New York Utility Bill Help: HEAP, Con Ed, National Grid and NYSEG Explained
Somewhere around 1.3 million New Yorkers are currently behind on their electric or gas bills. Not delinquent because they're careless — behind because heating a two-bedroom apartment in Buffalo in January costs real money, and paychecks haven't kept pace. If that's you, there's more help on the table than most people realize, and most of it goes unclaimed every single year simply because nobody explained it clearly.
Regular HEAP vs. Emergency HEAP: They're Not the Same Program
Regular HEAP is an annual heating subsidy, not a rescue fund. It's a once-a-season benefit paid straight to your utility or fuel vendor, typically landing between $400 and $996 depending on income, household size, and heating source. You apply once, usually starting in November, and it's meant to lower your bill before things get desperate.
Emergency HEAP is different. It kicks in when you're already in trouble — a shutoff notice in hand, less than a quarter tank of oil, or a broken furnace in February. It usually opens in January and requires proof you're in crisis, not just proof you're low-income.
Here's the misconception that trips people up constantly: HEAP is not just a winter program in the way people assume. A Cooling Assistance component exists too, for air conditioning costs during summer heat emergencies, though funding for it runs out fast and it's not the focus here.
If you wait until you're staring at a disconnect notice to apply for anything, you've already made the process harder and slower than it needed to be.
A household of four can earn up to $6,680 a month gross ($80,165 a year) and still qualify for Regular HEAP — well above what most people picture when they hear "income assistance." Check the table below before assuming you're over the line.
Income Eligibility and Applying Through Your Local DSS
New York sets HEAP eligibility at 60% of state median income, and the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance updates the monthly limits each program year. For 2025-2026: a one-person household tops out around $3,473 a month, a household of four at $6,680, and a household of eight at roughly $9,218.
You apply through your county's Department of Social Services, not through Con Edison or National Grid directly. That distinction matters — a lot of people call their utility first and get bounced around before finding the right office.
Ways to Apply
- Online through the state's MyBenefits portal or the local DSS website
- By mail, using the paper application your county DSS provides
- In person at your local DSS office (bring proof of income, a recent utility bill, and Social Security numbers for household members)
Getting even a small HEAP grant — sometimes as little as $21 — does more than shave a few dollars off your bill. It typically enrolls you automatically in your utility's arrears forgiveness program, which is the part nobody advertises loudly enough.
Con Edison's Arrears Tools: Deferred Payment Agreements and EnergyShare
Con Edison doesn't erase debt just because you ask nicely. The core tool is the Deferred Payment Agreement (DPA) — a formal plan spreading your arrears into installments so service stays on while you catch up, no forgiveness attached on its own.
Layered on top is the Arrears Avoidance Program, aimed at customers already receiving HEAP, SNAP, Medicaid, or SSI. Stick to your DPA terms and Con Edison applies a $200 credit toward the balance — modest, but it adds up over a payment plan.
For households that don't qualify for the government-benefit programs, EnergyShare exists as a charitable backstop, offering grants of roughly $300 per season funded through customer and corporate donations rather than tax dollars.
The tradeoff: none of this is automatic forgiveness of your full balance. You still owe the arrears; the programs make the repayment survivable instead of erasing the number outright. Anyone expecting a clean slate will be disappointed.
National Grid and NYSEG: Where Arrears Actually Get Forgiven
This is where things get more generous — and more confusing, because the acronyms multiply fast (yes, the soup is real).
National Grid runs the Energy Affordability Program (EAP), plus an Enhanced version (EEAP) for the lowest-income tier. Enrollment usually rides in automatically once you're a HEAP recipient, and it delivers a monthly bill credit rather than a one-time payment.
NYSEG's version is more directly about forgiveness. Its EAP has two tiers: a Basic Benefit (a monthly credit) and a Limited Benefit that forgives arrears outright for customers carrying balances between $240 and $1,500. That second piece isn't unlimited, though — NYSEG caps enrollment and sends invitations to qualified customers as slots open, which means being eligible on paper doesn't guarantee a spot right away.
Quick Comparison
| Program | Benefit Type | Who Qualifies |
|---|---|---|
| Regular HEAP | One-time payment to heat vendor, $400-$996 | Income at or below 60% state median |
| Emergency HEAP | Crisis grant for shutoff/empty tank | HEAP-eligible + documented emergency |
| EmPower+ (NYSERDA) | Free weatherization, up to $10,000 in upgrades | Income at or below 80% Area Median Income |
| Con Edison Arrears Avoidance | $200 credit for maintaining a DPA | HEAP, SNAP, Medicaid, or SSI recipients |
| NYSEG EAP Limited Benefit | Arrears forgiveness, $240-$1,500 balances | HEAP recipients with qualifying arrears |
| National Grid EAP/EEAP | Ongoing monthly bill credit | SNAP, SSI, Medicaid, or public housing assistance |
Don't sleep on EmPower+ either — fixing drafty windows and dead insulation does more for next winter's bill than any single grant will.
