South Jersey Gas Customer Outreach Team
Who are we?
Christina Teel – Customer Outreach Program Specialist
cteel@sjindustries.com – 609-833-1302
David Vinokurov – Customer Outreach Program Specialist
dvinokurov@sjindustries.com – 609-234-1558
What do we do?
- Our team identifies financial assistance programs that are available
to our customers - We communicate programs with customers/community partners
and assist with individual program enrollment. - We operate according to the same 2021-2022 SJG collections
guidelines as does the collections department. - We work with SJG collections team to assess customer accounts and
to place them on budget/payment plans. - We explain “Winter Protection” (November 15-March 15).
- We assist customers with “Emergency Assistance” in the Spring.
(Season starts March 15 – through June, 30th).
South Jersey Gas Outreach Team promotes SJG webpage with utility
assistance programs: https://www.southjerseygas.com/Manage-My-
Account/Financial-Assistance.aspx
Executive Order Extending the Moratorium on Utility Shut Off
On October 15, 2020 Governor Phil Murphy signed an
Executive Order extending the Moratorium on Utility Shut Offs.
- No household may have service (electricity, GAS, or water) shut off for nonpayment through December 31st, 2021.
- Service must be restored if it’s been disconnected during the public health emergency.
- We are strongly suggesting that customers make payments on the account,
so that in 2022 the customer does not have an unmanageable balance.
Energy Assistance Programs for NJ Residence
LIHEAP – Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program
Universal Service Fund-Energy – USF
PAGE Program – Payment Assistance for Gas & Electric
Comfort Partners
Winter Termination Program – WTP
Lifeline Program (Energy Assistance)
NJSHARES
LIHEAP-The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program
- LIHEAP (Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program) is a federally funded program designed to help low-income families and individuals meet home heating and medically necessary cooling costs.
- LIHEAP helps with your yearly heating costs. Eligibility depends on household size, income and geographic region. The application period is from October 1 through June 30th. Note, if you received LIHEAP last year, you may reapply by submitting the state recertification form mailed to those who received a benefit the prior program year or by contacting your Local Application Agency’s Contact
Information. Visit the website for more information rent; and have a gross income
that falls at or below 200% of the federal poverty level.
- Note: Persons who live in public housing and/or receive rental assistance are not eligible unless they pay for their own heating/cooling costs directly to the fuel supplier. The amount of the LIHEAP heating benefit is determined by income, household size, fuel type, and heating region.
Eligibility for LIHEAP Benefits:
- An eligible household that heats with natural gas or electricity may have its benefits directly forwarded to its utility company.
- Households whose heating costs are included in their non-subsidized rent receive a single party check made out to the eligible client.
- LIHEAP heating benefit is determined by income, household size, and heating region.
How to applt for LIHEAP:
- “New Online LIHEAP-USF Application” at: https://njdca-housing.dynamics365portals.us/en-US/dcaid-services/
- The paper application process including the completion of the application, its submission, and all associated follow-up, can be handled by the local application agency in our area.
- If clients have questions about the program during a time when the agency is not open, dial 2-1-1 for information and assistance.
LIHEAP Emergency Assistance:
- Recipients of the federal Low-Income Home Energy Program may be eligible to receive an additional grant of up to $700.00 in LIHEAP Emergency funding.
- To be eligible, you must be a LIHEAP recipient and have received a shut off notice during March 15th- June 30th.
- You may apply for a LIHEAP Emergency Grant at your local agency from March 15 through June 30th each year.
USF-Universal Service Fund (USF)
- The Universal Service Fund (USF) was created by the NJ Board of Public Utilities to help make natural gas and electric bills more affordable for low-income customers.
- You may apply for assistance at any time of year. The FY 2022 LIHEAP application is also an application for the Universal Service Fund. You apply for two benefit programs at the same time.
- Eligible households receive a monthly credit benefit towards their gas and electric bills. The program is funded through the Societal Benefit Fund which is supported by ratepayers.
