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Home heating aid is available

If you need help paying your energy bills this year, county departments of social services will begin taking applications for Home Energy Assistance Program benefits on Nov. 2.

HEAP is a federal program that helps low-income people pay the cost of heating their homes. Those who are eligible can receive one regular HEAP benefit per season and could also be eligible for an emergency HEAP benefit if there is impending danger of running out of fuel or having utility service shut off.

Eligibility and benefits are based on income, household size, primary heating source and the presence of a household member who is under 6 years old, 60 or older, or permanently disabled.

Those who received temporary assistance on Sept. 11 or Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program benefits as of Sept. 18 may not need to apply to receive HEAP benefits, as they should be automatic. Those who opened cases after those dates will need to complete an application.

To get an application, contact your local county’s Department of Social Services HEAP office. For Franklin County, call 518-481-1807. For Essex County, call 518-873-3878. The website statewide is www.mybenefits.ny.gov.

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