Maryland Energy Assistance 2026: MEAP and EUSP Limits

For the federal rules behind these numbers and every state's limit, see our LIHEAP income limits guide.

There's no Maryland "energy grant" that lands in your bank account. OHEP's How Are Grants Determined page (opens in a new tab) says MEAP goes to your heating supplier and EUSP goes to your electric company.

Maryland Energy Assistance at a Glance: 4 OHEP Grants and 1 Shutoff Shield

OHEP pays 4 separate grants from one application, and it adds a utility payment plan that guards against winter shutoffs. Here's what each piece does in FY27, according to OHEP's program pages and the FY27 matrices.

Sources: OHEP's About Energy Assistance page (opens in a new tab), the FY27 MEAP and EUSP benefit matrices, the OHEP application form, and Maryland's FY2027 LIHEAP plan (opens in a new tab).

A few rules that shape what you'll get:

• Neither the heating bill nor the electric bill has to be in your name for MEAP or EUSP, per the application form. The arrearage grants are different: the past-due bill must be in the applicant's name.
• You must get EUSP to get EARA, and MEAP to get GARA. The arrearage grants ride on top of the regular grants.
• Energy assistance won't cut your other benefits. OHEP says it doesn't reduce TCA, SNAP or Social Security.
• Heat included in your rent still counts. If your landlord agrees, the MEAP grant goes to the landlord and your rent drops by the grant amount, per OHEP's grant page.

FY27 Income Limits: 200% of the Poverty Line

OHEP's FY27 limit is 200% of the federal poverty level for both MEAP and EUSP, measured on gross (pre-tax) income from the 30 days before you apply. OHEP's How to Apply page (opens in a new tab) and its FY27 OHEP Income Guidelines list these limits:

Source: OHEP FY27 Income Guidelines (EUSP and MEAP Guidelines, 200% FPL), checked November 3, 2026. The FY27 sheet doesn't print an effective date; OHEP's program year runs July 1 to June 30, so these apply to applications from July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027.

Large households. Federal LIHEAP rules cap eligibility at 60% of state median income, and OHEP's guideline sheet notes that 200% of poverty passes that cap at 11 people. So MEAP for households of 11 or more uses 60% of SMI ($11,627 a month for 11 people), while EUSP stays at 200% of poverty. Maryland's federal plan expresses the same chart as a share of SMI, from 39% for one person to 60% for 12 or more.

What changed from last year. OHEP's FY26 brochure, effective July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026, listed $5,358 a month for a family of four. The FY27 figure of $5,500 is 2.7% higher, so a household that was just over the line last year may qualify now.

SNAP and TCA households. OHEP says Maryland households receiving SNAP or Temporary Cash Assistance are categorically eligible and don't need to file an application or send extra documents; OHEP issues benefits after the SNAP or TCA redetermination is approved. The federal plan adds SSI, TANF and means-tested veterans' benefits to the categorical list and says applications are generated automatically through a data exchange. If you're not on SNAP yet, our Maryland food stamps guide covers its limits.

How Maryland's line compares. Grantsights analysis of OHEP's FY27 limit and Census Bureau QuickFacts found the four-person limit of $66,000 equals 64% of Maryland's 2020-2024 median household income of $103,678, as reported by Census QuickFacts for Maryland (opens in a new tab). Plenty of working families with two modest paychecks fall under it.

How Much You'll Get: The FY27 MEAP and EUSP Benefit Matrices

Your MEAP grant depends on 3 factors (fuel type, income and where you live), and your EUSP grant depends on income, primary heat source and the past 12 months of electric use. OHEP sorts households into 7 benefit levels by percentage of the poverty line.

FY27 MEAP heating grant (all counties except Garrett):

Source: OHEP FY27 MEAP Benefit Matrices, linked from OHEP's How Are Grants Determined page.

Garrett County has its own matrix with higher amounts, because the federal plan says its winter typically runs from October through April. Its Level 1 grants are $770 for gas, $1,348 for oil and $1,458 for propane, and electric heat gets $110.

