Low-Income Energy Programs
Federal | Utility | Charitable
Federal
LIHEAP Contact
Public Inquiries: 603-271-3670
Website
LIHEAP Administering Agency Contacts
Local Administering Agencies
Weatherization Assistance Program
Local Administering Agency Contacts
Website
LIHEAP FY 2024 Funding
$30,555,244
*including additional $763,686 from Infrastructure and Jobs Act (IIJA), (Pub. L. 117-58)
LIHEAP Income Eligibility Level
60% State Median Income
LIHEAP FY 2024 Benefit
Heating: $304 minimum, $3,024 maximum
Crisis: $3,024 Winter maximum
LIHEAP Households Served in FY 2023
Heating: 29,642
Winter Crisis: 1,680
Weatherization: 199
LIHEAP Program Dates
Year-round
State
An 1840's statute requires towns and cities to provide emergency welfare services to the poor, funded by local property taxes. Typically, assistance includes payments to landlords and utilities for rental and utility assistance, vouchers for food and clothing, as well as burial expenses. Contact your local Community Action Agency.
Utility
Low-Income Rate Assistance
Electrical Assistance Program(EAP)
EAP is a program for customers of Eversource, Liberty Utilities, New Hampshire Electric Cooperative, and Unitil Energy Systems. If you qualify, discounts ranging from 5% to 86% on the first 750 kWh of residential electric service are available. To apply, you must contact your local Community Action Agency (CAA) and complete the EAP application. Your local CAA will determine your eligibility based on your annual household income and household size and will notify your utility if you qualify for this program. If you qualify, the EAP Discount amount will appear on your bill and will be deducted from your electric bill. You are responsible for paying the remainder of the bill shown on the 'Amount Now Due' line.
Utilities Participating in the Electric Assistance Program
Eversource
Contact: local Community Action Agencies
www.eversource.com/content/residential/account-billing/payment-assistance/electric-assistance
Liberty Utilities
Contact: local Community Action Agencies
new-hampshire.libertyutilities.com/salem/residential/my-account/my-bill/programs/electricity/electrical-assistance-program.html
New Hampshire Electric Co-operative
Contact: local Community Action Agencies
www.nhec.com/financial-assistance/statewide-eap/
Unitil
Contact: local Community Action Agency
unitil.com/energy-for-residents/electric-information/assistance-programs.
Low-Income Energy Efficiency
As of June 1, 2002, electric utility customers can take advantage of statewide energy efficiency products and services funded by the energy efficiency portion of the System Benefits Charge (SBC). Qualified low-income customers living in an apartment or house, either rented or owned, can receive up to $15,000 through the Home Energy Assistance Program, including a customized report analyzing their home, improvements including insulation, thermostats, lighting upgrades, and efficient refrigerators, and recommendations on how to use energy more efficiently.
www.energy.nh.gov/consumers/energy-efficiency/energy-efficiency-programs-and-services
Home Energy Assistance Program - Eversource, Liberty, NH Electric Cooperative, Unitil
New Hampshire’s utilities partner with the CAAs, NH Department of Energy, housing authorities, and other nonprofits across the state to identify and verify eligible customers and projects. This collaboration ensures that the HEA program fully qualifies, prioritizes, and serves income-eligible customers who have a variety of complex needs. The HEA program’s partners serve as a consistent and reliable presence within the low-income community and have established relationships with multiple service providers that promote trust and social acceptance, and have access to a variety of local, state, and federal funding sources that improve services and outcomes for the same customers.
To learn more, visit NHSaves . To find out if you qualify for weatherization services, please call your local Community Action Agency directly.
Emergency Charitable Assistance
Please note these charitable funds are last resort emergency funds with limited resources and limited times of operation.
Neighbor Helping Neighbor
Most of New Hampshire’s regulated utilities participate in a statewide fund that is administered by community action agencies. The “last resort” fund operates year round, serving households ineligible for LIHEAP. Customers are eligible if they have a disconnect notice from their electric or natural gas utility (or have broken a payment arrangement with the utility), who suffer some sort of financial hardship or emergency, and who do not qualify for other forms of energy assistance such as Low Income Home Energy Assistance (LIHEAP).
Call your local CAA for an appointment and to learn more about Neighbor Helping Neighbor .
Project Care - New Hampshire Electric Cooperative
Project Care works with the social service agencies to assist NHEC members in crisis situations pay their electric bills to avoid disconnection of service. It is funded primarily through the Round Up program, in which members agree to have their bill "rounded up" to the next dollar with the proceeds going directly to Project Care. For more information on Project Care, visit Project Care - NHEC or call 1-800-698-2007.
