Assisting Residents Of Rockingham County To Pay For Winter Heating Bills

Programs Overview

The Fuel Assistance Program, as administered by Rockingham Community Action, is designed to provide the following services:

• Payment of heating and/or electric bills incurred after October 1 of the current year.
• Credit with electric or heating company to pay for deliveries/service to be made until April 30 (unless credit amount is exhausted earlier).
• Payment of rent when fuel costs are included in rent. Subsidized renters who are responsible for paying their own heating fuel costs are eligible for a full Fuel Assistance grant (if they meet all other program eligibility requirements).

Fuel Assistance Program Grant

• Eligible households receive grants ranging from $120.00 to $975.00, depending on household income and yearly heating costs. Applicants must provide information about their heating fuel costs for the previous 12 months.
• Households with the least amount of income and the highest heating costs receive the greatest Fuel Assistance Grant.
• Eligible program customers may also earn an additional $75.00 incentive credit with their heating company in the spring (if funding permits) to help them purchase heating fuel after the Fuel Assistance Program has closed for the season.
• Customers who participate in a budget planning project during the summer months may also receive dollars toward a furnace cleaning.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligible households are those who:

• Are responsible for paying heating bills either directly to an energy supplier or indirectly as part of rent.
• Have yearly heating costs of at least $100.00.
• Have a total household income that falls below federally established income guidelines one month prior to application.

Please Note: Income includes any dollars that come into the household on a regular basis such as employment, unemployment, workers compensation, insurance payments, social security, state welfare payments, rental income, net self-employment income, child support, pensions, bank account interest, etc.

The Fuel Assistance Program staff is now taking applications for the 2011-2012 winter season. This is a pre-registration as the program will open officially on December 1, 2011. Clients who were on the program last year have the choice of sending in their mail in application with all accompanying documentation or calling for an appointment for a face-to-face interview. New clients must come to the office for their appointment. The income guidelines listed are for the start of the program year, they may be increased at a later date if funding permits.

Fuel Assistance Program for winter 2011-2012

NEW Fuel Assistance
Gross Income GUIDELINES
Household     Monthly          Annual*
Size              30 Days         365 Days
1                 $1,790            $21,780
2                 $2,418            $29,420
3                 $3,046            $37,060
4                 $3,674            $44,700
5                 $4,302            $52,340
6                 $4,930           $59,980
7                 $5,558            $67,620
8                 $6,186           $75,260

Program Operation Dates

Applications are accepted from September 1 through April 30. Assistance is provided to eligible households from December 1 through April 30 (unless program funds are exhausted earlier).

Applying for Assistance

Applicants must call the Rockingham Community Action Fuel Assistance office nearest them to make application and to receive information about documenting income for the previous 30 days.

Derry

9 Crystal Ave
Derry, NH 03038
Telephone: (603) 965-3029
Toll Free: (855) 295-4105

Portsmouth

4 Cutts Street
Portsmouth, NH 03801
Telephone: (603) 436-3896
Toll Free: (800) 639-3896

Raymond

55 Prescott Road
Raymond, NH 03077
Telephone: (603) 895-2303

Salem

287 Lawrence Road
Salem, NH 03079
Telephone: (603) 893-9172

Seabrook

683 Lafayette Road
Seabrook, NH 03874
Telephone: (603) 474-3507

For more information visit: www.nh.gov/oep/index.htm