Eligibility for Universal Service Fund (USF):
- To be eligible, a household’s gross income must be at or below 185% of the Federal Poverty Level and pay more than 3% of its annual income for electric, or more than 3% for natural gas.
- Benefits vary between $5/month to $150/month, not to exceed $1,800 a year. Payments are credited monthly to the utility accounts.
- No money is ever sent to clients.
- USF benefits are only available to customers of the seven regulated Energy companies in New Jersey.
- If a client moves, the USF benefits are stopped until they contact their new utility company and explain to them that that they are receiving USF benefits.
- It is the responsibility of the new utility company to associate the USF benefits to the new account. Once this has been done your USF benefit level will be reevaluated. The level of benefits you receive may change because it is in part based upon the history of utility use in your new location.
- Because the same application is used for LIHEAP and USF, the process and documentation required are the same. For more information about USF, contact your local application agency, call 1.866.240.1347 or go to the state website.
USF Fresh Start:
- If you have a balance of $60 or more on your energy bill as you enter the USF program, you may be eligible for additional benefits under the New Jersey Fresh Start Program.
- The Fresh Start Program is a component of the USF program and is only available during your first year of participation in USF. Fresh Start is a partnership between the customer and USF to forgive past due balances and improve your payment record.
- Participants must pay the current USF-supplemented bill on time and in full every month and after 12 months of full on-time payments, the pre-USF program overdue balance will be erased.
- If you are eligible for Fresh Start when you enroll in USF for the first time, you will be automatically enrolled by your energy company and will be sent additional information about how the Fresh Start program works. For more information call 1.866.240.1347.
COVID 19 County Emergency Rental & Utility Assistance Program
How could this program help our customers?
- The County Emergency Rental and Utility Assistance Program will provide temporary assistance, for up to twelve months, to low and moderate income households that have had experienced a COVID Hardship and Housing Instability due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The twelve months of payments can be used to cure arrears and/or pay current housing costs. The program payments are capped at the total of 12 months rent for the household or the HUD Fair Market Rent level for a same sized housing unit.
- Electric, Water, and Gas Utility expenses are also eligible to be paid with this program.
- The Utility arrearage assistance is available for 15 months. Beginning March 15, 2020 through June 15, 2020, but there is no rule saying that it must be that time period. For example, if a SJ Gas customer made a payment during the time period they could pay March 2020 – July 2021 not including the month paid by the customer which would be 16 calendar months but only 15 months paid by the program.
What Counties are participating in this program?
- Atlantic – Atlantic County Emergency Rental & Utility Assistance Program (ERAP): https://acianj.org/applications/rental-assistance.asp
- Camden – Camden County Rental Assistance: http://www.camdenrentgrant.com/
- Gloucester – Gloucester County Rental Assistance: https://www.gloucestercountynj.gov/1224/Emergency-Rental-Assistance
- Salem – Salem County Rental Assistance: https://nj.gov/humanservices/covid19housingassistance/
SJG Customer Outreach Team Utility Assistance Programs – PAGE
PAGE – (Payment Assistance for Gas & Electric) Program
- The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities funds this program. The program is administered through the Affordable Housing Alliance (AHA).
- This annual program is intended to provide assistance to low-to-moderate income New Jersey residents who are struggling to pay their electric and natural gas bills.
To be eligible you must:
- Be a homeowner or renter living in NJ
- Currently receive gas and electric services from one of NJ providers
- Be facing a crisis situation that includes a documented notice that your gas/electric account is currently 45 days or more past due and/or have received a discontinuation notice
- Demonstrate that 2 payments of at least $25 each have been made within the past 6 months onto the gas and electric account or one payment of $100 or greater within the past 90 days
- Have not received LIHEAP assistance in the last heating season or USF in the last six months
- Meet income eligibility requirements noted on the next slide.
- Household assets must be less than $10,000 or more in savings, stocks/bonds etc.
