A cold winter means growing heating costs
Help is available

Weather experts are predicting a long, cold winter this year. Older adults on fixed incomes who have a hard time meeting the rising costs of consumer goods will find their problems compounded by an increase in winter heating costs. The Ohio Department of Development (ODOD) offers several programs to help low-income Ohioans pay their utility bills and improve the energy efficiency of their homes.

The Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) is a federally funded program that helps eligible low-income Ohioans meet the high costs of home heating. In most cases, the one-time benefit will be a credit applied to the energy bill by the utility company. Applications for the 2011-2012 HEAP program will be accepted through May 31, 2012. The total household income of an applicant must be at or below 200 percent of the Fiscal Year 2011 federal poverty guidelines.

A special component of HEAP is the Winter Crisis Program (WCP). The program provides assistance once per heating season to eligible households that are disconnected, threatened with disconnection, or have less than a 10-day supply or less than 25 percent supply of bulk fuel in their tank. Those households serviced by a PUCO-regulated utility must sign up for a payment plan (such as PIPP Plus, described below) in order to receive emergency benefits. The Winter Crisis Program also can help pay for heating system repairs in certain cases.

Applications for the Winter Crisis Program will be accepted through March 31, 2012 and must be completed at the local Community Action Agency.

The Percentage of Income Payment Plan Plus (PIPP Plus) protects customers from disconnection of service as long as they follow the program's rules about monthly payments. It is an extended payment arrangement that requires regulated gas and electric companies to accept payments based on a percentage of the household income. Once you are enrolled in the program, you must pay your installment every month in full and on time.

To be eligible for the PIPP Plus program, a customer must receive his or her primary or secondary heat source from a company regulated by the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO), must have a total household income which is at or below 150 percent of the federal poverty level, and must apply for all energy assistance programs for which he or she is eligible. All PIPP Plus customers must re-verify their incomes annually.

Ohio's Home Weatherization Assistance Program (HWAP) is a no-cost energy assistance program designed to increase the home energy efficiency for income-eligible Ohioans, reduce household energy expenditures and improve health and safety. Services include attic, wall and basement insulation; air leakage reduction; heating system repairs or replacements; and health and safety testing and inspections. All services are based on need, established by an on-site energy audit, as well as on cost-effective guidelines. Individualized client education is an important component of the program.

Consumers can fill out and mail in a Combined Energy Assistance Application for these energy assistance programs or they can apply at their local Community Action Agency. Consumers also may call HEAP toll-free at 1-800-282-0880 during regular business hours (7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday) for more information.

Once the application has been processed, the consumer will receive a notification letter telling him whether he is eligible for bill payment assistance. The amount of the one-time benefit depends on federal funding levels, how many people live in the house, total household income, and the primary fuel used to heat the house. In most cases, benefits will be a credit applied to the consumer's energy bill by the utility company. The wait time for home weatherization assistance, after eligibility has been determined, varies.

In addition, consumers can save by working directly with their utility companies.

• Budget billing programs allow consumers who are current on their payments to spread the amount they owe over a 12-month period. Consumers should contact their utility company to inquire about how to participate.
• Payment plans often can be worked out between the consumer and the utility when the consumer faces disconnection. Consumers propose a payment plan that works best for them. If the company does not find the proposed payment plan acceptable, it must provide an option of participating in either the 1/3 or 1/6 payment plan, in which customers pay a percentage of the total amount due each month (including their past-due balance and current bill.

Consumers can contact their area agency on aging at 1-866-243-5678 to receive more information about these assistance programs and applications. The agencies also help individuals, including homebound individuals, complete the application, assemble the necessary documentation and get it in the mail.

About Aging Connection

Aging Connection, published regularly by the Ohio Department of Aging, connects professionals in Ohio’s aging network to information and resources that can help them care for and serve our older citizens. Topics include the latest resources and best pactices within the aging network, state and federal programs and benefits, pending and recent policy and legislation that may impact older Ohioans, the latest research in gerontology and aging issues and more.

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