The new Home Energy Assistance Program Grant, also known as Fuel Assistance is a financial assistance program, not a loan, that customers do not have to pay back. To qualify, customers must meet household income criteria based on their household size. A family of four with a four-week gross income of up to $5,526 could be eligible for Fuel Assistance.
To learn more about this program, you can call the Massachusetts HEAP hotline at 1-800-632-8175 where you will be directed to your local Community Action Program Agency (CAP). You can also visit the website masscap.org/heatinghelpma for more information. The deadline for new applications is May 29th.
If you qualify for Fuel Assistance, you will be automatically enrolled in National Grid’s discount rate of up to 32% off their electric and gas bills. You can visit https://www.nationalgridus.com/discount for more information.
National Grid is warning customers to beware of a new phone scam where imposters are demanding immediate bill payment and threatening service disconnection. This latest scam, which is targeting customers already facing hardships due to COVID-19, involves callers who pretend to be National Grid representatives. They tell customers that unless payment is made within 30 minutes, their power will be shut off. The customer is then directed to call “the direct billing department to make a payment and avoid power disconnection.”
Tips to Protect Against Scams
National Grid urges customers to be cautious of scammers and offers the following tips:
National Grid representatives will know your account number; never offer that information to a caller.
Ask the caller to provide the last five digits of your National Grid account number. If the caller doesn’t know your account number, asks questions about your account balance and associated details, or if you have any doubt the caller is a National Grid representative, please take charge and immediately hang up. Call National Grid or local law enforcement officials to report the incident.
National Grid will not contact customers demanding immediate payment by wire transfer, Green Dot Money-Pak or any other pre-paid card service.
Never -- under any circumstances -- offer personal or financial information to someone who you cannot identify.
For more information on scams, visit: nationalgridus.com/Scam-Alert.