NH Fuel Assistance Income Guidelines by Household Size

To qualify for New Hampshire’s Fuel Assistance Program in the 2025–2026 program year, your household’s gross income must fall at or below 60% of the state median income. The income guidelines for NH Fuel Assistance scale by household size, starting at $47,604 for a single person and rising to $126,336 for a household of eight.

2025–2026 Income Limits by Household Size

The New Hampshire Department of Energy sets these limits each program year based on the state median income:¹

1 person: $47,604
2 people: $62,252
3 people: $76,900
4 people: $91,548
5 people: $106,195
6 people: $120,843
7 people: $123,589
8 people: $126,336

If your household has more than eight people, contact your local Community Action Agency for the applicable limit. The figures change each year with the state median income, so check the current chart before deciding you do or don’t qualify.

Federal law lets states set LIHEAP eligibility at either 150% of the federal poverty level or 60% of state median income, whichever is higher. New Hampshire uses the 60% state median income standard.²

Gross Income, Not Take-Home Pay

The program measures gross income, meaning total earnings before taxes, retirement contributions, or any other paycheck deductions. Your net pay is not what matters. If your gross pay stubs add up to more than the limit for your household size, you will not qualify even when your take-home amount falls below it.¹

Eligibility is typically based on the household’s income during the 30 days immediately before you submit your application. Every dollar received by anyone in the household during that window counts: wages, Social Security, Supplemental Security Income, pensions, unemployment compensation, child support, and investment income such as interest or dividends.³

That 30-day window can shift the math. If someone in the household started a new job two weeks before you apply, that income counts. A one-time lump sum received in that window counts too. When income fluctuates month to month, timing the application makes a real difference.

Who Counts as Your Household

Under federal law, a household is any individual or group of individuals living together as one economic unit who share energy costs. If you share a heating bill, or your heating costs are rolled into a rent that multiple people pay, everyone contributing is part of the same household for eligibility purposes.⁴ Add every household member’s income together, then compare the total to the limit for that household size.

Homeowners and renters both qualify, including renters whose heat is bundled into their rent.¹ One exception matters: if you live in subsidized housing where heat is already included in your rent, you are generally not eligible, because the heating cost is already covered through the housing subsidy.

Priority for Elderly, Disabled, and Young Children

Federal law requires the program to target households with the greatest need relative to income, especially those with elderly members, people with disabilities, or young children. In New Hampshire, pre-applications for these priority households open after July 1, while applications for everyone else open after September 1.⁵ If your household includes someone elderly, disabled, or a child under six, apply early. Funding can run out.

Documents That Prove You Qualify

Have these ready before you start:

Social Security number documentation for every household member. For the 2025–2026 program year, all applicants must submit this proof for everyone in the household, even if it was provided in past years. This is a new requirement.³
Income proof covering the 30 days before your application date: pay stubs, benefit award letters, bank statements, or similar records for every household member.
Heating and electric account information, including your fuel vendor’s name and account number plus your most recent electric bill. Payment goes directly to the vendor.
A completed Landlord Verification Form if you rent and heat is included in your rent. This form is mandatory, and the application will be denied without it.

Where to Apply

Applications are processed by the Community Action Agency serving your county, not by the state directly. Five agencies cover all ten counties:

Belknap and Merrimack Counties: Community Action Program of Belknap-Merrimack Counties
Hillsborough and Rockingham Counties: Community Action Partnership Hillsborough and Rockingham Counties (CAPHR)
Cheshire and Sullivan Counties: Southwestern Community Services
Strafford County: Community Action Partnership of Strafford County
Coos, Carroll, and Grafton Counties: Tri-County Community Action

The NH Department of Energy website lists contact information for each agency, or you can call 211 for help identifying yours.⁶ The application deadline for the 2025–2026 program year is April 30, 2026.⁵

1
NH Department of Energy. Assistance Programs Eligibility
2
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 42 USC 8624 – Applications and Requirements
3
Community Action Partnership Hillsborough and Rockingham Counties. Fuel Assistance Program 2025-2026
4
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 42 USC 8622 – Definitions
5
Community Action Partnership Hillsborough and Rockingham Counties. Fuel Assistance (FAP)
6
NH Department of Energy. Community Action Agencies