New Hampshire Fuel Assistance 2026: Limits and Apply

For a side-by-side look at every state's line, see our LIHEAP income limits by state guide. The rest of this guide covers New Hampshire only.

New Hampshire Fuel Assistance Income Limits for 2026-27

New Hampshire's limit for 2026-27 is $93,680 in gross annual income for four people. DOE says one line, 60% of New Hampshire state median income, applies to the Electric Assistance, Fuel Assistance and Weatherization programs, and it updated the figures on May 28, 2026.

Source: NH DOE assistance programs eligibility page (opens in a new tab), checked November 3, 2026; the figures match ACF's FY2027 state median income table (opens in a new tab), which became mandatory on October 1, 2026. Monthly figures are Grantsights arithmetic. For more than 10 people, DOE says to ask your CAA.

ACF's FY2028 median income table will set the next chart, for the season that starts October 1, 2027.

Other eligibility rules DOE lists:

• New Hampshire must be your primary residence.
• You must be responsible for at least $100 in energy costs.
• Renters qualify, including those whose heat is in the rent. The FY2027 plan says households in subsidized housing qualify if they have a direct heating cost, but not if heat is included in subsidized rent.
• Vulnerability counts. Older, disabled and very young members affect priority.

You don't need to get help from one program to apply for the others, according to DOE.

How Much Fuel Assistance Pays

DOE's Fuel Assistance Program page (opens in a new tab) says benefits range from $188 to $2,500, depending on household income and energy costs, and that the average benefit is $1,002. The accepted FY2027 plan lists the same $188 minimum and $2,500 maximum and says those levels assume level funding with FY2026, so they can be scaled up or down once the full federal amount is known.

How DOE builds each benefit, per the FY2027 plan:

The accepted plan budgets FY2027 funds as 71% heating assistance, 5% winter crisis, 5% weatherization, 5% carryover, 10% administration and 4% energy education and case management. It doesn't set aside money for cooling. DOE adds that Fuel Assistance benefits are a grant, don't have to be paid back, and aren't counted as income for other programs.

Crisis help. The FY2027 plan runs winter crisis aid from December 1, 2026 to April 30, 2027, with a maximum crisis benefit of $2,500. It defines a crisis as:

1. A quarter tank or less of oil or kerosene, 20% or less of propane, or less than a week's supply of wood or pellets
2. A disconnection notice from a metered utility used for heat
3. A broken heating system, even with fuel in the tank

A life-threatening crisis means you're already out of fuel or disconnected. The plan commits to resolving a crisis within 48 hours, or 18 hours when it's life-threatening, and processes crisis applications on a fast track rather than through a separate fund.

Season Dates and Who Can Apply First

New Hampshire's accepted FY2027 plan runs the heating component from October 1, 2026 to September 30, 2027, but it opens the door earlier for some households.

The plan says priority applicants who applied the prior year get a targeted mailing each summer. If you missed that, you can still apply now. Benefits are paid as funds become available, according to DOE.

How to Apply Through Your Community Action Agency

New Hampshire has 5 Community Action Agencies covering all 10 counties, and DOE tells applicants to contact theirs to set up an appointment. Phone numbers from DOE's list, as of November 3, 2026:

DOE's tips for applying:

1. Bring everything asked for and keep your appointment. DOE says eligibility can usually be settled in one visit.
2. If you're homebound, ask for a home interview, a phone interview or a mail-in application.
3. Apply for all three programs at once. Fuel Assistance, Electric Assistance and Weatherization share one intake.

The FY2027 plan says applicants can submit documents in person, by mail, by email or through a portal, and names a statewide online application. Ask your CAA whether online intake is open in your area before you rely on it.

For example, a family of three in Nashua earning $3,200 a month ($38,400 a year) heats with natural gas. That's well under the $78,691 limit for three. A Fuel Assistance benefit somewhere in the $188 to $2,500 range would go to the gas bill, and the FY2027 plan says LIHEAP households with gas heat are enrolled automatically in the Gas Assistance Program, a 45% discount on gas bills from November 1 to April 30. If the family's gas bills for those six months total $1,400, that discount alone is worth $630. Specifically, $630 off the gas bill comes on top of the Fuel Assistance benefit. Its electric account can get the EAP discount from the same application.

