BOSTON — The state is getting more fuel assistance from the federal government to help low-income residents heat their homes this winter, when rising energy costs are expected to put the squeeze on many households.
On Friday, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced it will provide $3.7 billion in assistance for home heating costs and unpaid utility bills through the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program.
Massachusetts will receive more than $145 million for LIHEAP grants, according to members of the state’s congressional delegation who pushed for the additional fuel assistance.
That includes more than $3.7 million in supplemental funding from the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act.
“This timely disbursement of federal home heating assistance from the Biden-Harris administration will be welcome news for those worried about being forced to choose between paying their utility bill and putting food on the table,” Rep. Lori Trahan, a Westford Democrat, said in a statement.
Under the LIHEAP program, homeowners who earn 60% of the state median income are eligible for assistance paying for fuel, electricity and weatherization upgrades.
This year, an individual with income of $49,196 or less is eligible for assistance, while the maximum level for a family of four is $94,608 a year, according to the state Executive Office of Housing and Community Development.
LIHEAP grants are also available for individuals and households which have reported income ranging from 100% to 200% of the federal poverty level.
More than 134,000 low-income households in Massachusetts received assistance through the program in 2023, according to federal energy data.
Massachusetts is the third-largest consumer of home heating oil in the nation, with an estimated 700,000 homes using about 850 million gallons a year, according to industry figures.
The state has some of the highest energy costs in this nation, which consumer advocates say have an outsized impact on low- and even some middle-income households that have trouble keeping up with expenses.
The state’s LIHEAP allocation this year is slightly higher than the previous winter, when it received nearly $130 million from the federal government. But it’s less than the $160 million state received in 2022.
The state has a number of other programs on the books aimed at reducing energy costs for low-income, elderly and disabled consumers struggling to pay their utility bills.
Last winter was expensive for energy consumers, with the combination of record-high inflation, constrained supplies, and the impact of Russia’s war against Ukraine on global oil markets all driving up the cost for natural gas and home heating oil. Many people have gotten far behind on their bills and remain underwater, advocates say.
Most U.S. households, on average, will pay about the same to heat their homes this winter as they did last winter, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration winter fuel costs estimates. But a colder winter is expected to lead to more energy consumption for heat, particularly in the Northeast.
Christian M. Wade covers the Massachusetts Statehouse for North of Boston Media Group’s newspapers and websites. Email him at cwade@cnhinews.com.
