If the heating bill is the bill you dread most, circle Monday, November 2. That’s the day applications open for the 2026-27 Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP), the federal program that helps income-eligible households in Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties pay to heat their homes.
The money is limited and benefits are paid first-come, first-served. Households that think they qualify should plan to file in the first days of November — not during the first deep freeze.
What HEAP is
HEAP is a federally funded program supervised in New York by the state Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA) and administered locally by each county’s Department of Social Services (DSS).
An eligible household receives one regular HEAP benefit per season. If you pay a fuel or utility company directly, the benefit is paid straight to your vendor. HEAP covers homes heated with oil, kerosene, propane, natural gas, electricity, wood, wood pellets, coal or corn.
Who qualifies
Eligibility is based on household income, household size, your primary heating source, and whether anyone in the home is under 6, age 60 or older, or permanently disabled.
Your household qualifies on income if gross monthly income is at or below these 2026-27 limits:
| Household size | Maximum gross monthly income |
|---|---|
| 1 | $3,563 |
| 2 | $4,659 |
| 3 | $5,756 |
| 4 | $6,852 |
| 5 | $7,948 |
| 6 | $9,045 |
Larger households: the limit is $9,250 for 7 and rises to $10,515 for 13, plus $710 for each additional member.
You are also income-eligible automatically — no separate income test — if your household receives SNAP benefits, federally funded Temporary Assistance, or Code A Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Many households in those programs receive their HEAP benefit without filing a separate application; if you’re in one of them and aren’t sure, a call to your DSS office will confirm it.
How much it pays
The regular benefit is a base amount set by your heating source, with add-ons for the lowest-income households and for households that include a member who is 60 or older, under 6, or permanently disabled. Base amounts posted for 2026-27:
| Your situation | Base benefit |
|---|---|
| Oil, kerosene or propane, paid to your vendor | $990 |
| Wood, wood pellets, coal, corn or other delivered fuel | $700 |
| Electric or natural gas heat, billed by usage | $400 |
| Heat included in your rent | $45 or $50 |
| Subsidized housing with heat included in rent | $21 |
Renters are not shut out: if heat is part of your rent, the benefit is smaller, but it is still worth filing for.
How to apply
Starting November 2, you can apply three ways:
- Online at myBenefits.ny.gov — the fastest route for most households. Supporting documents can be submitted with the free NYDocSubmit app.
- By mail — print the HEAP application (form LDSS-3421, available on OTDA’s website) or call your DSS office and ask them to mail you one. Do not send it early: applications submitted before November 2 must be denied.
- In person at your county DSS office, below.
One exception to the November 2 date: households that received HEAP last year and met early-outreach criteria have already been mailed an application — those are in motion now. Everyone else files starting November 2.
Where to apply in the North Country:
- Jefferson County DSS — 250 Arsenal Street, Watertown, NY 13601. Ask for a mailed application at (315) 785-3229; main line (315) 785-3000. Note: the building is under renovation and the county asks residents to use phone, mail or online options when they can; follow the posted signs to the temporary entrance.
- Lewis County DSS — 5274 Outer Stowe Street (mailing: PO Box 193), Lowville, NY 13367. (315) 376-5400.
- St. Lawrence County DSS — 6 Judson Street, Canton, NY 13617. HEAP office: (315) 379-2303.
Questions statewide: the OTDA hotline is 1-800-342-3009. Applicants age 60 and older can also get help through their county Office for the Aging or NY Connects at 1-800-342-9871.
What to gather before you apply
Having these ready keeps an application from stalling:
- Identification for every household member, including proof of citizenship or qualified non-citizen status
- Social Security numbers for everyone in the household
- Proof of where you live — a lease, rent receipt, utility bill or mortgage statement
- Proof of income for everyone in the household — pay stubs, benefit award letters and similar documents
- Your most recent heating bill or your fuel vendor’s account information — the benefit is paid to your vendor, so the account details matter
A broken furnace? Help is already open
Two HEAP components opened October 1, ahead of the regular benefit. The Heating Equipment Repair and Replacement benefit helps eligible homeowners repair or replace a furnace, boiler or other essential heating equipment — get approval from your DSS office before any work is done, or the cost may not be covered. The Clean and Tune benefit covers cleaning of your primary heating equipment, and can include chimney cleaning, minor repairs, carbon monoxide detectors or a programmable thermostat.
Both are handled through your county DSS office, using the contacts above.
The emergency benefit opens January 4
If winter goes wrong anyway — an empty oil tank, less than a quarter tank of fuel, under a ten-day supply of wood, or a shutoff notice for heat or for the electricity your heating system needs — a separate Emergency HEAP benefit is scheduled to open Monday, January 4, 2027, for households facing a heat emergency.
Don’t wait for January if you’re in trouble before then: OTDA directs anyone in a heating emergency to contact their county DSS office right away.
New to the North Country?
If this is your first New York winter — including Fort Drum families settling in — you apply through the DSS in the county where you live, and homeowners and renters alike can qualify. Renters whose heat is included in the rent get a smaller benefit, but they do qualify. It’s one benefit per household per season, so file once, early.
FAQ
I got HEAP last year. Do I have to apply again?
Yes, HEAP is a new application each season — unless you were part of this year’s early outreach and already received an application in the mail. If one hasn’t arrived, file a fresh application starting November 2.
I receive SNAP. Do I still need to apply?
Your household is income-eligible automatically, and many SNAP, Temporary Assistance and SSI households receive the benefit without a separate application. If you’re unsure whether yours is coming, call your DSS office and ask.
Do I need a shutoff notice or an empty tank to get HEAP?
No. The regular benefit has no emergency requirement — it’s based on income, household size and heating source. The empty-tank and shutoff situations are what the separate emergency benefit, opening January 4, is for.
When does HEAP close?
No closing date for the 2026-27 regular benefit has been announced. The season runs until the federal funding is used up — another reason to apply in November rather than mid-winter.
Related
- Winter Survival Guide
- Heating Season Is Here: A North Country Fire Prevention & Safety Checklist
- October Winter-Prep Checklist for Northern New York
Sources: – NYS OTDA — Home Energy Assistance Program – myBenefits — apply online – Jefferson County DSS — HEAP – Lewis County DSS — HEAP – St. Lawrence County DSS — HEAP – Erie County DSS — 2026-27 income limits and benefit amounts – Tompkins County — HEAP (emergency benefit opening date) – Niagara County DSS announcement, via WNY Papers
Facts verified October 14, 2026