WASHINGTON D.C. — Massachusetts is set to receive more than $142 million in federal heating assistance ahead of winter, but rising heating oil prices and a smaller allocation than last year could leave some households struggling to afford to keep their homes warm.
Congresswoman Lori Trahan announced on Wednesday, Oct. 14, that the state had been awarded $142.3 million through the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, known as LIHEAP. The funding follows a request from Trahan urging the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to release the money before the end of October to help families prepare for the winter heating season.
The funding could provide relief for eligible Westford residents and other Massachusetts households facing higher energy bills. LIHEAP helps low-income households manage heating costs, offering assistance to families who might otherwise have to choose between keeping their homes warm and paying for necessities such as groceries and medicine.
“No family in Massachusetts should have to choose between heating their home and affording groceries or medicine,” Trahan said in a statement.
However, this year’s allocation is nearly $4 million less than Massachusetts’ initial $146 million allocation last year. According to Trahan’s office, the decrease follows the expiration of a five-year increase in LIHEAP funding included in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
The funding comes as heating oil prices continue to climb. Trahan’s office said crude oil prices have topped $100 per barrel multiple times this year, including most recently on Sept. 15. Because heating oil is refined from crude oil, increases in crude prices can contribute to higher costs for households that rely on oil to heat their homes.
Unlike some utility customers who receive protection from state winter shutoff moratoriums, households that use heating oil may need to pay for deliveries upfront, creating an additional financial burden during the colder months.
LIHEAP has historically served only a portion of eligible households. According to Trahan’s office, an average of just 20% of eligible households receive assistance each year.
The funding announcement follows an Oct. 6 letter led by Trahan, U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, and U.S. Rep. Stephen Lynch, along with 24 other lawmakers from Northeastern states, urging the U.S. Department of Energy to take action on rising heating oil costs.
The lawmakers attributed the increase in heating oil prices in part to the war in Iran and disruptions involving the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global oil shipments. Their letter said crude oil prices had risen from $72 to more than $100 per barrel and warned that families in the Northeast could face significantly higher heating bills this winter.
Citing projections included in their letter, the lawmakers said households that rely on heating oil could pay about $600 more to heat their homes this winter than last year.
The letter also criticized the Trump administration’s attempts to eliminate LIHEAP, cuts to clean energy and electric grid modernization funding, and the elimination of tax credits and deductions for energy efficiency improvements.
The lawmakers urged the Department of Energy to support an end to the war in Iran, restore clean energy and grid modernization funding, reverse changes to energy efficiency tax incentives and stop efforts to eliminate LIHEAP.
Trahan has previously advocated for increased federal heating assistance, including leading an effort in 2023 to boost LIHEAP funding. She has also joined colleagues in pressing federal officials to address rising energy costs.
While the $142.3 million allocation will help Massachusetts prepare for the winter, Trahan said the funding remains insufficient given the growing need for assistance.
“Congress must act to restore and strengthen this lifeline,” Trahan said.
For Westford residents who qualify for heating assistance, the federal allocation could help offset winter energy costs. However, the amount of assistance available locally will depend on how the funding is administered and distributed across Massachusetts.
