While nothing is ever certain about the weather in New England, cold winters are a given, and temperatures can sometimes dip below zero degrees. The cost of home heating, be it oil, electricity or natural gas, can be expensive. Local aid organizations have seen an increase in the number of people unable to make ends meet when the mercury drops.
Forecasts cited by the state Department of Energy Resources predicted that, despite an 11% decrease in the cost of heating oil as compared to last year, the cost of heating for the 2024-2025 winter season is expected to be 24% higher for customers with natural gas, 6% higher for those with electric heat and 1% higher for propane customers.
To help address the needs of people who have difficulty affording the cost of heating and cooling, the federal government created the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, known as the Home Energy Assistance Program in Massachusetts. Commonly referred to as fuel assistance, HEAP provides federally funded assistance to reduce the costs associated with home energy bills, energy crises, weatherization and minor energy-related home repairs. The program helps reduce the risk of health and safety problems, including fires and carbon monoxide poisoning, that arise from unsafe heating and cooling situations and practices.
