Massachusetts Utility Relief Programs: Fuel Assistance, Discount Rates, and Shutoff Protection

How Massachusetts utility relief programs fit together

Massachusetts does not have one single utility relief program. It has a set of linked programs run by different offices. The Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC) runs HEAP through local agencies. The Department of Public Utilities (DPU) oversees discount rates, payment plans, and shutoff rules for investor-owned gas and electric companies. Charities, like the Salvation Army, fill some of the gaps.

The good news is that these programs talk to each other. According to mass.gov, if you qualify for HEAP, discounts are given automatically on electric and gas bills from investor-owned utilities. Your HEAP application also counts as an application for the state’s heating system repair program (HEARTWAP). And being HEAP-eligible is how the DPU defines “financial hardship” for shutoff protection. So one application can open several doors.

A note on who is covered: the DPU discount and payment rules apply to investor-owned companies such as Eversource, National Grid, Unitil, Liberty Utilities, and Berkshire Gas. If your power comes from a municipal light plant (for example, in some towns that run their own electric department), ask that utility directly about its own discount or hardship program.

HEAP fuel assistance for the 2026–27 season

The Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP), often called Fuel Assistance, is Massachusetts’ version of the federal LIHEAP program. It pays part of your winter heating cost, whatever you heat with: oil, natural gas, electricity, propane, kerosene, wood, or coal. Homeowners and renters can apply, including renters whose heat is included in the rent. Payments go straight to your heating vendor or utility.

Income limits

Your household’s gross income cannot be more than 60% of the state’s estimated median income. Mass.gov lists these fiscal year 2027 limits for the 2026–27 winter:

Mass.gov notes that not all income counts toward eligibility, so a local agency should confirm your status even if you are close to the line.

How much HEAP pays

HEAP gives a fixed benefit toward your main heating source. The amount changes every year, because it depends on how much federal money Massachusetts receives. It also depends on your income level and whether you live in subsidized housing. As of November 8, 2026, the state had not posted the FY2027 dollar amounts on the mass.gov pages we checked, so ask your local agency what your benefit level will be. For a sense of scale, last winter the maximum started at $1,000 for oil, propane, and kerosene and $850 for gas or electric heat, and in a March 2026 announcement the state planned to raise them to $1,400 and $925 once the last federal funds arrived. This winter’s amounts may be different. If your benefit runs out in an emergency, many agencies keep a list of backup funds.

Dates and paperwork

The online application opens October 1 each year, and you must apply every year. First-time applicants have an intake appointment; after the first year, the agency mails you a renewal form. Mass.gov says to have ready a photo ID for the head of household, a list of household members, your heating company name and account number, a lease or mortgage statement, and proof of income for the 30 days before you apply. For a general checklist, see our guide to gathering documents.

To find your agency, use the mass.gov HEAP page, the MASSCAP agency list, or call the Heatline at 800-632-8175. HEAP is free, and the state warns about scammers who charge an “application fee.” For a national view of how LIHEAP works, see our LIHEAP guide.

Tiered discount rates on gas and electric bills

The biggest change this winter is in utility discount rates. Before, most income-eligible electric customers got one flat discount (the DPU says it was between 32% and 42%, depending on the company), and gas customers got about 25%. Starting November 1, 2026, the DPU moved the companies to six discount tiers. The lower your income, the larger your discount.

The tiers are based on the federal poverty level (FPL) and state median income (SMI):

• Tier 1: up to 100% FPL
• Tier 2: above 100% up to 125% FPL
• Tier 3: above 125% up to 150% FPL
• Tier 4: above 150% up to 175% FPL
• Tier 5: above 175% up to 200% FPL
• Tier 6: above 200% FPL up to 60% SMI

The DPU’s help paying your utility bill page lists the proposed percentages below. As of November 8, 2026, the page (last updated September 25, 2026) still says they are pending final approval in each company’s tariff, so the final numbers may differ slightly. Customers whose new discount is lower than their old one keep the old discount through April 30, 2027, and then it steps down by no more than 5 percentage points every six months.

The full DPU table also covers Berkshire Gas, Liberty Utilities, Eversource Gas of Massachusetts (EGMA), and Unitil gas, plus tiers 2, 4, and 5.

Who qualifies and how to enroll

You may qualify if anyone in your home gets HEAP, SNAP, MassHealth (basic or standard), SSI, TAFDC, EAEDC, WIC, school meals, public or subsidized housing, ConnectorCare types 1 or 2, Health Safety Net, Head Start, refugee benefits, or certain veterans benefits (MASSVETS, VA pension, or DIC for a surviving parent or spouse). You can also enroll through your community action agency or by calling your utility. If you already have a discount, the DPU says you do not need to do anything; your new tier applies automatically.

If your discount goes down

Some households in the upper tiers will get less than before. The DPU built in a slow step-down: you keep your current discount through April 30, 2027, and after that it can drop by no more than 5 percentage points every six months until it reaches the new level.

Arrearage management and payment plans

If you already owe a large past-due balance, an arrearage management program (AMP) can wipe part of it away. The DPU says AMPs are for income-eligible customers with an active account and at least $300 that is 60 or more days past due. Once enrolled, each time you make your monthly payment, a portion of the old balance is forgiven. Over a year, this can clear a debt that would otherwise take years to pay.

