The Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) is a federally funded program that issues financial assistance to lower income families and senior citizens to help with a household’s heating costs.

Regular benefit applications are being mailed to all households that received a HEAP benefit in 2008-09. In addition, HEAP applications for households that did not receive a HEAP benefit last year will be made available on Nov. 2.

Regular HEAP benefits are based on income, the primary fuel source – such as oil, gas, propane or kerosene, and number of household members who are under the age of 6 or age 60 and older, or who are permanently disabled.

HEAP also provides emergency benefits to New Yorkers who are facing a heat or heat-related energy emergency and do not have the resources available to resolve the crisis. The emergency benefit component of the 2009-10 HEAP program will also open on Nov. 2, and emergency HEAP applications will also become available at that time.

For more information about HEAP, including how to apply:

Call the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance’s (OTDA) toll-free hotline at (800) 342-3009, or visit the OTDA Web site at www.otda.state.ny.us/main/heap/.

To find out if you are eligible for HEAP assistance, visit www.myBenefits.ny.gov.