Vermont had not issued any winter heating benefits to fuel dealers as of Nov. 10, according to a memo from the Department for Children and Families to the Legislature's Joint Fiscal Committee. The department asks households to wait to call until the week of Nov. 16, and says expanded emergency fuel help is expected to begin serving households on Nov. 30.
The aid is paid to a household's certified fuel dealer, not to the household. Each approved household gets a mailed notice stating the amount issued on its behalf. The department says the timeline "is on track with previous years."
More money, not yet in dealers' hands
Vermont has received 90 percent of its federal heating-aid block grant, known as LIHEAP: $20,347,375. The remaining 10 percent is due in the spring. The state's Emergency Board also approved $15.3 million in state money, as we reported earlier. The memo says it is meant to offset higher heating oil and kerosene prices.
Of that, $12.7 million raises seasonal benefits for about 7,830 households that heat with oil or kerosene. The goal is to cover about 62 percent of their estimated heating needs. Divided evenly, that is about $1,620 per household, a Six State Signal calculation; the memo does not say how individual amounts will be set.
The other $2.6 million, which includes $500,000 for program administration, is meant to double Crisis Fuel Assistance capacity, from about 2,400 households to about 4,800.
What the memo does not say
The memo gives no date by which dealers will be paid. It says the larger seasonal benefits are expected to go out with households' regular fuel benefit issuance, and that staff may not have more information about individual amounts until processing is complete. The department says it has been programming its benefits database since the Emergency Board vote and is still working through processing steps to add the federal and state money.
The committee's agenda also scheduled Matt Cota of the Vermont Fuel Dealers Association to speak on fuel assistance. The meeting packet contains no written statement from the association.
Apply by Nov. 30 for a full benefit
Households that have not applied should do so as soon as possible, the department says. Those who apply through November and are found eligible receive a full benefit. After November, the benefit is prorated by the month of application.
The department's memo is posted with the committee's Nov. 10 meeting materials.
