LIHEAP 2026-27: Heating Help Application Dates and Winter Shutoff Rules by State

Pennsylvania’s Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) season opened Nov. 2, 2026 and runs through April 23, 2027, according to the state’s LIHEAP page, and New York City’s Regular Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) benefit is scheduled to open the same day, per the city’s Energy Assistance page. Other states opened earlier or close later. This story puts each state’s own application window and its winter shutoff protection side by side, with a one-page printable of the dates.

When can you apply for heating help in 2026-27?

Each row comes from the state or city page named in it. A blank means the page does not say.

State	Program	Opens	Last day to apply
Pennsylvania	LIHEAP	Nov. 2, 2026 (opened)	April 23, 2027
New York City	Regular HEAP benefit	Scheduled for Nov. 2, 2026	Not listed
New Jersey	LIHEAP and Universal Service Fund	Oct. 1, 2026	June 30, 2027
Ohio	HEAP	July 1, 2026	May 31, 2027
Minnesota	Energy Assistance Program	Not on the page	May 31, 2027
Wisconsin	Wisconsin Home Energy Assistance Program	Taking applications per an Oct. 1, 2026 bulletin	Not stated
Connecticut	Connecticut Energy Assistance Program	Sept. 1, 2026	May 31, 2027
Virginia	Fuel assistance (rule 22VAC40-680-40)	Not earlier than Sept. 1	Not later than March 31

Some details sit on the pages themselves. Pennsylvania says households can receive from $200 to $1,000 based on household size, income and fuel type. New Jersey says its application period runs on a first come, first served basis, and lists a hotline at 1-800-510-3102. Wisconsin’s Department of Administration says the state is now taking applications for the upcoming heating season and points to energybenefit.wi.gov. Connecticut says online and in-person applications began Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2026, and that the last day a household can apply to establish eligibility is May 31, 2027.

Virginia’s row is the rule, not this year’s dates. The Board of Social Services sets the specific 2026-27 dates, and we could not confirm them. The Massachusetts, Michigan and Illinois pages did not load for our check, so use your state’s own page.

Which states have winter shutoff protections, and when?

These are different programs with different rules. Only the first three are blanket date ranges, and two of those carry conditions.

State	Protection	Dates	Condition or limit
Minnesota	“Cold weather period” in state law	Oct. 1 through April 30 of the following year	Defined in Minnesota Statutes 2026, section 216B.096
Connecticut	Electric winter moratorium	Nov. 1 through May 1	In hardship cases where the customer lacks the financial resources to pay the entire account
Indiana	Winter disconnection moratorium	Dec. 1 to March 15	Under conditions, including receiving help from the federally funded Energy Assistance Program (EAP)
Ohio	Special reconnect order, not a moratorium	Contact your utility between Oct. 12, 2026 and April 16, 2027	Pay no more than $175 plus a reconnection charge that cannot exceed $36
New Jersey	Winter Termination Program	Last season: Nov. 15, 2025 through March 15, 2026	2026-27 dates not yet announced

Connecticut’s dates come from the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) “Winter Moratorium Details” page, which is a standing rule page. Indiana’s come from the Office of Utility Consumer Counselor (OUCC) frequently asked questions page. The Ohio entry is a Sept. 30, 2026 bulletin from the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO): customers who were disconnected can use the window to restore service. The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities announced last season’s program on Nov. 14, 2025; treat those dates as last season’s until the board posts this year’s.

Who qualifies for LIHEAP under federal law?

Under 42 U.S.C. 8624(b)(2)(B), as published in the U.S. Code text at Cornell Law School’s Legal Information Institute, eligible households have incomes not above the greater of 150 percent of the state poverty level or 60 percent of state median income. That is the federal ceiling. States may set lower limits, so your state’s application page decides. We do not list a federal funding figure for fiscal year 2027 here.

Heating help and shutoff dates to mark

The printable puts both tables on one page in date order, with a Done box for each step and a count of days before June 30, 2027, when New Jersey’s window closes. Ohio, Minnesota and Connecticut share May 31, 2027, and the sheet’s note carries Connecticut’s Nov. 1 to May 1 electric moratorium. Rows for New Jersey’s 2026-27 shutoff dates, New York City’s closing date and Wisconsin’s closing date are listed as unconfirmed, because their sources do not give them.

Other benefit dates for the season are in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) payment schedule for December 2026 and the Social Security payment schedule for December 2026. To mark dates by hand, use the November 2026 and December 2026 printable calendars.