We're officially four weeks (and counting) into the federal government shutdown, and it could claim another victim as the weather turns colder: heating assistance.
excerpt: Warming worries: Usually by now, states like Massachusetts would have received an influx of money from the federal government to disburse to families in need of help with their heating bills. It's called the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (or LIHEAP). And starting Nov. 1, those families would be able to use that assistance to get their electric, gas or fuel oil bill paid for, in whole or in part. But WBUR's Miriam Wasser reports that the money from the feds hasn't shown up — and that could leave many people in the cold. This assistance delay is "unprecedented," Mark Wolfe, executive director of the National Energy Assistance Directors Association, told Miriam. And the potential consequences are dire. "You'll have people die," Wolfe said. "People won't turn on their furnace. They'll be afraid of the bill." - Why this matters (especially in Massachusetts): Nearly a quarter of homes here are heated with fuel oil. That means paying hundreds of dollars up front to fill the fuel tank at least once a season. And while state law forbids utility companies from shutting off gas or electric service during the winter months, no such moratorium exists for people who rely on fuel oil. If they can't pay, they can't get heat.
- Who gets assistance: Households making up to 60% of the state median income — or roughly $99,000 for a family of four — are eligible for LIHEAP. Last year, more than 159,000 low-income households got assistance through the program in Massachusetts. More than half of the recipients were senior citizens. And 10% had a child under 5 in the home.
POSTED IN ITS ENTIRETY HERE: WBUR TODAY
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