Westchester County Department of Social Services

Important Dates: The 2024-2025 Regular HEAP benefit is scheduled to open November 1, 2024. These dates change annually.

Eligibility and Benefits: Regular HEAP offers financial aid to help pay ongoing heat energy costs. Eligibility and benefits are based on income, household size, the primary heating source, and the presence of a household member who is under age 6, age 60 or older or permanently disabled.

Applicants do not need a disconnect notice to be eligible for a regular HEAP benefit.

Your household may be eligible for a Regular benefit if:

• A member of your household is a United States Citizen or Qualified Non-Citizen
• Your household's gross monthly income is at or below the current income guides for your household size, or
• You receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, or
• You receive Temporary Assistance (TA), or
• You receive Code A Supplemental Security Income (SSI Living Alone)

Detailed information about Regular HEAP eligibility and benefits is available online from the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance

Current HEAP Income Eligibility Guidelines

How to Apply: You may apply for the Regular HEAP Benefit in one of three ways:

• You can apply online at myBenefits.ny.gov
• You can apply in person at one of our District Offices
• When HEAP is open You can download and print the HEAP Applications in English as well as a dozen other languages and  alternative formats for the hearing impaired from the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance,or contact a District Office to request an application. Mail or drop off the completed application to one of our District Offices. 

Need more help? Call DSS at (914) 995-3333.

Important Dates: The 2024-2025 First and Second Emergency is scheduled to open January 2, 2025.  These dates change annually.

The Emergency HEAP benefit can help you cover the cost of heating your home if you are in a heat or heat-related emergency.

You may be eligible for Emergency HEAP if:

• Your electricity is necessary for your heating system to work and is either shut-off or scheduled to be shut off, or
• Your natural gas heat is off or scheduled to be shut-off, or
• You are out of, or in danger of, running out of fuel (oil, propane, wood, or coal), or
• The essential heating equipment you own is inoperable

Detailed information about Emergency HEAP eligibility and benefits is available online from the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance.

To apply call DSS at (914) 995-3333 or visit one of our District Offices. 

Current HEAP Income Eligibility Guidelines

Important Dates: The  2023-2024 Heating Equipment Repair and Replacement benefit opened on October 2, 2023.  These dates change annually.

The HEAP Heating Equipment Repair and Replacement benefit can help you repair or replace your furnace, boiler and other direct heating equipment necessary to keep your home's primary heating source working.

An eligibility interview is required for all HERR applications and may be completed in person or by telephone.

To apply, call DSS at (914) 995-3333 or visit one of our District Offices. .

Current HEAP Income Eligibility Guidelines

Important Dates: The 2023-2024 HEAP Clean and Tune benefit opened on October 2, 2023. These dates change annually.

Through the HEAP Clean and Tune Benefit, eligible households can receive energy efficiency services, including the cleaning of primary heating equipment, chimney cleaning, minor repairs, and installation of carbon monoxide detectors or programmable thermostats, if needed, to allow for the safe, proper and efficient operation of heating equipment.

You may be eligible for a benefit if:

• You are the homeowner
• Your household’s gross monthly income is at or below the current income guidelines for your household size
• Your primary heating equipment is more than 12-months old
• Your primary heating equipment or chimney has not been cleaned within the last 12 months
• You do not have a service contract with your vendor that includes clean and tune services

You many apply for a Clean and Tune Benefit thorough DSS.  Call us at (914) 995-3333 or visit one of our District Offices for more information and to find out if you are eligible. 

Current HEAP Income Eligibility Guidelines

Important Dates: 2023-2024 Cooling Assistance opened April 15, 2024. The Cooling Assistance is scheduled to close July 19, 2024.  These dates change annually.

If you are eligible, you may receive HEAP Cooling Assistance for the purchase and installation of an air conditioner. In circumstances where an air conditioner cannot be safely installed, a fan will be provided.

Only one air conditioner or fan will be provided per applicant household.

You may be eligible for HEAP Cooling Assistance if:

• Your household's gross monthly income is at or below the current income guidelines for your household size, or
• You receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, or
• You receive Temporary Assistance (TA), or
• You receive Code A Supplemental Security Income (SSI Living Alone), or
• You received a Regular HEAP benefit greater than $21 in the current program year or received a Regular benefit equal to $21 during the current program year and reside in government subsidized housing with heat included in your rent, and
• Your household contains at least one individual with a documented medical condition that is exacerbated by extreme heat, or
• Your household contains a vulnerable member based on their age (elderly age 60 years or older, or young children under age 6) which meet all other component eligibility criteria, and
• A member of your household is a United States Citizen or qualified alien, and
• You currently do not have a working air conditioner or the air conditioner you have is five years old or older, and
• You did not receive a HEAP funded air conditioner within the past five years.