FY27 EUSP electric grant, Level 4 (101-150% of poverty), by past 12 months of electric use:

The full EUSP matrix runs from $730 to $1,125 for electric-heated homes at Level 1 (0-25% of poverty) down to $470 to $730 at Level 5 (151-200%). For homes heated with another fuel, it runs from $360 to $560 at Level 1 down to $235 to $365 at Level 5. Subsidized or submetered households get $160 to $505, and categorically eligible households over 200% of poverty get $25, according to the OHEP FY27 EUSP benefit matrix.

A worked example. For example, a family of three in Baltimore earning $3,000 a month, with BGE gas heat, 6,500 kWh of electric use last year and a $450 past-due gas balance in the parent's name, would look like this. OHEP's three-person limit of $4,553 is 200% of poverty, so 100% is $2,276.50 and the family sits at about 132%, which is Level 4. Specifically, the FY27 matrices give a $560 MEAP gas grant and a $380 EUSP grant, for $940 toward future bills. Because the past-due gas bill tops $300, the family can also be screened for GARA, sized to the balance, up to $1,000. The local office makes the final call, but that's roughly $1,390 against a winter of BGE bills.

A second case: a 70-year-old living alone in Cumberland with electric heat, $1,500 a month in Social Security and 9,500 kWh of use. The one-person limit of $2,660 puts 100% of poverty at $1,330, so she's at about 113%, Level 4. MEAP pays $100 for electric heat, but EUSP pays $855, for $955 in all.

Season Dates and Deadlines for 2026-27

OHEP's program year runs 12 months, from July 1 to June 30, and you can apply on any day of it. Each grant is available once per program year and you must reapply each year. Here are the dates that matter for the 2026-27 winter:

Maryland's federal plan budgets 75.8% of its LIHEAP money for heating, 1.2% for winter crisis, 3% for weatherization, 10% for carryover into the next year and 10% for administration. There's no separate cooling component; the plan lists $0 for cooling.

Older applicants get a shortcut: the plan says households with someone 60 or older who received help before are mailed a shorter redetermination form at the start of heating season, and OHEP pulls documents from last year's file.

How to Apply: Online, by Phone, by Mail or at 24 Local Offices

OHEP lists 5 ways to apply on its How to Apply page (opens in a new tab), and every one of them ends at your local office, which serves your county or Baltimore City.

1. Online at MarylandBenefits.gov (opens in a new tab), OHEP's application portal. OHEP's FAQ and the LIHEAP Clearinghouse also link the myMDTHINK (opens in a new tab) address for the same DHS online application. Upload every document with the application; OHEP warns that sending documents separately delays it.
2. By phone with your local office, then email or mail your documents. OHEP accepts clear photos of documents.
3. By mail using form DHS-FIA-9780, the Application for Energy Assistance (opens in a new tab), or call 1-800-332-6347 for a paper copy.
4. At a drop box at your local office.
5. In person at your local office. OHEP's FAQ says offices accept walk-ins.

Find your local office. OHEP's local office list (opens in a new tab) covers all 24 jurisdictions, and the federal plan says 20 local administering agencies share the work. The biggest ones, as listed on November 3, 2026:

The Southern Maryland agency handles only shutoff cases on Fridays, so call Monday through Thursday for a regular application. Apply in your own jurisdiction: OHEP's FAQ says an application sent to another county's office is delayed until it's forwarded.

What to bring. OHEP's application checklist asks for:

• A photo ID for the applicant (expired Maryland licenses and IDs are accepted, per the FAQ)
• Proof of where you live, such as a lease or utility bill
• Social Security cards, or another federal document showing the number, for everyone in the home, including children
• Proof of everyone's gross income for the last 30 days
• Your most recent utility bill and any turn-off notice
• Your most recent heating fuel bill or receipt if you heat with oil, propane, kerosene or wood

If someone 18 or older had no income in the last 30 days, they'll need the Declaration of Zero Income and a Household Worksheet. Self-employed applicants send the latest Schedule SE plus OHEP's self-employment form. Full-time students' income isn't counted if their status is documented.

Check your status at myohepstatus.org (opens in a new tab). OHEP says to allow 15 days for your application to appear.

Shutoff Notices, Crisis Help and Maryland's Winter Termination Rules

Maryland gives households 4 separate layers of shutoff protection, and the first one starts the moment OHEP has your application. You don't need a turn-off notice to apply; OHEP strongly encourages applying before one arrives.

