There’s a reason that state legislators and Governor Healy sent letters to the MA Department of Public Utilities (DPU) earlier this month: MA residents are seeing significant increases on their natural gas bills, a situation that is caused by several factors including an unusually cold winter and rate changes that went into effect November 2024. Typical bills have risen 23-30 percent, according to The Boston Globe. The DPU has told the gas utility companies that they must reduce gas bills by at least 5% in March and April.
Now’s the time of year that COAs are actively assisting residents in applying for the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP, also referred to as Fuel Assistance).
The application window is November 1-April 30, so there’s still some time for income-eligible residents (they don’t need to be homeowners) to apply. First time and repeat applicants can apply on-line. To find the web portal for your community, go HERE.
The FY2025 Income Eligibility Guidelines:
| Household Size | Maximum Income Level |
| 1 | $49,196 |
| 2 | $64,333 |
| 3 | $79,470 |
