Utility Bill Assistance
The Citizens Energy Oil Heat Program
- has delivered millions of gallons of discount home heating oil to poor and elderly households in Massachusetts and other cold weather states since 1979. This unique program helps protect needy families from volatile heating oil prices, which often leave households having to choose between heating the home and paying for other life essentials, such as food, health care, or clothing.
Bill Assistance Programs
Here is a list of state bill assistance programs. Municipal government or non-profit organizations may also offer bill assistance options.
New Jersey ORGANIZATIONS THAT provide FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
- Provides the opportunity for relatives who have a child in their care to easily access information regarding assistance and services available to them. These services include: information and referrals, child care subsidies, wrap around services (i.e. furniture, suitable housing, legal services), and subsidy program which provides a monthly subsidy for children living with caregivers who acquire Kinship Legal Guardianship.
New Jersey Mortgage Help and Foreclosure Aid
- The free program links homeowners with certified housing counselors who can recommend mortgage workout options, including the waiving of fees and penalties or lowered interest rates. If no resolution is reached at the counseling phase, the case moves to mediation, at which time the homeowners may be eligible, based on income, for free legal representation.
- When the first complaint is filed; 60 days later, and again when the lender acts to seize the property. Homeowners are eligible to participate in the program until the time of a sheriff’s sale.
Charity Care Payment Assistance Program
- The New Jersey Hospital Care Payment Assistance Program (Charity Care) is for people who are uninsured and underinsured.
- The New Jersey Hospital Care Payment Assistance Program (Charity Care Assistance) is free or reduced charge care which is provided to patients who receive inpatient and outpatient services at acute care hospitals throughout the State of New Jersey.
- Hospital assistance and reduced charge care are available only for necessary hospital care. Some services such as physician fees, anesthesiology fees, radiology interpretation, and outpatient prescriptions are separate from hospital charges and may not be eligible for reduction
- The NJ WorkAbility Program offers full New Jersey Medicaid health coverage to people with disabilities who are working, and whose earnings would otherwise make them ineligible for Medicaid.
- Eligible to individuals ages 16 to 64; works part time, full time or self-employed and have proof of employment; have a permanent disability certified by SSA or DMAHS; individuals with annual income of not more than $54,948 or $73,644 for couples which are both working and disabled; have unearned income (pensions, child support, interest, etc.) up to $903 per month or $1,215 for couples; have less than $20,000 liquid assets alone or less than $30,000 as a couple
- The Senior Gold Prescription Discount Plan makes available prescription coverage to residents who are ineligible for the Pharmaceutical Assistance for the Aged and Disabled (PAAD) program.
- Senior Gold benefits help to make Medicare prescription drug coverage more affordable by reducing any other out-of-pocket costs associated with that coverage, such as deductibles, co-insurance, and the coverage gap known as the “donut hole.”
- Qualified for 65 years of age or older or 18 years of age or older and receiving Social Security Title II Disability benefits; meet the program’s annual income limit (limit is $10,000 higher than for PAAD); and enrolled in a Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Plan.
State Rental Assistance Program
- The State Rental Assistance Program provides tenant-based and project-based rental assistance grants, comparable to the Federal Housing Choice Voucher Program and shall be terminated upon the award of a Federal subsidy to the same individual or household.
- Reserved for senior citizens aged 62 or older; homeless families with children, graduates of transitional housing programs, and households that are currently participating in a DCA-administered temporary housing assistance program and facing homelessness due to termination of funding; households on the S-RAP waiting list; disabled head of households or spouse.
- NJ FamilyCare is a federal and state funded health insurance program created to help New Jersey’s uninsured children and certain low-income parents and guardians to have affordable health coverage. It is not a welfare program. NJ FamilyCare is for families who do not have available or affordable employer insurance, and cannot afford to pay the high cost of private health insurance.
Pharmaceutical Assistance to the Aged and Disabled (PAAD)
- The Pharmaceutical Assistance to the Aged and Disabled program helps eligible New Jersey residents pay for prescription drugs, insulin, insulin needles and syringes and needles for injectable medicines used for the treatment of multiple sclerosis. Only drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration are covered. Drugs purchased outside the State of New Jersey are not covered, nor is any pharmaceutical product whose manufacturer has not agreed to provide rebates to the State of New Jersey.
The NJ Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)
- The New Jersey Earned Income Tax Credit (NJEITC) is a credit for certain residents who work and have earned income. The credit reduces the amount of New Jersey tax you owe and may also give you a refund, even if you have no tax liability to New Jersey.
Catastrophic Illness in Children Relief Fund Program (CICRFP)
- The Catastrophic Illness in Children Relief Fund is a financial assistance program for New Jersey Families whose children have an illness or condition otherwise uncovered by insurance, State or Federal programs, or other source, such as fundraising. The Fund is intended to assist in preserving a family’s ability to cope with the responsibilities which accompany a child’s significant health problems.
Senior Freeze property tax relief
- The Property Tax Reimbursement/Relief Program reimburses eligible senior citizens and disabled persons for property tax increases. The amount of the reimbursement is the difference between the amount of property taxes that were due and paid for the “base year” (the first year that you met all the eligibility requirements) and the amount due and paid for the current year for which you are applying for the reimbursement, provided the amount paid for the current year was greater. You must meet all the eligibility requirements for the base year and for each succeeding year, up to and including the current year to qualify for the reimbursement.
- The state’s welfare reform program, WorkFirst NJ, emphasizes work as the first step toward building a new life and a brighter future. Our goal is to help people get off welfare, secure employment and become self-sufficient, through job training, education and work activities.
- WFNJ provides temporary cash assistance and many other support services to families through the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program
- The Home Energy Assistance Program helps very low-income residents with their heating and cooling bills, and makes provisions for emergency heating system services and emergency fuel assistance within the Home Energy Assistance Program.
- NJ SHARES is a non-profit organization, established in 1998 by New Jersey’s leading energy companies and non-profit organizations.
- NJ SHARES assists New Jersey neighbors who have fallen behind on their energy bills due to a temporary financial crisis.
- Eligibility is based on income, a demonstrated financial crisis and a history of good-faith energy bill payments, providing relief to those who otherwise would have no means of assistance.
- Upon approval, an individual or household can receive a one-time grant of up to $700 on the heating source and up to $300 on the electric account. Energy grants are applied directly to the bill.
- The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (BPU) has created the Universal Service Fund (USF) program to help make electric and natural gas bills more affordable for low income families. Total gross annual household income must be less than or equal to 175% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) (see below); and must also spend more than 3% of the income for electric or natural gas service. If using electricity, must be spending more than 6% of the income on electricity.