Heating assistance available for Ohioans

0

COLUMBUS — The Ohio Department of Development and the Area Agency on Aging, PSA 2 want to remind senior citizens in Ohio that assistance is available to help with their home energy bills.

The Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) helps Ohioans at or below 175 percent of the federal poverty guidelines pay their heating bills.

Applied directly to the customer’s utility or bulk fuel bill, the benefit can help manage heating costs. Senior citizens may go to their local Area Agency on Aging office for help with assembling the required documents and completing their HEAP application. Senior citizens may also visit www.energyhelp.ohio.gov to apply online or to download a copy of the application.

When applying, individuals need to have copies of the following documents:

• Most recent utility bills

• A list of all household members (including birth dates and Social Security numbers)

• Proof of income for the past 30 days for all household members (12 months for certain income types)

• Proof of U.S. citizenship or legal residency for all household members

• Proof of disability (if applicable)

HEAP benefits are applied to an individual’s energy bill after Jan. 1. Applications for the HEAP program must be received by May 31, 2023.

For more information or assistance with applying for a HEAP benefit, contact your local energy assistance provider.

To be connected to your local energy assistance provider, call 800-282-0880 (hearing impaired clients may dial 711 for assistance) or visit www.energyhelp.ohio.gov.

No posts to display