1. The 55-day hold. According to OHEP's FAQ (opens in a new tab), once it receives your application, staff can ask the utility to put a 55-day hold on an account facing termination. The hold stops the shutoff while you finish the application. You'll still get bills and must keep making regular payments.

2. Crisis response times. Maryland's FY2027 plan defines a crisis as no heat, too little fuel, or a utility shutoff within three days during November 1 to March 31. Local offices must act within 48 hours, or 18 hours when the household has no fuel, has been disconnected or has a broken furnace. The plan's crisis benefit of up to $600 covers the gap between your regular grant and what it takes to restore service, but the plan says it's paid only when it fully fixes the problem. If you owe more than that, you'll need a partner agency, a payment of your own or another fund to cover the rest.

3. PSC winter termination rules. Under COMAR 20.31.03.03 (opens in a new tab), from November 1 through March 31 a gas or electric utility can't cut residential service for nonpayment unless it first files an affidavit with the Public Service Commission, at least 24 hours before the shutoff, certifying that it won't threaten the life or health of the people living there. The affidavit must say whether you're in USPP or EUSP, and the arrearage must be over $200 for a single-service utility or $300 for gas and electric together. The utility must also try to reach you in person or by phone on two separate days before a winter shutoff. During an extreme weather period, utilities can't terminate at all; according to the LIHEAP Clearinghouse, Maryland's trigger is a forecast of 32°F or below in winter and 95°F or above in summer.

4. Medical certification. Under COMAR 20.31.03.01 (opens in a new tab), a physician, nurse practitioner or physician assistant can certify that a shutoff would aggravate a serious illness or stop life-support equipment, which delays termination for up to 30 days. You must then enter a payment agreement within 30 days. OHEP's Critical Medical Needs Program also gives these households priority processing.

USPP. Every MEAP-eligible customer can join the Utility Service Protection Program, which sets an even monthly payment equal to your estimated annual bill minus your MEAP grant. Staying current protects you from heating-season shutoffs; missing payments can get you removed. Utilities must offer USPP before November 1 each year.

Lost service already? OHEP's FAQ says to call your local office, say your service is off, and call the utility too. If OHEP's grants don't cover the reconnection amount, ask your local Department of Social Services about an Emergency Assistance grant; our emergency cash assistance guide explains how those work.

Programs That Stack With MEAP and EUSP

LIHEAP is only part of Maryland's energy help. The LIHEAP Clearinghouse's Maryland profile says EUSP is funded at $34 million a year through electric restructuring law, subject to annual PSC and legislative review, and that customers can get both EUSP and LIHEAP. These programs can add to your OHEP grants:

Sources: OHEP Other Programs to Help (opens in a new tab) and the LIHEAP Clearinghouse Maryland profile (opens in a new tab), last updated April 20, 2026 for state, utility and charitable programs.

Furnace repair or replacement. Maryland's FY2027 plan says LIHEAP money can pay for repair or replacement of heating and cooling systems through DHCD's weatherization program when needed for health and safety. If your furnace is dead, check the "broken heating system" box in the crisis section of the OHEP application and leave the DHCD referral turned on. Our home repair grants guide covers other repair routes.

Phone bills aren't covered by OHEP. See our Lifeline guide for the federal phone and internet discount.

Maryland's Federal LIHEAP Money, Per Resident

Maryland's LIHEAP grant for FY2026 was $84,754,189, including $2,465,280 from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, according to the LIHEAP Clearinghouse Maryland profile (updated August 10, 2026). Grantsights analysis of that figure and the Census Bureau's July 1, 2025 population estimate of 6,265,347 found it works out to $13.53 per Maryland resident, or $35.87 per household using the 2,362,928 households Census QuickFacts reports for 2020-2024.

FY2027 funding status. The LIHEAP Clearinghouse's funding page (opens in a new tab), updated October 21, 2026, says HHS released about $3.63 billion of FY2027 regular block grant money nationwide on October 9, 2026, under a continuing resolution signed September 2, 2026. That first release was 90% of the money available under the CR; the rest depends on Congress. Grantsights couldn't open ACF's FY2027 state allocation table, so Maryland's exact FY2027 share isn't listed here. OHEP has published FY27 limits and matrices and is taking applications.

