Heating oil averaged $6.08 a gallon in Massachusetts on Sept. 28, up 73% from $3.52 a year earlier, and the state has responded with a new benefit for households that earn too much for regular fuel aid. Middle-income families that heat with #2 oil can get a one-time payment of up to $680, according to the state’s Middle-Income Heating Oil Relief page.
Gov. Maura Healey announced the benefit on Oct. 5 alongside an energy emergency declaration, the governor’s office said. About 50,000 households are expected to qualify.
Who Qualifies for the $680 Benefit
The home must be heated with #2 home heating oil, and the household cannot qualify for the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP). Gross household income must sit above 60% and below 100% of the state median income, the state page says.
That test is why the benefit reaches families that usually miss out on aid. For a household of four, the range runs from $103,050 to $171,749. Fuel help takes other shapes elsewhere, such as in Ohio, where the crisis program offers up to $1,200 for fuel oil. Readers watching their own energy bills can also browse energy-efficient home improvement tips…