What To Actually Do When a Shutoff Notice Arrives
Under the state's Home Energy Fair Practices Act, your utility owes you at least 15 days' written notice before cutting service — that clock is your window, not a formality to ignore.
Don't kick the can down the road hoping it resolves itself. Call your utility's low-income assistance line the same week you get the notice, and ask specifically for a deferred payment agreement or arrears forgiveness enrollment, not just "a payment plan," because reps sometimes default to the option that's easiest for them to process.
A few protections worth knowing:
- Service can't be terminated Friday through Sunday, on holidays, or the day before one.
- Every major NY utility observes a roughly two-week shutoff freeze spanning Christmas and New Year's — Con Edison's 2025-2026 window runs December 19 through January 1.
- Households with a member who is 62 or older, blind, disabled, or on life-support equipment get extra protection between November 1 and April 15, including a required 72-hour contact attempt before any termination.
If your county DSS confirms HEAP eligibility, mention it to the utility immediately — HEAP-linked emergency benefits exist precisely to stop a disconnection in progress, not just to help after the fact.
The Mistakes That Cost People Money and Time
Most of the damage here isn't ignorance about whether help exists — it's process errors that stall an otherwise valid application for weeks. A few show up constantly.
- Applying to the wrong agency. HEAP goes through county DSS; arrears forgiveness goes through your utility. Mixing them up wastes precious time during a shutoff countdown.
- Skipping HEAP because "I probably make too much." The 60%-of-median threshold is higher than most guess — a family of four earning $75,000 a year likely still qualifies.
- Not re-verifying benefits annually. National Grid and NYSEG both tie ongoing credits to active HEAP status; let your HEAP application lapse and the monthly discount can quietly disappear.
- Ignoring the shutoff notice entirely rather than calling the utility's hardship line, which almost always buys more time than silence does.
- Missing the arrears forgiveness window. NYSEG's Limited Benefit has capped enrollment — apply as soon as you're notified you're eligible rather than assuming a slot will wait.
The application paperwork itself is genuinely not the hard part. Timing and knowing which door to knock on is.
Bottom Line
- Apply for Regular HEAP every November regardless of what you assume your income disqualifies you from — the thresholds run higher than people expect.
- If a shutoff notice arrives, call your utility's assistance line within days, not weeks, and ask by name for a deferred payment agreement or arrears forgiveness enrollment.
- Layer programs: HEAP plus your utility's EAP plus EmPower+ weatherization compounds into real, lasting savings rather than a one-time band-aid.
- Keep your HEAP status current every year — National Grid and NYSEG both quietly tie ongoing bill credits to it.
- Con Edison customers shouldn't expect full debt forgiveness; expect a manageable payment structure with a modest credit attached instead.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is HEAP only available in the winter?
No. Regular and Emergency HEAP focus on heating season, but a separate Cooling Assistance component covers summer air conditioning costs for qualifying households, though it's smaller and funding depletes quickly.
How do I actually apply for HEAP in New York?
Contact your county Department of Social Services online, by mail, or in person, bringing proof of income, a recent heating or utility bill, and Social Security numbers for everyone in the household. Applications for the 2026 season typically open in early November.
Will Con Edison or National Grid just erase my overdue balance?
Not outright. Con Edison offers a deferred payment agreement plus a smaller credit for staying current on it; National Grid and NYSEG lean more toward genuine arrears forgiveness, especially through NYSEG's Limited Benefit tier, but enrollment is capped and tied to HEAP status.
I got a shutoff notice — what's the very first call I should make?
Call your utility's low-income or hardship assistance line the same day, and separately contact your county DSS to check HEAP eligibility, since Emergency HEAP funds can sometimes stop a disconnection already in motion. Don't wait out the 15-day notice period hoping it resolves itself.
Does receiving HEAP protect me from a future shutoff?
It doesn't grant blanket immunity, but it usually triggers automatic enrollment in your utility's ongoing affordability program, and documented HEAP eligibility strengthens your case if you later need Emergency HEAP during a crisis.
What income counts toward HEAP eligibility?
Gross monthly household income before taxes, compared against limits based on household size — for 2025-2026, that's roughly $3,473 for one person up to $6,680 for a household of four, rising further for larger households.