The amount matters because Maryland has run dry before. OHEP's FAQ says it halted FY24 MEAP and gas arrearage benefits in April 2024 after raising eligibility, seeing a 68% jump in MEAP applications and a 326% jump in gas arrearage applications, and returning to pre-pandemic funding. It received a record 243,252 applications that year. Applying early in the program year, not in late winter, is the safest move.

What OHEP Doesn't Tell You About Maryland Energy Assistance

OHEP's pages are accurate where they're current, but 6 things are easy to miss.

1. Some OHEP pages show old numbers. The About Energy Assistance page still displays income tables from 2022-23 and 2023-24, and the FAQ's funding answers describe FY2025. Use the FY27 chart on the How to Apply page or the FY27 guideline PDF ($5,500 a month for four).
2. Electric heat gets $100 from MEAP. If you heat with electricity, MEAP is a small piece. Your real help is EUSP, which pays electric-heat homes up to $1,125, so make sure the EUSP box is checked.
3. Arrearage help needs the bill in your name. MEAP and EUSP don't, but EARA and GARA do, and you need a past-due balance of at least $300. If the account is in an ex-partner's or relative's name, ask the utility how to move it before you apply.
4. Once every five years means you should time it. The $2,000 electric and $1,000 gas arrearage grants are once per five years, with exceptions in OHEP's FAQ for homes with someone 60 or older, under 2, or medically fragile, if the earlier grant was below the cap.
5. The crisis benefit won't pay a partial fix. Maryland's plan says the up-to-$600 crisis benefit is issued only when it restores service in full. Line up the Fuel Fund or a utility payment plan at the same time.
6. Grants don't wipe out the bill. OHEP says plainly that energy assistance won't cover your whole bill. Keep paying what you can; missed payments can get you dropped from USPP.

Common Mistakes and Scam Red Flags

The most common mistake is an incomplete packet. OHEP's 14-day review clock doesn't start until every document arrives, and its brochure lists 6 things that delay applications: missing sections, no signature or date, missing documents, leaving out household members, leaving out income from the last 30 days, and an electric bill that isn't in the applicant's name.

Other mistakes to avoid:

• Waiting for a turn-off notice. OHEP says you don't need one, and applying earlier lets it place a hold or pay sooner.
• Applying in the wrong county. Your application has to be processed by your own jurisdiction's office.
• Counting take-home pay. OHEP uses gross income for the 30 days before you apply. Many people underestimate their gross pay and get asked for more paperwork.
• Skipping USPP. It's free to join if you're MEAP-eligible and it's the program written into the PSC's winter rules.

Scam red flags. The FTC's page on utility impostor scams (opens in a new tab) says real utilities won't demand immediate payment, and requests for gift cards, wire transfers, crypto or payment apps are scam signs. Watch for:

• A caller who says your BGE or Pepco service will be cut "today" unless you pay by gift card or app
• Anyone charging a fee to "file" or "speed up" an OHEP application; OHEP's application pages list no fee
• A text or post offering a "Maryland energy grant" paid to you. OHEP pays the utility or fuel company.
• A site that asks for your Social Security number but isn't MarylandBenefits.gov, myohepstatus.org or a local office on OHEP's list

Hang up and call the number on your bill. Report OHEP fraud at 1-800-332-6347 (choose the Welfare Fraud hotline option, per OHEP's brochure) and report scams at ReportFraud.ftc.gov (opens in a new tab).

If You're Denied or the Money Runs Out

You have 30 days from OHEP's decision to file an appeal, according to the Maryland Energy Assistance Program application form, and the local agency must tell you how. The same form says free legal advice may be available from the Legal Aid Bureau at 1-800-999-8904. You can also appeal if help isn't given in a reasonable time.

If you're denied because of income, check the math first: OHEP counts gross income from the 30 days before the application date, so a month with overtime or a one-time payment can push you over.

