Help paying your electric bill in New Jersey
New Jersey got $134.6 million in the HHS table, about $39 for each of its 3,478,355 households. Income limit 60% of state median income; public line 800-510-3102. Heating help reached 237,983 households in FY2024.
Who to call in New Jersey
- New Jersey LIHEAP public line800-510-3102
- State program sitenj.gov/dca/dhcr/offices/hea.shtml
- New Jersey Board of Public Utilities800-624-0241 · 609-341-9188 · nj.gov/bpu · complaint form (links checked 2026-10-02)
Shutoff rules and moratoria in New Jersey
New Jersey: cold weather by dates and temperature; hot weather by temperature; health or age needs yes.
| Protection | New Jersey |
|---|---|
| Colder months, by date | November 15 - March 15: Disconnections are restricted for households receiving Lifeline, LIHEAP, TANF, SSI, PAAD or GA or households unable to pay overdue amounts because of unemployment, medical expenses, or recent death of a spouse. |
| Cold temperature | 32°F or below |
| Hot temperature | 90°F or above |
| Health or age needs | Disconnection delayed for up to three months if physician certifies that health of household member would be adversely affected. Customer must enter into a payment plan. |
| Also listed | Customers eligible for the Winter Termination Protection Program are placed on a budget plan and cannot be disconnected as long as they make good faith payments. During the heating season, a utility may not ask for a security deposit. |
Clearinghouse, April 2026; cites NJ Admin Code 14:3-3A.2 - Discontinuance for nonpayment; NJ Admin Code 14:3-3A.5 - Winter Termination Program.
Rule text read, 2 October 2026: N.J. Admin. Code 14:3-3A.1 to 14:3-3A.5 (read 3A.1-3A.7). New Jersey bars residential nonpayment shutoffs whenever the forecast high is 32F or below or 90F or above, and from Nov 15 to Mar 15 for households on assistance programs or in hardship. Notices need 20 plus 10 days, shutoffs only Monday-Thursday daytime, and a medical emergency gives a 90-day bar (extendable by the Board). Quote: “Whenever the high temperature is forecast to be 90 degrees Fahrenheit or more at any time during the following 48 hours”. Source: text of the rule (Cornell LII).
| Point | New Jersey: N.J. Admin. Code 14:3-3A.1 to 14:3-3A.5 (read 3A.1-3A.7) |
|---|---|
| Winter / cold | 14:3-3A.5: Nov 15-Mar 15 "heating season"; no discontinuance for residential customers who show they are on Lifeline, HEAP/LIHEAP, TANF, SSI, PAAD, GA or USF, or are unable to pay due to circumstances beyond their control (self-certification allowed); they must enroll in a budget plan and make good-faith payments; no deposit demanded. 3A.2(e)1: no residential disconnection whenever the forecast high is 32F or below in the next 24 hours, for all residential customers. |
| Heat | 3A.2(e)3: no residential disconnection for nonpayment whenever the forecast high is 90F or more at any time in the following 48 hours (lowest forecast used for cold, highest for heat, from national weather stations). |
| Who is protected | 3A.2(i)-(j): nonpayment disconnection prohibited up to 90 days if a medical emergency exists in the home that disconnection would aggravate; utility may require a written statement from a licensed medical professional and proof of inability to pay; Board may extend. 3A.4(d): utilities must solicit life-sustaining equipment info quarterly; 3A.4(c) phone notice effort to customers over 65. |
| Notice | 3A.3: at least 20 days after the original bill postmark before a notice is sent; written notice by first-class mail as a separate mailing gives at least 10 more days. 3A.2(d)4: utility representative must personally notify an adult or leave a sealed note before cutting. 3A.1(c): only 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Thursday, not Fri-Sun or day before a state holiday. $200 arrears or 3 months in arrears needed (3A.2(a)). |
| Payment plan | 3A.4(h)3: every notice must tell the customer they may contact the utility about a deferred payment agreement. Winter Termination Program customers enroll in a budget plan (3A.5(d)). Detailed deferred-payment rule not read. |
| Who the rule covers | Rules apply to "public utility" / "utility" under the Board of Public Utilities; 3A.2 and 3A.5 expressly cover electric, gas, water and wastewater utilities. Co-ops/munis not addressed in text read. |
| Complaints | Board of Public Utilities, address and phones (609) 341-9188 and 1-800-624-0241 printed on every notice per 3A.4(h)1; customer may dispute under 14:3-7.6 and ask the Board to investigate (3A.4(i)). |
N.J.A.C. 14:3-3A.8 onward, 14:3-7 (deferred payments, disputes), tariffs and recent amendments after the LII snapshot not read; sections cited carry notes through 2022-2024 amendments.
Paraphrase, not legal advice. Rules change; see the shutoff rules guide.
