Don’t get stuck in the cold, apply now for heating assistance

Dollars and Sense

Wed., Aug. 27, 2008

By David Uffington King Features Syndicate

It might be warm outside, but across the country tens of thousands of people are already getting a chill when they think about the coming winter and their fuel bills.

If you know you’ll need help paying your heating bills this winter, and if you haven’t applied for assistance, do it now. Don’t wait until you’re in trouble. By then the available money could be gone.

The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, known as LIHEAP, is a government program that hands out millions of dollars to communities to help those who need heating assistance. The federal government doesn’t take the applications for help; that’s all done on the state level.

To find a LIHEAP program in your area, call the National Energy Assistance Referral project at 1-866-674-6327. Or go to www.acf.hhs.gov and click on Low Income Home Energy Assistance Programs on the drop-down menu on the left. On the next screen click on Applying for Assistance.

Here are some suggestions to help with the coming winter’s fuel bills:

• Pay ahead now on your fuel and electric bills.

• Ask about a payment plan. Typically your last year’s usage is divided by 12 with monthly payments calculated at the new fuel rate. Most plans for oil, propane or natural gas started in the summer, but it’s possible the fuel company will let you pay a few months of those payments to catch up.

• Call your town offices. Many communities are setting up funds to help local residents.

•If you receive any social services, call and ask about programs in your area and how you can apply. If your income is too high to receive any services, ask anyway, especially if you’re a senior or have children.

•If your furnace hasn’t been serviced in a few years, now is the time to get that done, not when the heat goes out in the middle of winter and you pay a premium rate for someone to come out.

Keep in mind that any money you get likely won’t be enough to get you through the winter. Chances are it won’t be much more than a half month’s supply of fuel, especially if you use oil or propane. But apply now, because every little bit helps.

David Uffington regrets that he cannot personally answer reader questions, but will incorporate them into his column whenever possible. Write to him in care of King Features Weekly Service, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475, or send e-mail to columnreply@gmail.com.

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