- Affordable Housing Alliance has partnered with Affiliate agencies in the different counties to assist local clients in completing the application process.
Annual income per applicant household size must fall within the following range:
NJ SHARES- New Jersey Statewide Heating Assistance and Referral Energy Service, Inc.
- Non-profit organization which administers an energy-assistance program that assists households who do not qualify for federal or state energy programs and whose income does not exceed 400 percent of the Federal Poverty Level.
- Applications are taken by more than 230 participating intake agencies at local sites throughout the state. Eligibility is determined by income and household size.
- Customers may benefit for combined assistance (gas and electric) for up to $1,500/year towards their past due bill in a 12-month period.
- Grants are distributed year-round based on funding availability.
Eligibility Guidelines for NJ SHARES
- Reside in New Jersey
- Be experiencing a financial crisis, such as a job loss or illness
- Be behind on their energy bill, or need a fuel delivery
- Have income over the limit for federal programs such as the Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and state programs such as the Universal Service Fund (USF)
- Have an income level that does not exceed 400% of the Federal Poverty Level
- Have made a good-faith payment of $100 or more within 90 days of applying for NJ SHARES (for gas and electric customers; deliverable fuel customers are excluded from this rule)
Guidelines for Senior Citizens and People With s Disability:
- Applicants 65 years of age or older, with households of one or two members, will be eligible for NJ SHARES if the maximum household income is $70,000 annually or $5,833 monthly. Proof of age is required.
- Applicants receiving Federal Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits, with households of one or two members, will be eligible for NJ SHARES if the maximum household income is $70,000 annually or $5,833 monthly. Applicants must show proof of Federal SSD benefit.
Lifeline
- This utility assistance program is designed to help eligible low-income senior citizens and people with disabilities.
- It offers $225 to persons who meet the PAAD (Pharmaceutical Assistance to the Aged and Disabled) eligibility requirements or who receive SSI. This includes utility customers as well as tenants whose utility bills are included in their rent.
- Lifeline benefits are provided only for electric and natural gas consumers. For more information about Lifeline visit the NJ Department of Health website or call 800.792.9745.
Winter Termination Program
- Administered by the BPU, the Winter Termination Program (WTP) protects specific categories of customers from having their gas or electric shut off between November 15th and March 15th.
- Those enrolled in specific programs (such as SSI, Temporary Assistance to Needy Families, USF and Lifeline) are protected by WTP, and an additional “catch-all” category is included for people unable to pay their utility bills because of circumstances beyond their control such as unemployment or illness. - To enroll in this program you must call your utility company and explain why you need this protection.
- For more information on the Winter Termination Program, call 800.624.0241.
NJ Comfort Partners
- This program is designed to improve energy affordability for households who earn less than 225% of the Federal Poverty Level.
- This program objective is accomplished through the direct installation of energy efficiency measures, personalized customer energy education, and counseling.
- Participants are asked to partner with the program to develop and carry out a household energy savings action plan. Comprehensive, personalized energy education and counseling
- For additional assistance, call toll-free at 1.888.773.8326
To file online, go to: http://www.njcleanenergy.com/residential/programs/comfort-partners/comfort-partners
- Households that receive USF, Lifeline and/or Pharmaceutical Assistance to the Aged and Disabled (PAAD) are also eligible.
- The customer must also use the home as a primary residence and be the ratepayer of record with the electric or gas utility.
- If your primary source of heat is oil, propane or kerosene, please contact the NJ Department of Community Affairs, Office of Weatherization at 1.800.510.3102 or call the County Weatherization office that serves your area.
Weatherization Assistance Program
- This program provides free comprehensive energy conservation improvements to reduce residential heat loss and energy consumption. The LIHEAP application is also an application for the Weatherization Assistance Program and the Universal Service Fund (USF).
- You can apply for three energy benefit programs at the same time. Applicants for the Weatherization Assistance Program must have a gross annual income that falls below 200% of Federal Poverty Guidelines.
