(Host) State officials say more households are eligible this winter for home heating assistance – but there’s less money to help them pay their fuel bills.
Steve Dale is commissioner of the state Department of Children and Families. He says federal funding is down 41 percent this year compared to last year.
Dale says the federal cut from $25.6 million to $15 million means some people could run out of money to heat their homes later this winter.
(Dale) "We are anticipating it because the seasonal benefits are down because of this significant decrease in federal funding. So we are expecting that people might find themselves in crisis mid-winter as opposed to some people could through the entire winter with a fuel seasonal benefit as we’ve done in the past."
(Host) Dale says it’s possible the lame-duck Congress could boost spending for the program.
About 4,000 more households are qualified to receive benefits this year because the state increased income eligibility levels.