LIHEAP in New Jersey: money, limits, people helped
| Measure | New Jersey | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Funds FY2026 | $134,638,747 = $117,400,027 + $3,548,829 IIJA + $13,689,891 | FY26 table |
| Income limit | 60% State Median Income | snapshot 20 Apr 2026 |
| Benefits FY2026 | Heating: $118 minimum, $1,278 maximum Cooling: $118 minimum, $1,278 maximum Winter Crisis: $800 maximum Weatherization: $13,497 maximum | snapshot 20 Apr 2026 |
| Helped FY2024 | Heating: 237,983 Cooling: 45,624 Winter Crisis: 19,211 Weatherization: 675 | snapshot 20 Apr 2026 |
| Program dates | Heating and Cooling: October 1 - June 30 Winter Crisis: October 1 - June 30 Weatherization: October 1- June 30 | snapshot 20 Apr 2026 |
CSV
CSVNew Jersey in numbers
- New Jersey ranks 22nd of 51 on FY26 LIHEAP dollars per household ($39), 44th on households below the poverty line (10.1%) and 50th on low-income energy burden (5.7%).
- Per household below the poverty line (350,186 of them) the FY26 funds come to $384, rank 16th of 51: 21% of a typical year's electricity ($1,803). (even split, not a payment amount)
- 280,233 households got help in FY2022 against 1,035,631 at or below 60% of state median income in the 2022 LEAD file: about 27% (mixed years).
- Average heating benefit FY2022: $371, 21% of that year.
- Heating season: October 1 - June 30. Counted FY2024: heating, cooling, winter crisis, weatherization.
- Neighbours: FY26 dollars per household run from $35 (Delaware) to $52 (New York); low-income burden from 8.4% (New York) to 10.0% (Pennsylvania). New Jersey: $39 and 5.7%.
Where New Jersey's low-income bills bite hardest
- Highest burden: Salem County 9.2% (9,668 households); Cumberland County 9.2% (24,907 households); Hunterdon County 8.5% (8,522 households); Sussex County 8.4% (12,153 households).
- Most low-income households: Essex County 127,998 (4.9%); Hudson County 102,893 (3.6%); Bergen County 84,601 (4.8%).
21 counties.
Am I likely eligible in New Jersey?
New Jersey sets its limit at 60% of state median income; no estimate here. Median household income is $101,050.
How heavy is the energy bill in New Jersey?
5.7% of income in low-income households, 1.7% overall. Ranking, New Jersey prices.
| Group | Count | New Jersey detail | Standing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Up to 60% of median income | 1,035,631 households | 5.7% of income; $1,613 a year on $28,253 | rank 50 of 51 |
| All households | 3,438,162 households | 1.7%; $2,189 on $127,681 | rank 48 of 51 |
| Below poverty line | 350,186 households | 10.1% of 3,478,355 | U.S. 12.5%; rank 44 of 51 |
| Home price 2025 | 22.63 ¢/kWh | bill $150 a month at 664 kWh | U.S. 17.30 ¢, $152 |
CSV
CSVUtility and state bill programs in New Jersey
- Lifeline Assistance Program Funded from the New Jersey general fund, Lifeline provides a credit on electric or natural gas bills of $225 per year to disabled and senior homeowners and tenants. Beneficiaries of Medical Assistance to the Aged, Medical...
- Universal Service Fund Provides a monthly credit on eligible customer's natural gas and/or electric bills. USF shares and application with LIHEAP. 1-866-240-1347
- New Jersey Shares In order to ensure New Jersey residents are not without access to basic needs, NJ SHAREs has formed a unique partnership with New Jersey's regulated utility companies to provide a variety of different assistance programs....
Excerpts, section of 20 Apr 2026. Utilities: Atlantic City Electric, Citizens Energy, Elizabethtown Gas, Jersey Central Power & Light, New Jersey Natural Gas, Public Service Electric & Gas and 2 more.
New Jersey on the map
Next to New Jersey
Delaware, New York, Pennsylvania. Most FY26 funds per household: New York, $52. New Jersey: $39. All 51.
5 steps if you get a shutoff notice in New Jersey
- Note the notice date.
- Call the utility (New Jersey Board of Public Utilities sets rules).
- Call 800-510-3102 or 211.
- Ask about dates and temperature-based or health protection.
- Unresolved: New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, 800-624-0241.
Sources
Linked above; list on the hub.
Last verified: 2 October 2026. Not legal advice.
Questions
Can New Jersey utilities cut power in winter or summer?
dates and temperature for cold; temperature for heat. 32°F or below
How big is the energy burden in New Jersey?
5.7% of income for low-income households, 1.7% for all; $1,613 a year for the first group.
How many New Jersey households got energy help?
280,233 in FY2022, 237,983 heating in FY2024, average heating benefit $371.
Is LIHEAP money enough for a New Jersey bill?
$384 per poor household, 21% of $1,803.
How much LIHEAP money does New Jersey get?
$134.6 million in FY2026, $39 per household, rank 22 of 51.
What income limit does New Jersey use for LIHEAP?
60% of state median income; median household income $101,050; FY2022 heating standard 292% for four.
How do I apply for LIHEAP in New Jersey?
Call 800-510-3102. Site: https://www.nj.gov/dca/dhcr/offices/hea.shtml