Home Energy Assistance Program Payments (Regular Fuel Assistance)
Overview
The Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP, previously known as LIHEAP) is a federal program that helps eligible homeowners and renters by providing a fixed benefit toward the cost of the households heating expense. This program is also known as “fuel assistance.” In Massachusetts, HEAP is administered by the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC). EOHLC provides HEAP payments directly to the vendor for eligible households heating costs.
Certain SNAP clients who receive HEAP qualify for the Heating/Cooling Standard Utility Allowance (HCSUA) for 12 straight months. DTA uses a data exchange with EOHLC to identify and automatically give the HCSUA to these qualified HEAP recipients.
HEAP payments do not count as income for SNAP.
HEAP Data Exchange Process Between DTA and EOHLC
On the 1st and 15th of every month (or the following business day if the 1st or the 15th falls on a weekend or holiday), DTA sends EOHLC a list of SNAP households that:
- are not homeless; or
- are not on Bay State CAP.
This list includes households with H-EAT or HEAP benefits that are about to expire.
EOHLC then returns a file that shows:
- which clients received at least one HEAP payment that was greater than $20 in the last 12 months;
- each recipient’s initial HEAP payment date; and
- whether heating costs are included in their rent or mortgage.
DTA reviews the clients who received HEAP and checks who qualifies for the HCSUA. Once DTA determines from EOHLC’s list who qualifies for the HCSUA, BEACON will credit these households with the HCSUA.
Important: DTA staff must not request verification of receipt of HEAP from clients. This information is transmitted via match.
Who is Eligible for the HCSUA Based on HEAP Data Exchange?
To get the HCSUA based on HEAP data exchange, a SNAP household must:
- have received a HEAP payment in the last 12 months, and
- include one or more elderly/disabled members, or
- include no elderly/disabled members, but verified heating cost (separate from shelter expenses) with EOHLC.
Households that get the HCSUA based on the HEAP data exchange are entitled to the HCSUA for one year from the date of their initial HEAP payment.
Important: Clients who receive HEAP fuel assistance may have a gap between the approval of a case at application or recertification and the month their SNAP benefit calculation includes the HCSUA. This is based on the SNAP application date, the date of the eligibility determination, the date the file is received from EOHLC, and the household’s monthly issuance date. As a result, some households may receive an initial SNAP benefit amount that is different from their ongoing benefit amount.
How are HEAP Benefits Recorded in BEACON?
For each qualified household, BEACON will:
- store the initial HEAP payment date from EOHLC in the Standard Utility Allowance Tracking page as the HEAP start date;
- set the end date to 12 months from the HEAP start date;
- set both the HEAP start and end date for all household members 18 or older.
BEACON will document receipt of the verification from EOHLC differently based on whether the household includes one or more elderly/disabled members.
Verification Record of HEAP for Households with Elderly/Disabled Members
Under federal rules, HEAP households with an elderly and/or disabled member do not need to further verify their heating expenses to get the HCSUA. If the matched household includes an elderly or disabled member, BEACON will:
- create an item in the Verification tab: Standard Utility Allowance (Utility Costs: Heating/Cooling);
- Mark it as verified with the following document of evidence: “HEAP verified by EOHLC Match.”
- Enter the following batch narrative: “HEAP benefits authorized”
Verification Record of HEAP for Households without Elderly/Disabled Members
As part of the HEAP data exchange, EOHLC is identifying households that verified they pay for heating expenses separate from their shelter cost. DTA accepts this as a collateral contact. If the matched household does not include an elderly or disabled member, BEACON will:
- create an item in the Verification tab: Standard Utility Allowance (Utility Costs: Heating/Cooling);
- Mark it as verified with the following document of evidence: “HEAP and heating expenses verified by EOHLC.”
Enter the following batch narrative: “EOHLC Match has verified client is incurring heating expenses separate from rent or mortgage”.
What is the Difference Between HEAP and H-EAT?
Although HEAP and H-EAT are both fuel assistance programs, they are significantly different.
| HEAP | H-EAT |
|---|---|
| For households that pay heating expenses. | For households that do not pay heating or cooling expenses. |
| HEAP is a federal program administered separately from DTA by EOHLC. | H-EAT is a SNAP-specific initiative administered by DTA. |
| Clients must apply for HEAP benefits directly through EOHLC. | Clients do not apply for H-EAT. Eligibility determined based on set criteria and information provided to DTA. |
| Eligibility determined by EOHLC. | Eligibility determined by DTA. |
| Payment amount varies based on household, fuel type, and funding. | Payment is always $21 annually. |
| Payment is usually paid to the utility vendor to cover actual utility costs. This will also trigger the HCSUA once EOHLC informs DTA of the payment. | Payment is deposited directly into the client’s EBT account (or bank account if they get cash assistance via direct deposit). Payment does not cover actual utility costs; it only triggers the HCSUA. |
| DTA will automatically give the HCSUA to households with an elderly or disabled member. Households with no elderly or disabled member will receive HCSUA as long as EOHLC received verification of heating expenses separate from shelter expense. | DTA will only give the HCSUA to households that receive H-EAT if they include an elderly or disabled member. |
See Heat and Eat (H-EAT) for more information on H-EAT.
What if the HEAP Recipient Moves?
If a HEAP recipient moves into another SNAP household, their new household will get the HCSUA based on their receipt of HEAP if the household contains an elderly or disabled member.
The HEAP recipient’s previous household will no longer be eligible for the HCSUA unless it includes another elderly or disabled member. If not, this household cannot get the HCSUA unless they verify that they have separate heating or cooling costs.
Note: This guidance related to a HEAP recipient changing their address also applies to H-EAT recipients.
Example: Ingrid (she/her, age 70) receives SNAP with her daughter Sally (she/her, age 25). Sally only pays electric separately from rent. However, the household was approved for HEAP on March 1. The household now gets the HCSUA due to their receipt of HEAP. On April 1, Ingrid’s brother David (he/him, age 72) moves in and is added to Sally’s SNAP case. But then on May 5, Ingrid moves out. Ingrid joins a new household, which was only credited with the phone SUA.
Sally’s SNAP household remains eligible for the HCSUA because her household still includes an elderly individual, David. The household that Ingrid joined now qualifies for the HCSUA because Ingrid is an elderly individual that received HEAP within the past 12 months.