You may apply for the HEAP Cooling Assistance through DSS. Call us at (914) 995-3333 or visit one of our District Offices.  

Current HEAP Income Eligibility Guidelines

Additional Resources

• Extreme Heat Advice: NYSDOH webpage that includes information about applying for the HEAP Cooling benefit as well as some tips and advice to prevent heat related illness.
• Extreme Heat and Health in New York State: Provides information on extreme heat and its impacts on the health of New York State residents.
• Heat and Health Infographic: New Yorkers are at risk of heat-related illness because summer temperatures are warming and our bodies are not used to long periods of extreme heat. Learn more about extreme heat and what can be done to help people keep cool during the hottest days of the year.
• Heat Stress: Explore data on the heat stress hospitalizations and emergency department visits in New York State.
• County Heat and Health Profiles: Describes county temperature trends, summarizes heat-related health effects, identifies areas with populations at highest vulnerability to heat, and lists some available adaptation resources. The Profile can help communities prepare for and prevent heat-related illnesses.
• Heat Vulnerability Index Maps: Identifies areas of the state with populations who may be more vulnerable to heat. Heat vulnerabilities increase the risk that a person could experience a heat-related illness during periods of hot weather.

You may apply for the Regular HEAP Benefit in one of three ways:

• Online: You can apply online at myBenefits.ny.gov
• In person:  You can apply in person at one of our District Offices
• In writing:  When HEAP is open You can download and print the HEAP Applications in English as well as a dozen other languages and  alternative formats for the hearing impaired from the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance, or contact a District Office to request an application. Mail or drop off the completed application to one of our District Offices.

To apply for all other HEAP benefits, including Emergency HEAP, please call the Westchester County Department of Social Services at (914) 995-3333 or visit one of our District Offices.  

Current HEAP Income Eligibility Guidelines

Need more help?  Call DSS at (914) 995-3333 or or visit one of our District Offices.  

The New York State Weatherization Assistance Program helps income-eligible homeowners and renters reduce heating and cooling costs through energy-conservation measures, while also addressing health and safety issues in their homes.

Eligibility is based on household income relative to federal low-income guidelines. If a household contains a member who receives Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Public Assistance, or Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) benefits, the household may be considered automatically eligible for weatherization services.

Services may include sealing of cracks and holes to reduce heat loss; insulation of attics and walls; heating system repairs or replacement; providing efficient lighting and refrigeration; window and/or outside door repair or replacement; minor repairs which are needed to ensure maximum efficiency of the weatherization services performed; and mitigation of energy-related health and safety issues.

More information is available in this brochure.

Need more help? Call DSS at (914) 995-3333 or visit one of our District Offices. 

The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority’s EmPower New York provides no-cost energy efficiency solutions to income-eligible New Yorkers.

Whether you own your home or rent, EmPower New York can connect you with a participating contractor to assess if your home would benefit from free energy upgrades such as:

• Home energy assessment to identify areas of possible energy improvements
• Tips on how to save energy
• Installation of high-efficiency lighting
• Attic and wall insulation
• Installation of clean heating and cooling heat pumps
• Replacement of old, inefficient refrigerators and freezers
• Water-saving showerheads
• A monthly electric bill credit of between $5-$15 from community solar.

To find out if you are eligible and to get application and other information, visit the EmPower New York Program website.

Need more help?  Call DSS at (914) 995-3333 or or visit one of our District Offices.  

The federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) helps keep families safe and healthy through initiatives that assist families with energy costs. LIHEAP provides federally funded assistance to reduce the costs associated with home energy bills, energy crises, weatherization, and minor energy-related home repairs.

For information about how LIHEAP might help you pay for you home energy bills and for weatherization and equipment repair, you can visit the online LIHEAP Clearninghouse .

Need more help? Call DSS at (914) 995-3333 or or visit one of our District Offices. 

Are you a ConEdison, NYSEG or National Grid customer having trouble paying your energy bills? Each of these utilities has a range of programs that can help.

ConEdison Financial Assistance Programs

NYSEG Emergency Assistance Program

National Grid Financial Assistance Information and Applications

Need more help? Call DSS at (914) 995-3333 or or visit one of our District Offices.