Heating help: the fuel assistance deadline is Friday, Nov. 13
The short version: Virginia's yearly Fuel Assistance applications close Friday, Nov. 13 (Virginia DSS). You can apply online, by phone at 855-635-4370, or on paper at the Buchanan County Department of Social Services in Grundy (Virginia DSS; Buchanan County DSS). Missing the Fuel Assistance deadline does not guarantee another benefit. Separate Crisis Assistance may help eligible households with a heating emergency when no other resource is available, subject to program rules and available funds.
What Fuel Assistance is
Fuel Assistance helps eligible lower-income households with home heating costs (Virginia DSS). DSS determines benefits and sends authorizations for deliveries or services to vendors in December (DSS information sheet).
It covers more than the bill itself. The state's information sheet says it can also pay for furnace restarts, late charges, delivery charges, installation charges, and connection or reconnection fees (DSS information sheet). That can help households using delivered propane, kerosene or heating oil.
Who can apply
To qualify, a household has to have a heating expense and a gross monthly income at or below 150% of the federal poverty level (Virginia DSS). The limit depends on household size. DSS decides eligibility, so if you're close to the line, apply and let them decide.
How to apply before Friday
The window opened the second Tuesday in October and closes the second Friday in November (Virginia DSS). This year that's Friday, Nov. 13.
- Online: through CommonHelp.
- By phone: the state's Enterprise Customer Service Center, 855-635-4370, Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Virginia DSS).
- On paper, in person: Buchanan County Department of Social Services, 3174 Slate Creek Road, Grundy. Phone 276-935-8106. Office hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday (Buchanan County DSS).
DSS says eligibility notices go out in late December (Virginia DSS).
Older adults: the Appalachian Agency for Senior Citizens, the area agency on aging for Buchanan County, lists help with heating, cooling and crisis applications among its services (AASC). Its main number is 276-964-4915 (AASC).
Separate help for heating emergencies
Crisis Assistance is not a general extension of Fuel Assistance. It may help eligible households with a heating emergency, such as no heat, a cutoff notice or unsafe equipment, when no other resource is available (Virginia DSS; DSS information sheet). It has two windows:
- Nov. 1 to March 15: heating equipment repair or replacement, supplemental equipment, or a one-time heat security deposit.
- First workday in January to March 15: heating fuel and primary heat utility bills.
Crisis help depends on funds being available (DSS information sheet).
Longer term: Virginia's Weatherization Assistance program, run by the state housing department, pays for things like insulation and air sealing to lower energy bills (Virginia DSS).
Sources
- Virginia Department of Social Services, Energy Assistance Program
- Virginia Department of Social Services, Energy Assistance information sheet (PDF)
- Virginia CommonHelp
- Buchanan County Department of Social Services, Contact
- Appalachian Agency for Senior Citizens, Care Coordination and home page
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Every source
If one doesn't say what we said, tell us.
- www.dss.virginia.gov/relief/ea/
- www.bcdss.org/Contact.html
- commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Arlex_heating_oil_delivery_truck_-_Arlington,_MA.jpg
- creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/
- www.dss.virginia.gov/media/vdss/benefit-programs/documents/eap/032-03-00661-26_EAP_Informa
- commonhelp.virginia.gov/access/
- aasc.org/care-coordination/
- aasc.org/
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