All of the investor-owned companies run an AMP. Call yours and ask to be screened. If you do not qualify for AMP, ask for a regular payment plan, where you pay a set amount toward the old balance on top of your current bill. Budget billing is a third tool: the company splits your expected yearly cost into 12 equal payments so winter bills do not spike. Budget billing is open to everyone, although some companies will not enroll you while you have a past-due balance.

Winter shutoff protection and other safeguards

Massachusetts has some of the strongest shutoff rules in the country. They are in the DPU’s billing and termination regulations, 220 CMR 25.00. According to the DPU’s consumer rights page, a gas or electric company cannot shut off your service if you have a financial hardship and:

• it is between November 15 and March 15 and the service is needed to heat your home;
• you or someone in your home is seriously ill;
• there is an infant under 12 months in the home; or
• all adults in the home are 65 or older and a minor child lives there.

“Financial hardship” means you cannot pay an overdue bill and your income meets the HEAP limit. Separately, a company cannot shut off service to a household where everyone is 65 or older without written DPU approval, whether or not there is a hardship.

For the 2026–27 winter, the DPU’s winter bills page says it requested that the moratorium be expanded to run from November 1, 2026 to April 1, 2027. As of November 8, 2026, the page still describes this as a request, and we could not find a notice that every company agreed, so confirm the exact dates with your company or the DPU before you rely on the longer window.

What to do with a shutoff notice

1. Call your utility right away and say you have a financial hardship. Ask what proof they need (often a HEAP approval or a doctor’s certificate for a serious illness).
2. Ask to enroll in AMP or a payment plan at the same time.
3. If the company will not work with you, call the DPU Consumer Division at 617-737-2836 or 877-886-5066.

The protections stop a shutoff; they do not erase the bill. Charges keep adding up during the winter, which is why pairing protection with a discount and AMP matters.

Help when income is above the HEAP limit

Plenty of working families earn a bit too much for HEAP and still struggle with winter bills. The Good Neighbor Energy Fund, run with the Salvation Army, is built for them. It is for Massachusetts residents with a temporary financial problem who are not eligible for state or federal energy aid and whose income is between 60% and 80% of state median income. For 2026–27, that range is $53,586 to $71,447 for one person and $103,050 to $137,399 for a family of four.

The fund gives one-time grants toward an energy bill. It does not publish a set grant amount. To apply, contact your local Salvation Army corps. The statewide lines are 800-334-3047 (area codes 339, 351, 508, 617, 774, 781, 857, 978) and 800-262-1320 (area code 413).

Other places to call when you are above the limits or your benefit is used up: Mass 211, local churches and charities, and your utility’s own hardship fund. Our guide to Salvation Army help with utility bills explains how corps-level help works. For rent, food, and cash help in the same household budget, see our Massachusetts hardship relief guide.

Heating repairs, weatherization, and Mass Save

Lowering the bill for good often means fixing the house. Three programs can help:

• HEARTWAP repairs or replaces broken or unsafe heating systems for low-income households. Your HEAP application is also your HEARTWAP application, so tell your agency if your furnace or boiler is failing.
• Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) provides full-scale efficiency work such as air sealing and insulation. It is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy and usually run by the same local agency as HEAP.
• Mass Save, the utility-funded efficiency program, offers no-cost home energy assessments to all ratepayers. The state says its benefits are “particularly generous” for low- and moderate-income customers, renters, and landlords, and that people who weatherize can save up to 20% of yearly heating use. Call Mass Save at 866-527-7283 (866-527-SAVE).

MASSCAP also lists an appliance management program, offered with National Grid and Eversource through energy audits, that can replace old refrigerators, freezers, window air conditioners, and similar appliances for eligible households. Ask your community action agency if it runs this program in your area.

Lifeline discounts on phone and internet

Utility relief is not just heat and lights. The federal Lifeline program takes up to $9.25 a month off phone, internet, or bundled service (up to $34.25 on qualifying tribal lands). You can qualify through income or programs such as SNAP or Medicaid. Apply through the national application linked from the Lifeline site, then pick a participating company. A smaller phone or internet bill leaves more room in the budget for heat and electricity.

Applying for help, step by step

1. Apply for HEAP first, online or through your local agency, even if you think you are close to the limit. Approval can unlock your discount rate and shutoff protection.
2. Call your gas and electric companies and ask: Am I on the discount rate? Which tier? Do I qualify for AMP?
3. Tell the company about any hardship, illness, infant, or senior household before a shutoff date.
4. Ask about HEARTWAP and weatherization if your heating system is old or your home is drafty.
5. If you earn too much for HEAP, call the Good Neighbor Energy Fund line for your area code.
6. If a company will not help, call the DPU Consumer Division at 877-886-5066.

Related guides

• Massachusetts rent relief
• Utility relief programs
• Emergency help with utility bills
• Veteran utility assistance programs

Frequently asked questions

This guide is general information. Benefit amounts, discount percentages, and dates are set by the state, the DPU, and each utility and can change. National Relief Program is an independent website and is not affiliated with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, any utility, or any government agency.