Click here to be redirected to the Vermont Fuel Assistance Margin Over Rack Pricing Information.
Fuel assistance funds can only be used for fuel delivered between November 1 and April 30. Benefits cannot be used for repairs, services, or special trip charges. Up to 17% of a client’s seasonal fuel assistance benefit can be applied to a fuel product back balance, but only with their permission.
Certified heating oil, kerosene, and propane suppliers must choose one of the mandate discount pricing programs. Under the Margin Over Rack pricing option the daily price is posted by the fuel assistance office. The Vermont Fuel Assistance Rack Price (VFARP) can be found here. The VFARP is 50-cents above the average of the average rack price in Albany, Burlington, Portsmouth and Springfield. These prices comes from the Oil Price Information Service (OPIS).
A fuel dealer that opts for Discount-Off-Retail (DOR) pricing must provide a 15-cent discount on the daily cash price. This means if a dealer offers discount for cash or prompt payment by non-fuel assistance customers, the 15-cent discount must be deducted from that lower price. While the 15-cent discount also applies for crisis fuel deliveries, the additional cash or prompt payment discount is only required on seasonal fuel assistance deliveries, not crisis fuel deliveries. All community action agencies are under direction to use the dealer of record first when ordering a crisis fuel delivery.
Who is eligible?
A Vermonter may be eligible for fuel assistance if the gross household income is equal to or less than 185% of the federal poverty level based on household size. This is regardless of other resources, such as savings, retirement accounts, property, etc.
To apply for fuel assistance, contact the Vermont Benefits Call Center at 1-800-479-6151