The state of Alaska offers a heating assistance program, and a local advocate recommends applying early. 

The cost of heating oil has gone up significantly recently. 

In early 2018 it was $3.07 per gallon.

In January of this year it was at  $4.22, and today that cost has risen to $5.79 per gallon. 

Propane prices, although more stable, have also gone up this year, from $3.99 per gallon to $4.50.

And although the cost of a cord of wood will vary depending on its provenance, prices are being pushed up by the high cost of fuel.

There is a heating assistance program in place at the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services.

Janine Allen, independent living advocate with SouthEast Alaska Independent Living, or SAIL, in Haines, says she has noticed an uptick in the number of households she has been assisting with heating assistance applications. She suspects a statewide increase has slowed down the response times at the department .

“This isn’t a program that moves fast necessarily, so I really encourage folks to get their applications in sooner, we have seen at SAIL kind of a delay, a backlog as DPA processes applications” 

  This backlog could be independently verified.

Answering machine:“ We are currently experiencing a very high call volume, and our service options are limited.  Your position in the queue is 193. Your estimated wait time is less than two hours and fifty five minutes.”

Allen emphasizes the need for sending the correct information. And she can help with that.

“It really important to make sure your application is complete before you send it in, 

You can make the processing of it much faster and smoother. So, one thing we do a lot is look over the application and make sure all the pieces are there.”

“ You go through and you list what kind of a dwelling you live in and how you normally heat your home, and you have to show receipts, they take that and assuming they have everything in your application they  actually credit your account at the different places.

One day, magically there is money on your delta western account, which most people gladly welcome.”

The Heating Assistance Program assists households with income at or below 150% of the federal poverty income guidelines. You may qualify for heating assistance as  a single person if your monthly gross income is below $2.123, a household of four will qualify if that income is less than $4.335  .The benefit is open to homeowners and renters alike.

Here is a link to the heating assistance program.