The Universal Service Fund (USF) was created by the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities to help make natural gas and electric bills more affordable for low-income customers.
Apply
You may apply for assistance at any time of year. The LIHEAP application is also an application for the Universal Service Fund. You apply for two benefit programs at the same time.
Benefit
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.
Qualification
To be eligible, a household's gross income meet the income levels listed in the chart below and pay more than 3% of its annual income for electric, or more than 3% for natural gas. If a household has electric heat, it must spend more than 6% of its annual income on electricity to be eligible.
USF benefits are only available to customers of the seven regulated electric (energy) companies in New Jersey which are:
- New Jersey Natural Gas Company
- Elizabethtown Gas Company
- South Jersey Gas Company
- Public Service Electric & Gas Company
- Rockland Electric Company
- Jersey Central Power and Light
- Atlantic City Electric Company