In order to help offset growing utility prices, Governor Wes Moore announced that eligible Maryland households will receive higher energy assistance benefits through the Office of Home Energy Programs. The higher benefit amounts and extended eligibility will begin in Fiscal Year 2026.
Governor Wes Moore said today that qualified Maryland households will start receiving higher energy assistance benefits, according to the news release issued on Thursday, July 3. The extra benefits will assist families in adapting to rising energy expenses through the Office of Home Energy Programs of the Maryland Department of Human Services.
“We are standing in the breach at a time when the federal government is passing dangerous, heartless legislation to cut assistance for working families,” Governor Moore remarked. I hear from Marylanders every day requesting assistance in addressing the escalating cost of energy that we observe across the country. As part of our efforts to make Maryland more affordable, we are reaching out to them today. Our efforts to safeguard our citizens and ensure that no one is left behind will not falter.
A household that received between $130 and $575 in electric benefits last year will now receive between $250 and $1,000, and a household that received between $150 and $301 in gas benefits last year will now receive between $300 and $550 in Fiscal Year 2026, thanks in part to increased appropriations for the Strategic Energy Investment Fund. The following benefits are immediately available to households that currently get them:
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP);
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI);
- Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF); and
- Income-Based Veterans Affairs Benefits.
Marylanders who are not automatically eligible are encouraged to apply for energy assistance at MarylandBenefits.gov as new applications are now being accepted.
“Too many Marylanders are concerned about keeping their homes safe and livable year-round due to rising temperatures and skyrocketing energy costs,” stated Rafael L. Pez, secretary of the Maryland Department of Human Services. We’ll do everything we can to help families that have to decide between paying their electrical bills and buying groceries.
More Maryland families are now automatically eligible for energy assistance after Governor Moore signed HB323 into law after the 2023 legislative session. More than 156,000 applications for energy assistance for Fiscal Year 2025 were received by the Office of Home Energy Programs as of May 2025, and more than 117,000 households were approved for benefits.
Visit the Office of Home Energy Programs to learn more about Maryland’s energy assistance programs.
Residents of Maryland are encouraged to get in touch with their local Department of Social Services if they have any questions.
