Emergency Benefits

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:

• A Regular HEAP benefit must not be available and/or any credit remaining on an account must be insufficient to resolve the applicant's emergency. 
• The applicant's utility service is terminated or scheduled for termination.
• The applicant's electric utility service necessary to operate the primary heating equipment is terminated or scheduled for termination.
• The applicant is without heating fuel or has less than one-quarter (1/4) tank of oil, kerosene, or propane; or less than a 10-day supply of other heating fuels.
• The applicant requires temporary relocation because the district has determined that the living situation is detrimental to the health and/or safety of household members.
• The applicant is without or has less than one-quarter (1/4) tank of propane, their current propane vendor will not make a delivery, and the applicant requires a propane tank deposit with a new propane vendor.
• The applicant must be the customer of record (person who has the energy account in their name) for the utility or deliverable fuel account or someone who was part of the original HEAP household. 
• 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.
• All Applicants for the Emergency Benefit will need to be resource tested, regardless of whether the household is in receipt of Temporary Assistance (TA) or Code A SSI benefits. Resource verification for Emergency benefits is based on attestation for all applicants and household members unless the eligibility examiner has reason to doubt the declared amount.

Full Emergency eligibility requirements and procedures are outlined in the HEAP Manual. 

Anticipated Emergency Heat and Heat-related Benefit Amounts for 2025-2026