Winter Disconnection Rules in New Hampshire

New Hampshire's winter period runs November 15 through March 31. The FY2027 plan quotes the state's disconnection rule, En 1204.03, which the Department of Energy administers for regulated electric and gas utilities. Customers can still be disconnected for not paying, but the rules make it harder:

Source: New Hampshire's accepted FY2027 LIHEAP plan, section 4.17.

Medical protection. The LIHEAP Clearinghouse, an ACF-funded resource, notes in its disconnection policy table (opens in a new tab) that a doctor's written certification prevents a shutoff in New Hampshire if the customer enters a payment plan. It lasts 60 days and can be renewed indefinitely.

The Clearinghouse lists the consumer line at 603-271-2431 or 800-852-3793. Tell the utility right away if you've been approved for Fuel Assistance or EAP, because that's what triggers the hardship protections.

Electric, Gas and Other Programs That Stack With Fuel Assistance

The FY2027 plan names at least 8 resources that work alongside Fuel Assistance. These are the ones households use most:

Sources: NH DOE EAP page (opens in a new tab), FAP page and the accepted FY2027 plan, section 14.

According to DOE, the EAP is funded through the system benefits charge on every electric bill, which the plan lists at $0.0015 per kWh, and benefits depend on available funds. For other repair help, see our home repair grants guide.

New Hampshire's LIHEAP Money: $28.1 Million Released So Far

ACF released $28,137,613 of FY2027 LIHEAP block grant money to New Hampshire on October 9, 2026, per the ACF first FY2027 allocation table (opens in a new tab). According to the LIHEAP Clearinghouse, whose funding page (opens in a new tab) logs each payment, this was 90% of what's available under Public Law 119-103, signed September 2, 2026.

Sources: ACF FY2027 first release table and FY2026 final release table (opens in a new tab); Census Bureau Vintage 2025 estimates (New Hampshire: 1,415,342).

Grantsights analysis of New Hampshire's FY2026 LIHEAP total in the ACF tables, against the Census Bureau's 2025 population count, works out to $23.56 per resident, nearly twice the $11.90 national rate and 6th of 51. The October 2026 release is 2.2% below the first release a year earlier and equals $19.88 per resident so far. That shortfall matters because the FY2027 plan's benefit range assumes level funding. As of November 3, 2026, ACF's funding releases page (opens in a new tab) shows no second FY2027 release.

What DOE's Fuel Assistance Pages Don't Tell You

The DOE pages are clear but short. These 6 points come from the accepted FY2027 plan.

1. Priority households can apply in July. If anyone in your home is 60 or older, under 6, or disabled, or you heat with wood, don't wait for October.
2. Gas heat brings a 45% discount automatically. It's retroactive to November 1 no matter when your Fuel Assistance is approved.
3. The $2,500 top figure isn't typical. DOE's own average is $1,002.
4. A broken furnace counts as a crisis even when you have fuel. You don't need both a low tank and broken equipment.
5. Seniors get two years of EAP. The plan says EAP runs 24 months for seniors on fixed incomes, so they don't reapply every year.
6. Older customers get extra winter protection even without Fuel Assistance: utilities need approval to disconnect anyone known to be 65 or older from November 15 to March 31.

Common Mistakes and Red Flags

The most common mistake is applying only for Fuel Assistance and skipping EAP. It's the same intake, the electric discount runs all year, and for most households it's worth it. Another is waiting until the tank is nearly dry in January, when CAA appointment slots are tight. Seniors who underestimate the July priority window often end up waiting weeks for a fall appointment.

Other things that slow New Hampshire applications:

• Missing an appointment without rescheduling. DOE says to keep any appointment you make.
• Leaving out a household member's income.
• Not telling your utility you've been approved, so hardship protections never apply.
• Assuming a shutoff can't happen in winter. It can; the rules raise the bar but don't ban it.

Scam red flags. Applying through a CAA is free. ACF's LIHEAP page (opens in a new tab) describes LIHEAP as a state-run program, and the FTC's utility impostor scam guide (opens in a new tab) warns that real utilities don't demand gift cards, wire transfers or crypto. Watch for:

• A caller claiming to be Eversource or Liberty who threatens same-day disconnection unless you pay by app
• Anyone charging to "speed up" your Fuel Assistance application
• Messages offering a "New Hampshire heating grant" deposited to your bank

DOE says to report suspected fraud in the Fuel Assistance Program to fuelassistance@energy.nh.gov. Report scams to ReportFraud.ftc.gov (opens in a new tab).

