Did you know that if you are having trouble affording your utility bills, there are many options for help? Even if you do not qualify for low-income status?
LIHEAP
This program helps pay for heating costs and may cover certain medically-necessary cooling expenses. Even if your heat is included in your rent, you may qualify. Applications for LIHEAP may be submitted from November 1, 2006 through March 31, 2007.
For more information, please call 1-800-510-3102 or click here
Universal Service Fund
The State of New Jersey created the Universal Service Fund (USF) program to help make energy bills more affordable for low income customers. The goal of the USF program is to ensure that income eligible New Jersey utility customers pay no more than 6% of their annual income for their natural gas and electric service combined. Households with income equal to or less than 175% of the Federal Poverty Level are income eligible. The program is administered by The New Jersey Department of Human Services.
For more information about USF, please go to www.energyassistance.nj.gov or call toll free at: 1-866-240-1347
Comfort Partners
This Program is designed to improve energy affordability for income eligible households through direct installation of free energy efficiency measures and education about steps everyone can take to save energy. Participants are asked to partner with the program to develop and carry out a household energy savings Action Plan.
For more information please call 1-888-773-8326 orclick here.
NJSHARES
NJSHARES is a non-profit corporation organized to provide assistance to individuals and families living in New Jersey who are in need of temporary help in paying their energy bills. To qualify for NJ SHARES, a person or family must be facing a financial crisis and not be eligible for welfare. Recipients must also have a history of good-faith payments of their utility bills. Eligibility is determined by New Jersey SHARES' 68 local social service agencies. Upon approval, recipients may receive a one-time grant of $250 each for gas and/or electricity.
Please call NJSHARES at 1-866-657-4273 or visit them atwww.njshares.org.
Water Assistance:
- Customers of NJ American Water Company can call NJSHARES for help with their water costs at: 877-652-9426
- Customers of United Water Company can call NJSHARES for help with their water costs at: 888-942-8080
Winter Termination Program
This program is in effect from November 15 through March 15. The program prevents residential gas and electric customers who participate in the Lifeline, Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP), Work First New Jersey/Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (WFNJ/TANF), Federal Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Pharmaceutical Assistance to the Aged and Disabled (PAAD) from having their gas or electric service disconnected during the winter months. The Program is administered by the Board of Public Utilities.
For more information on the Winter Termination Program,please call 1-800-624-0241.
Lifeline Program
Lifeline is a program that offers $225 to persons who meet the PAAD eligibility requirements or who receive SSI. This includes utility customers as well as tenants whose utility bills are included in their rent. Lifeline benefits are provided for only electricity and natural gas. Approximately 314,000 people received over $70 million in Lifeline benefits last year.
For more information about Lifeline, please call 1-800-792-9745.
Telephone Assistance
Telephone assistance programs provide a discount on your monthly bill and/or provide a reduction in installation (hook-up) fees. Eligibility is determined based on your income or participation in other assistance programs. In general, if you participate in any of the following programs you also may qualify for telephone assistance: Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Temporary Assistance to Needy Families/Work First New Jersey (TANF), General Assistance, Lifeline Utility Credit/Tenants Lifeline Assistance, Pharmaceutical Assistance to the Aged and Disabled (PAAD), Food Stamp Program, Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP/HEAP), Medicaid.
Telephone assistance is available to you if you are a qualified residential telephone customer. When you are seeking telephone assistance, please keep in mind that each telephone company and/or each program has different eligibility requirements, different benefits available and different restrictions. Some programs have restrictions on the optional services available to participants.
The following list of telephone service providers participate in Lifeline Assistance and Link Up programs in New Jersey:
- Verizon New Jersey - If you are a Verizon New Jersey customer, please call NJSHARES at 1-888-337-3339 or visit them at NJSHARES for more information.
- CenturyLink/United Telephone Company of New Jersey – 1-800-201-4099 – www.centurylink.com/Pages/Support/LifeLine
- Warwick Valley Telephone Company - 1-800-952-7642
- Tracfone - 1-800-977-3768 - www.safelink.com
- Nexus - 1-877-870-9222 CustomerFeedback@REACHOUTMOBILE.COM
- Virgin Mobile - To learn more about Assurance Wireless and to apply, New Jersey residents should call 1-888-898-4888, or visit www.assurancewireless.com. Information is available in English and Spanish.
The following list of telephone assistance programs provides the details of each of the programs that are available to consumers in the State of New Jersey:
- AT&T Communications of New Jersey, Inc. Lifeline Assistance
- AT&T Communications of New Jersey, Inc. Link Up
- MCImetro Access Transmission Services, Inc. Lifeline Service
- MCImetro Access Transmission Services, Inc. Link Up Service
- Sprint/United Telephone Company of NJ, Inc. Lifeline Service
- Sprint/United Telephone Company of NJ, Inc. Link Up America
- Verizon New Jersey Inc. Lifeline Service
- Verizon New Jersey Inc. Link Up America
- Warwick Valley Telephone Company Lifeline Telephone Service
- Warwick Valley Telephone Company Link Up America
Please contact your local telephone company to participate in any of these programs.