If funds run out or your grant isn't enough:

• Fuel Fund of Maryland. It requires a turn-off notice and an OHEP application, and may help households above OHEP's limit.
• Your local Department of Social Services. Ask about an Emergency Assistance grant.
• 2-1-1 Maryland. OHEP's FAQ points households there for local help.
• Your utility. Ask for a payment arrangement and budget billing; OHEP says a payment plan won't reduce your grant.
• Rent and other bills. If the energy bill is one of several, see our rental assistance guide and help for seniors guide.

Helping family in other states? Our guides cover LIHEAP in Pennsylvania, LIHEAP in New Jersey and HEAP in New York, and our national LIHEAP guide explains the federal program.

Before you make calls, Grantsights' free eligibility checker can point you to the right official route. Pick "Individual" and then "Personal financial help," and it shows public options such as help with bills, rental help, food help and the 211 line rather than grants. In Maryland, help with bills means OHEP and your local office.

FAQ: Maryland Energy Assistance Questions

Who runs energy assistance in Maryland?

OHEP, in the Maryland Department of Human Services. Local offices in each county and Baltimore City take and process applications.

What is the income limit for Maryland energy assistance?

200% of poverty: $2,660 a month for one person, $5,500 for four and $9,287 for eight in FY27, on gross income from the last 30 days.

How much does MEAP pay in Maryland?

$25 to $1,325 outside Garrett County in FY27, depending on fuel and income. Oil and propane grants are highest.

How much does EUSP pay?

Up to $1,125 in FY27, with the largest grants going to electric-heated homes with the lowest incomes and highest usage.

When can I apply for energy assistance in Maryland?

Any day from July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027 for FY27. Apply early; Maryland's MEAP money ran out in April 2024.

Can Maryland stop my gas or electric from being shut off?

An OHEP application can trigger a 55-day hold, PSC rules restrict shutoffs from November 1 to March 31, and a medical certificate can delay one for 30 days.

How do I check my OHEP application status?

At myohepstatus.org, about 15 days after you apply, or by calling your local office.

Is a Maryland energy grant offered by text or phone real?

No. OHEP pays your utility or fuel company. Report fraud at 1-800-332-6347.

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Sources

1. OHEP: How to Apply for Energy Assistance (opens in a new tab) - FY27 income limits, application methods, arrearage limits, forms
2. OHEP FY27 OHEP Income Guidelines (dhs.maryland.gov/documents/OHEP/FY27-OHEP-Income-Guidelines.pdf) - 200% FPL limits, 60% SMI limits for 11+
3. OHEP: How Are Grants Determined? (opens in a new tab) - MEAP and EUSP factors; links to FY27 MEAP and EUSP benefit matrices
4. OHEP: About Energy Assistance (opens in a new tab) - program descriptions, USPP, arrearage rules
5. OHEP: Frequently Asked Questions (opens in a new tab) - 55-day hold, processing times, categorical eligibility, FY24 funding closure
6. OHEP: Local Home Energy Program Office (opens in a new tab) - local offices and phone numbers
7. OHEP: Other Programs to Help (opens in a new tab) - Fuel Fund, EmPOWER LIEEP, BGE programs
8. DHS-FIA-9780 Application for Energy Assistance (opens in a new tab) - crisis questions, arrearage rules, appeal rights
9. OHEP Brochure FY26 (dhs.maryland.gov/documents/OHEP/OHEP_Englishbrochure_2026.pdf) - FY26 limits, delays, fraud hotline
10. Maryland LIHEAP State Plan, FY2027 (opens in a new tab) - dates, funding split, crisis rules, benefit range, SMI percentages
11. LIHEAP Clearinghouse: Maryland profile (opens in a new tab) - FY2026 funding, households served, EUSP funding, utility and charitable programs
12. LIHEAP Clearinghouse: Funding (opens in a new tab) - FY2027 national release
13. LIHEAP Clearinghouse: Disconnect policies (opens in a new tab) - Maryland temperature triggers
14. COMAR 20.31.03.03 Winter Restrictions (opens in a new tab) and COMAR 20.31.03.01 Serious Illness (opens in a new tab)
15. COMAR 20.31.05.02 USPP Definitions (opens in a new tab) - heating season November through March
16. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Maryland (opens in a new tab) - population, households, median household income
17. Maryland DHCD Weatherization Assistance Program (opens in a new tab)
18. FTC: Scammers Pretend To Be Your Utility Company (opens in a new tab)