
• Proof of income: recent pay stubs showing current monthly income for everyone in the household [1].
• ID for each household member: a driver’s license or other photo ID, a birth certificate, school records, a passport or disability paperwork [1].

If your heat is about to be shut off

The Emergency HEAP benefit opens January 4, 2027. It is for households facing a utility shutoff or running out of heating fuel [1][2]. Before then, call your utility and your local department of social services right away.

New York’s utility rules add protections from November 1 to April 15 [4]:

• Your utility must make a special effort to find out whether shutting off heat-related service would harm anyone’s health or safety. It must try to reach you or another adult by phone or in person at least three days before the shutoff, and again on the day of the shutoff.
• If the utility finds harm might result, it must notify the local Department of Social Services. The utility then can’t shut off service for another 15 business days.
• If a doctor or the local Board of Health certifies a medical emergency, the utility must keep service on for 30 days. The certificate can be renewed.
• Service can’t be shut off for non-payment during the two weeks around Christmas and New Year’s Day.

Where the money comes from

HEAP is paid for with federal LIHEAP funds from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services [2][5]. On October 9, 2026, HHS released about $3.6 billion in LIHEAP funds for federal fiscal year 2027 under a temporary spending law. That was 90% of the money available under that law [5].