Boston Heating Bill Help 2026–27: Fuel Assistance, Eversource Discounts, and Shutoff Protection
Boston winters are long and heating bills can be steep. If you're worried about paying for heat, you have three main tools:
Fuel Assistance (HEAP) through ABCD, which pays part of your heating bill directly to your vendor
Eversource's Discount Rate, with 42% off electric and 25% off gas for eligible customers
Massachusetts shutoff protections for low-income households, families with infants, seriously ill people, and homes where all adults are 65 or older
This guide explains who qualifies, how to apply in Boston, and how to protect your service if you fall behind.
Last checked October 2026. Income limits and dates come from ABCD, Eversource, and Massachusetts Legal Help.
Fuel Assistance (HEAP) Through ABCD
In Boston, Fuel Assistance is run by Action for Boston Community Development (ABCD). ABCD's program serves more than 24,000 low-income, elderly, and disabled residents each year in Boston, Brookline, Newton, Malden, Medford, Everett, Melrose, Stoneham, Winchester, and Woburn.
How it works: If you qualify, ABCD pays part of your winter heating bill directly to your vendor. ABCD says the season runs November 1 through April 30.
Who qualifies:
Your gross household income must be at or below 60% of the Massachusetts median income
Homeowners and renters can apply
Renters can apply even if heat is included in rent, as long as the housing isn't subsidized
Fiscal Year 2027 income limits (60% of estimated state median income):
1 person: $53,585
2 people: $70,073
3 people: $86,561
4 people: $103,049
5 people: $119,536
6 people: $136,024
7 people: $139,116
8 people: $142,207
How to apply: ABCD accepts applications online, by phone, or in person by appointment at a local intake site.
Boston, Brookline, and Newton: Call 617-357-6012
Mailing address for those areas: 178 Tremont Street, 4th floor, Boston
Returning applicants: If you got a recertification application in the mail, you can sign it and return it with current income documents in the postage-paid envelope, or renew online.
Extra services: ABCD says Fuel Assistance households can also get weatherization, heating system repairs, past-due bill reductions, and energy-efficiency help.
Eversource Discount Rate
Eversource offers a Massachusetts Discount Rate. The discount is 42% on electric accounts and 25% on gas accounts.
To qualify, you must:
Be a residential customer with the bill in your name
Meet Eversource's income requirements
Receive one of the qualifying benefits
Qualifying benefits include:
Fuel Assistance (HEAP)
SNAP
MassHealth (Basic or Standard)
TAFDC and EAEDC
WIC and Head Start
Public or subsidized housing
SSP for qualified SSI applicants
Health Safety Net (Primary or Secondary, not Partial)
Health Connector Plan Types 1, 2, or 3A
Veterans' benefits (Chapter 115, Non-Service Disability Pension, DIC)
Important: Eversource requires an eligibility letter for these programs. Include a copy with your application.
Tip: If you're approved for Fuel Assistance, ask whether the discount can be applied to your account. Contact your local Community Action Agency (ABCD in Boston) for help.
What to Have Ready When You Apply
ABCD posts an application checklist and printable forms on its Fuel Assistance page. Before you call or apply online, gather:
Income documents for everyone in the household
Your heating bill or vendor information. For oil, that's the company that delivers it.
Your lease or a landlord statement, if heat is included in your rent
ID for the person applying
If ABCD sends an "incomplete" letter, return the missing forms with the letter as soon as possible so your application isn't delayed.
Winter Shutoff Protection (the Winter Moratorium)
Massachusetts Legal Help (by the National Consumer Law Center and Massachusetts Law Reform Institute) explains that gas and electric companies like Eversource, National Grid, and Unitil can't shut off service you need for heat during the winter moratorium if:
You can't afford to pay your heating bills, and
Your income is at or below 60% of state median income for your household size
For winter 2025–26, Mass Legal Help listed the protection period as October 27 to April 1. Check the dates for winter 2026–27 with your utility or the Department of Public Utilities (DPU).
How to get protected:
Call your utility (the number is on your bill). Say you're having a hard time paying for heat.
Ask for a "financial hardship" form.
Fill it out, sign it, keep a copy, and send it back as soon as you can. Fax it if you can.
If the company won't protect your account while you return the form, contact the DPU.
The moratorium isn't forgiveness. Your balance still grows. Use the winter to apply for Fuel Assistance and set up a payment plan.
Year-Round Protection: Infants, Serious Illness, and Seniors
You may be protected from gas and electric shutoffs at other times of the year too.
Infant under 1 in the household:
Send reasonable proof of age, such as a birth certificate or hospital record
Return a financial hardship form
Seriously ill person in the household:
Get a letter from a doctor, PA, or nurse practitioner naming the person and stating the serious illness. This can include physical or mental illness.
A medical provider can call the utility first. You then have 7 days to send the written letter.
Return a financial hardship form
All adults 65 or older:
Ask for an elderly protection form. Mass Legal Help says this protection may apply even if you're not low-income.
If Your Heat Is Already Off or Your Furnace Breaks
Call your utility right away and ask about restoring service under these protections.
Current ABCD Fuel Assistance clients with a heating emergency can call 617-348-6442 (Arlington: 617-348-6441). ABCD says it can send a technician or an oil delivery as needed.
If your Fuel Assistance benefits have run out and you have an emergency, ABCD lists United Way at 800-231-4377 (or dial 211) and The Salvation Army at 617-542-5420.
Not yet enrolled? Call ABCD at 617-357-6012 to apply.
Emergency: If you're without heat in dangerous cold, call 911 or go to a warming center.
See our guide on free furnace repair and emergency heating help, linked below.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a past-due bill to get Fuel Assistance?
ABCD doesn't say you need one. Fuel Assistance is based on income and household size.
Can renters with heat included in rent get Fuel Assistance?
Yes, if you live in non-subsidized housing, according to ABCD.
How much is the Eversource discount?
42% for electric and 25% for gas, for eligible customers.
Can my utility shut off my heat in January?
If you're low-income and can't pay, the winter moratorium may protect you. Contact your utility and submit a financial hardship form.
What if everyone in my home is over 65?
Ask the utility for an elderly protection form. You may be protected even if you're not low-income.
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