2025-2026 Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP)
The information listed below is the most current information we have.
Dates and details are subject to change.
We will provide any updates or changes as we
get them.
IF YOU RECEIVED AN EARLY OUTREACH APPLICATION, PLEASE RETURN TO:
CCE Albany County
24 Martin Road
Voorheesville, NY 12186
*Office Locations - PLEASE NOTE UPDATED INFORMATION*
Our Albany office is located at 418 Broadway, Albany, NY 12207 (third floor).
Our Voorheesville office, located at 24 Martin Road, Voorheesville, NY 12186, provides assistance with all HEAP-related matters. When visiting this location, please proceed to the Energy Building, located at the back left corner of the parking lot.
HEAP office hours are 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Please arrive at least 30 minutes before closing. On high-volume days, doors may close up to 30 minutes early to ensure assistance for those already waiting.
If you have any questions, please contact our office at 518-765-3561. This phone line is monitored regularly by staff from both locations.
**Important Program Changes**
Currently, there will be no Heating Equipment Repair Replacement (HERR) or Clean and Tune components in the 2025-2026 HEAP season.
Anyone who needs assistance with their heating system should contact the Temporary Assistance division of Albany County Department of Social Services.Temporary Assistance | Albany County, NY
Required Documentation
Please see “Information Sheet” on our website.This sheet is a guide as to what information is required. Required documentation can vary on a case-by-case basis. We recommend contacting our office to discuss what documentation you will need to include with your HEAP application. Incomplete or improper documentation can lead to delays in application processing.
2025-2026 HEAP Income Guidelines
(based on gross monthly household income)
| Household Size | Gross Monthly Income Guidelines |
| 1 | $0 - $3,473 |
| 2 | $0 - $4,542 |
| 3 | $0 - $5,611 |
| 4 | $0 - $6,680 |
| 5 | $0 - $7,749 |
| 6 | $0 - $8,818 |
| 7 | $0 - $9,018 |
| 8 | $0 - $9,218 |
| 9 | $0 - $9,419 |
| 10 | $0 - $9,619 |
| 11 | $0 - $9,820 |
| 12 | $0 - $10,020 |
| 13 | $0 - $10,221 |
| 14+ | +687 for each additional person |
Regular HEAP Component
The Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) Regular benefit is designed to assist income eligible households with their heating or utility costs.
Applications will not be available before the opening of the season.
If you receive SNAP or TA benefits, please speak with someone from our office prior to requesting an application.Many SNAP and TA recipients will receive their HEAP benefit automatically; we can let you know if you are among these cases.
Emergency HEAP Component
The Emergency component of HEAP is scheduled to open on Friday, January 2, 2026 and run through Tuesday, April 7, 2026.
At this time, there will only be one emergency benefit allowed per household.
You MUST have received a regular benefit prior to requesting an emergency benefit.
In order to apply for an emergency benefit, you must have terminated services, a disconnect notice, less than ¼ tank of fuel or less than a 10-day supply of a deliverable.
The heating or utility bill must be in the name of the person applying.
PLEASE CONTACT OUR OFFICE BEFORE COMPLETING A NEW APPLICATION.Many emergency applications do not need a full application and can even be done over the phone. Completing unnecessary applications can lead to delays and confusion when processing benefits.
Cooling Assistance Component
The Cooling Assistance component is scheduled to open on Wednesday, April 15, 2026 and run until funds are expended.
This component provides an air conditioner or fan to households that contain an individual with a documented medical condition that is exacerbated by extreme heat.A statement from a medical provider will be requested.
If you received a HEAP benefit in the 2025-2026 season, you might not need to complete a full application. Please contact our office before completing a new application.
Other Helpful Programs and Resources
Weatherization Assistance Program (NYS Homes and Community Renewal):Weatherization Assistance Program | Homes and Community Renewal
Weatherization Assistance and Energy Services (ACAP):Energy Services | Albany CAP
NYSERDA’s (New York State Energy Research and Development Authority) Residential Energy Programs:Home Energy Efficiency Programs - NYSERDA
Capital Region Clean Energy Hub:Capital Region Clean Energy Hub
Utility Questions, Programs, Information, etc. (NYS Department of Public Service)Department of Public Service | Department of Public Service
National Grid Energy Affordability Program:Energy Affordability Program | National Grid
Central Hudson Bill Discount Program:Bill Discount Program Application
Q. When can I apply for HEAP?
A. The 2025-2026 Regular HEAP benefit is scheduled to open on Monday, 01 December 2025.
The 2025-2026 Emergency HEAP benefit is scheduled to open on Friday, 02 January 2026.
