Help with heating bill in Boston
During the cold Massachusetts winter many families struggle with paying their heating bills. The good news is that Boston and nearby cities in Suffolk County have several programs that can help and that are not generic or national. They are run through local Massachusetts agencies and Boston area Community Action organizations that serve specific neighborhoods and towns, and they can coordinate bill credits, discount rates, and arrears reduction. Find details below on places in Boston MA that help pay heating costs.
Boston area non-profits and charities that help pay heating costs
For many households in the City of Boston and nearby communities, the local HEAP agency is Action for Boston Community Development, commonly called ABCD. They also offer additional financial assistance for utilities - in addition to HEAP. ABCD provide help in Boston as well as neighboring towns/cities in Suffolk County.
- ABCD’s Fuel Assistance program, often combined with HEAP, can help both renters and homeowners, including households where heat is included in the rent in some cases. While there is money from the government available, ABCD also offers it own emergency help. Income criteria are tied to the federal HEAP funding rules Massachusetts uses.I f you live in Boston, Brookline, or Newton, ABCD’s contact information for residents is 178 Tremont Street, Boston, MA 02111, phone 617-357-6012.
For people that live in Chelsea, Revere, or Winthrop MA parts of Suffolk County, winter heating bill Fuel Assistance is administered through Community Action Programs Inter-City, Inc., known as CAPIC. This is the local community action agency that focused on those specific cities.
- CAPIC will both help people apply for government benefits, such as HEAP, or in some cases they offer their own funds that will help qualified households. The community action has a phone number for questions at 617-884-6130. CAPIC also addresses heating-related emergencies, and it will give priority to people with no heat, a utility termination notice, or a critically low supply of deliverable fuel.
Cambridge provides city-specific Heating Help intake for people in the city itself. While it is outside of Boston and in neighboring Suffolk County, it is a regional resource. Somerville also helps people find, and apply, for winter heating bill help with a list of resources. These programs reflect the local way these neighboring communities offer application support. Cambridge info is here (https://www.cambridgema.gov/iwantto/applyforheatinghelp) or for Somerville look here https://www.somervillema.gov/heatingassistance.
Ecumenical Social Action Committee (ESAC) serves the regions of Allston-Brighton, Jamaica Plain, West Roxbury, Hyde Park, Mattapan, and Roslindale. They offer some home repair programs, including around furnace repairts and winterization, as well as details on financial help for utility bills. Location is 434 Jamaicaway, Jamaica Plain, MA. Phone (617) 524-2555.
Howard Benevolent Society may offer heating oil for elderly Boston residents who are not eligible for HEAP and are over income limits. Call (617) 742-2952. While the focus is on helping seniors, other struggling people in the Boston area can also apply for energy bill help from the office at 89 South St. Boston, MA 02111.
Government programs and utility company options in Boston
Massachusetts federal funded Fuel Assistance program is the HEAP - Home Energy Assistance Program It helps eligible households pay a portion of winter heating costs - no matter what the source of fuel is. The program is administered locally with priority applications given to seniors or people with a disability. Learn more on HEAP in Massachusetts.
When a Boston resident has fallen behind on pay their utilities, arrears management programs can help reduce (or maybe even eliminate) a past-due balance when required payments are made under the program rules. National Grid’s as well as Eversource's Massachusetts Arrears Management Program will help customers that have a past-due balance that meets minimum thresholds. Find more details here on various utility company assistance programs in MA..
The Massachusetts Good Neighbor Energy Fund is available to low income families in Suffolk County. It is a fund of last resort and can help people who have no other options available to them, including no access to state or federal government assistance programs. The agency that runs this program is the Salvation Army. The local chapter in your area of Boston can disburse money to help pay for winter heating costs from the Fund and the Salvation Army may offer other support as well - find details here on Salvation Army programs in Boston.
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