With Regular HEAP (Heating) benefits closing April 12, 2024, Emergency Benefits will remain available to the community until exhausted, or through August 30, 2024.
A second Emergency HEAP benefit component had been made available to eligible residents through April 12, 2024 following the closing of the (first) Emergency benefit for the season. The eligibility criteria was same as the first Emergency benefit. Applicants must have exhausted, or have unavailable to them, both the Regular benefit and the first Emergency benefit in order to be eligible for the second Emergency benefit. First and second Emergency benefits cannot be issued concurrently. Applicants must apply in person or by phone and may be eligible, based on their most recently filed HEAP application. Households must meet resource eligibility requirements at the time of application for the second Emergency benefit.
The benefit amounts for this second Emergency component can be found Here.
Emergency HEAP benefits and eligibility are based on income, available resources and the type of emergency. An applicant may be eligible for an Emergency HEAP benefit if:
- Their electricity is necessary for their heating system or thermostat to work and is either shut off or scheduled to be shut off.
- Their electric or natural gas heat is off or scheduled to be shut off.
- They are out of fuel. or have less than one quarter tank of fuel oil, kerosene or propane or have less than a 10-day supply of wood, wood pellets, corn or other deliverable heat source.
- Their income is at or below the income guidelines (listed below) or if they receive Family Assistance, Safety Net Assistance, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance (SNAP) or Code A Supplemental Security Income.
- The heating or electric bill is in their name.
- The household's available resources are less than $2,500 and no member of the household is age 60 or older; or less than $3,750 and any member of the household is age 60 or older, or under the age of 6.
Click Here for the various parameters and thresholds related to the Emergency Benefit component.
Anticipated Emergency Heat and Heat-related Benefit Amounts for 2023-2024
Type of Emergency |
Amount |
| Heat Related Domestic (electric service required to operate heating equipment) | $185 |
| Natural Gas Heat Only | $400 |
| Natural Gas Combined With Heat Related Domestic | $585 |
| Electric Heat Combined With Heat Related Domestic | $585 |
| Non-utility heating fuel (oil, kerosene and propane) | $900 |
| Non-utility heating fuel (wood, pellets, coal, corn, etc.) | $635 |
Click Here for general application information related to Erie County HEAP.