What to Do If You're Denied or Funds Run Short

New Hampshire gives Fuel Assistance applicants 4 grounds to appeal, per the FY2027 plan: a denial; no decision within 60 days of applying; a benefit lower than you think it should be; or a benefit lower than your CAA's first written notice said. The steps:

1. Call your CAA's Fuel Assistance Director within 30 days of the determination letter. The director must meet with you by phone or in person within 10 days.
2. Ask for a DOE review if that doesn't resolve it. The DOE FAP Administrator must meet with you within 10 days.
3. Request a Fair Administrative Hearing if you're still not satisfied.

The plan reports 0 fair hearings in the prior year, so most disputes end at the first two steps.

If Fuel Assistance isn't enough:

• Ask about Neighbor Helping Neighbor or Project Care if you've got a disconnection notice.
• Call 211 (or 1-866-444-4211) for local fuel funds, or NH Adult and Aging Care at 1-866-634-9412 if you're a senior.
• Free up other money. Our guides to SNAP in New Hampshire, New Hampshire Medicaid income limits, help for seniors and emergency cash assistance cover other help.

Family in a neighboring state? See our guides to HEAP in Massachusetts, HEAP in Maine and Vermont fuel assistance, or our national LIHEAP guide for the federal rules.

If you're not sure which New Hampshire programs fit your household, the Grantsights free eligibility checker sorts the public options in a couple of minutes. Pick "Individual," then "Personal financial help." It won't list grants for personal bills, because there aren't any; it points to official routes such as the USA.gov benefit finder, bill help and 211, and for a New Hampshire heating bill that means Fuel Assistance through your CAA.

FAQ: New Hampshire Fuel Assistance

What is the income limit for New Hampshire Fuel Assistance in 2026-27?

60% of state median income: $48,713 for one person, $93,680 for four and $129,278 for eight.

How much does New Hampshire Fuel Assistance pay?

$188 to $2,500, based on income, household size, energy cost, region and housing type. DOE lists an average of $1,002.

When can I apply for Fuel Assistance in New Hampshire?

Priority households from July 1; everyone else from October. Crisis help runs December 1, 2026 to April 30, 2027.

How do I apply for Fuel Assistance in New Hampshire?

Through one of the 5 Community Action Agencies. One application covers Fuel Assistance, EAP and Weatherization.

What is the New Hampshire Electric Assistance Program?

A 5% to 86% monthly electric bill discount for income-eligible customers of the four regulated electric utilities.

Can my heat be shut off in New Hampshire in winter?

It's harder, not impossible. From November 15 to March 31, heating customers must owe more than $450 before a notice, and customers 65 and older need state approval to be disconnected.

How do I appeal a Fuel Assistance decision in New Hampshire?

Contact your CAA's Fuel Assistance Director within 30 days, then the DOE FAP Administrator, then request a Fair Administrative Hearing.

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Sources

1. NH Department of Energy: Fuel Assistance Program (opens in a new tab) - New Hampshire benefit range, average, how to apply, fraud contact
2. NH Department of Energy: Assistance Programs Eligibility (opens in a new tab) - New Hampshire income limits updated May 28, 2026
3. NH Department of Energy: Electric Assistance Program (opens in a new tab) - New Hampshire EAP discount range and utilities
4. NH Department of Energy: Community Action Agencies (opens in a new tab) - New Hampshire CAA offices and phone numbers
5. LIHEAP Clearinghouse: New Hampshire FY2027 Detailed Model Plan (PDF) (opens in a new tab) - New Hampshire dates, crisis rules, disconnection rule, leveraged programs, appeals (ACF-funded resource)
6. LIHEAP Clearinghouse: Disconnect Policies (opens in a new tab) - New Hampshire winter period and medical protection (ACF-funded resource)
7. LIHEAP Clearinghouse: Funding for States (opens in a new tab) - FY2027 continuing resolution release
8. ACF: FY2027 State Median Income Table (PDF) (opens in a new tab) - New Hampshire 60% median income figures
9. ACF: FY2027 First Release Table (PDF) (opens in a new tab) and FY2026 Final Release Table (PDF) (opens in a new tab) - New Hampshire allocations
10. ACF: LIHEAP Funding Releases (opens in a new tab) and ACF: LIHEAP program page (opens in a new tab)
11. Census Bureau: Vintage 2025 State Population Estimates (CSV) (opens in a new tab) - New Hampshire population
12. FTC: Scammers Pretend To Be Your Utility Company (opens in a new tab)