This article was originally published in the March 12th, 2026 edition of the Gloucester Daily Times and re-shared with permission from its author
BOSTON — The Healey administration is pumping more money into the state’s home heating assistance programs after a colder than expected winter has tapped out benefits for many low-income recipients.
The Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities said that it’s increasing the maximum benefits for tens of thousands of Massachusetts residents who rely on the federally funded Home Energy Assistance Program to help pay for home heating and utilities.
Under the changes, the fuel benefit will increase from $1,000 to $1,400 and the maximum utility benefit from $850 to $925 through the end of the heating season that runs from November through April.
The agency said record low temperatures this winter have kept furnaces across Massachusetts running overtime and driven up utility bills in a state with some of the highest energy costs in the nation.
As a result, 72% of HEAP clients — or about 54,000 households — have less than $100 remaining in heating benefits, the agency said.
“We know heating costs are putting a strain on families, especially during a winter like this one. And costs are only increasing because of President Trump’s war in Iran,” Democratic Gov. Maura Healey said in a prepared statement.
“Increasing these benefits will help make sure seniors, families with children and other residents can keep their homes warm during the coldest weeks of the year.”
The Healey administration said the expanded benefits will be covered by $15 million in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services the state is expecting to receive in coming months.
Under the HEAP program, formally known as the Low Income Home Energy Assistance 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 housing office.
HEAP grants are also available for individuals and households that have reported income ranging from 100% to 200% of the federal poverty level.
On Cape Ann, HEAP is administered by Action Inc., which said additional discounts for gas, oil, and electricity may be available for eligible. Residents may contact Action Inc. at (978) 281-3900 for more information or visit www.actioninc.org to learn more and apply online.
More than 150,000 low-income households in Massachusetts received assistance through the program in 2024. The state received more than $145 million for HEAP grants in the previous year, according to federal 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.
Consumer advocates say rising energy costs — already among the highest in the nation — have an outsized impact on low- and even some middle-income households that have trouble keeping up with expenses.