Close dates for all components are to be determined based on available funding.
Q. Where can I apply for HEAP?
A. You can apply for HEAP in person, at either one of our offices. You can also request to have
an application mailed or emailed to you. Or you can apply on-line at mybenefits.ny.gov Please
keep in mind that if you choose to apply online, we do not monitor or process these applications.
All online applications will be reviewed by Albany County DSS.
Q. If I receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or Temporary Assistance
(TA) benefits, do I still need to apply for HEAP?
A. If you are an active SNAP or TA recipient, you might not need to apply for HEAP. SNAP
and TA recipients are automatically income eligible for HEAP but are not necessarily an
automatic recipient. If you have an ongoing SNAP or TA case, and there have been no recent
changes, you might be on the auto-pay list for HEAP. If you are not on the auto-pay list, you
will need to complete an application. Please contact our office before completing an application
so we can tell you how to proceed. Submitting unnecessary applications can cause confusion
and delays in receiving your HEAP benefit.
Q. I received a HEAP application in the mail that was partially completed. Why did I get this?
Do I still need to fill out another application when HEAP opens?
A. If you received a partially pre-filled application, this is an “early outreach” application, and it
means you received a HEAP benefit last program year. These applications are automatically sent
to qualifying households before the season fully opens to the public. Please complete any blank
spaces and gather any necessary supporting documentation. Please return all applications and
documentation to our main office (CCE Albany: 24 Martin Road; Voorheesville NY 12186). If
your early outreach application has a different return address on it, please disregard that address
and proceed with mailing it to our Voorheesville address.
Q. Why did my neighbor/friend/family member get an early outreach application, and I did not?
A. There could be several reasons. Not everyone who received a HEAP benefit last year is
guaranteed to receive an early outreach application. Typically, households that contain someone
who is permanently disabled, over the age of 60 or under the age of 6 receive early outreach
applications first. Also, early outreach applications are mailed out in batches, not all recipients
get them at the same time. If you have not received an early outreach by 03 November 2025,
please contact our office and we can send you a regular application.
Q. Who must be included on my HEAP application?
A. Unlike some other assistance programs, HEAP looks at all household members. Anyone
who uses the address as their primary residence must be listed on the application. Additionally,
income from all individuals must be recorded; this includes non-taxable forms of income.
Q. How long will it take to receive my regular HEAP benefits?
A. Regular HEAP applications should be processed within 30 business days from the date DSS
receives the application. While a determination of eligibility will be made during this time, it
might take your vendor slightly longer to receive the actual funds. All vendors will be notified of
approved benefits.
Q. I think it has been more than 30 business days, can I fill out another application?
A. No. If you think the processing time has expired, please contact our office and we can look
for an update. Please DO NOT submit multiple applications. Submitting multiple applications
causes confusion among caseworks which can result in delays of processing applications.
Q. What do I do if I submitted a HEAP application but have since received a disconnect notice
or have less than ¼ tank of fuel?
A. If you have not received a determination regarding your regular HEAP benefit, but since
submitting your application you have received a disconnect notice, or are low on fuel, please
contact our office. When you speak with us, we will ask questions to verify some information,
then work with the DSS to address your emergency.
Q. What is the difference between Regular HEAP and Emergency HEAP? How can I apply for
Emergency HEAP?
A. Emergency HEAP opens on 02 January 2026. You can only apply for Emergency HEAP if
you have already received a Regular HEAP benefit and you have either a shut off notice or are
low on a deliverable (less than ¼ tank or less than a 10-day supply). You can apply for
emergency HEAP by calling our office. Most emergency applications can be done over the
phone and do not require full application. Please do not complete a full application packet
unless you are instructed to do so. Submitting unnecessary applications can cause confusion and
delays.
Additional HEAP information, including benefit amounts and income calculation, can be found
here:
Office of Temporary Disability and Assistance (OTDA):
https://otda.ny.gov/programs/heap/
Albany County Department of Social Services (DSS):
https://www.albanycountyny.gov/departments/social-...
Last updated April 8, 2026