apply for HEAP when husband is a PR

[sebrism 0]

I am a US citizen and my husband Just got his 10year PR card and i know when we orignally filed his papers it said he could not be on governemt assistance for like 10 years.Well our gas has been shut off and we need help from HEAP to get it turned back on,the gas is in my name...but to file the application i have to put my husband on the paper work and I am not sure if we will get in trouble for apply for assistance,any advice on what i should do?

[sebrism 0]

I am a US citizen and my husband Just got his 10year PR card and i know when we orignally filed his papers it said he could not be on governemt assistance for like 10 years.Well our gas has been shut off and we need help from HEAP to get it turned back on,the gas is in my name...but to file the application i have to put my husband on the paper work and I am not sure if we will get in trouble for apply for assistance,any advice on what i should do?

I am a US citizen and my husband Just got his 10year PR card and i know when we orignally filed his papers it said he could not be on governemt assistance for like 10 years.Well our gas has been shut off and we need help from HEAP to get it turned back on,the gas is in my name...but to file the application i have to put my husband on the paper work and I am not sure if we will get in trouble for apply for assistance,any advice on what i should do?

anyone?

[Kathryn41 3,205]

Apply. You are a US citizen and eligible to take advantage of this programme. Listing your husband does not make you ineligible although he is able to share in the benefit. The worst that will happen - and I don't see how it would - is that you might be asked to repay the amount of the benefit he received. This would not be right away, if ever, and since your need is now, apply. You need your gas - winter is coming.

[Kittyfang 6]

Apply. You are a US citizen and eligible to take advantage of this programme. Listing your husband does not make you ineligible although he is able to share in the benefit. The worst that will happen - and I don't see how it would - is that you might be asked to repay the amount of the benefit he received. This would not be right away, if ever, and since your need is now, apply. You need your gas - winter is coming.

I'd like to chime in, as my husband and I have had experience with this. Now, I have been here with 2.5 years of overstay. So, when time came to file for Heap, we were told that even tho my husband is a USC and that our marriage is legit, WE could not apply. However, HE can. Meaning that we filed without putting any information about me. It would have gone as far as him being denied any HEAP services.

I strongly advise that you file for it (unless... maybe what we did was illegal? or wrong? please, if someone know, let me know ). The benfits are great, we get a nice rebate on electricity during winter and they came and "weatherized our house". They installed storm windows, put insulation in the bottom and roof, gave us a brand new front door (the one we had was hanging by it's hinges) and they fixed some whole in the floor (that had been caused by water.

Again, I don't know if not mentioning your spouse on the file is illegal, but that is what the lady at HEAP told us to do.

[antda 13]

Hi Sebrism,

Sorry to hear about your home situation. And yes, by all means possible, get the help that you need so that you don't have to freeze to death this winter!..lol..

HEAP is not a means-tested benefit program, according to the federal government, and as listed on the I-864 forms, which means it does not have to be repaid when getting such. So, by all means, yes, you as the USC and/or your husband as the PR can apply for such for your household. As long as you meet certain income guidelines, and other guidelines, you're good to go there for this program. It varies from state to state as to what those HEAP guidelines are though, so ask accordingly when you apply for such. When you apply for HEAP, it is under one account for each household, regardless of how many people are in the household and whether or not they are a US Citizens. So yes, when you do apply for HEAP, do put your husband's name and information on the forms, and state that they are a PR (and do in fact have legal status here in the USA), as they will ask for such anyways, and no, you cannot lie about that. The main thing they are looking for when applying for HEAP is your overall household expenses (rent/mortgage, heating, other utlilities, other expenses, etc.), household income, the number of people in your household who have legal satus, and depending on that, that mainly determines as to how much HEAP amount you get per year.

If it makes you feel any better, likewise, my family/household applies for HEAP every year (though it is under my USC husband's name as the primary account holder, since he is the one with the main income). We have done such, even when I was a 2yr PR and now as a 10yr PR, and have told them about such, with no problems and not having to repay such. Lol..this reminds me: We have to apply for HEAP this year for our new house...Those heating bills get pretty high!

If worse comes to worse: As well, since you mentioned about your heat being shut off, you as a USC can apply for emergency cash assistance, in case you don't get HEAP in time to cover your bills (note: emergency cash assistance is a means-tested benefit, only USCs can have such).

As for other benefits...It varies from to state to state, as to what they define as "means tested benefits". It's kind of contradictory in ways, where the federally-run USCIS says certain benefits are means-tested benefits while some states may say that it isn't. So do inquire with the specific state that you live in, as to what they say about such when applying for other government programs too.

Hope this helps. Good luck with your HEAP applications and good luck with the rest of your immigration journey too.

Ant

I am a US citizen and my husband Just got his 10year PR card and i know when we orignally filed his papers it said he could not be on governemt assistance for like 10 years.Well our gas has been shut off and we need help from HEAP to get it turned back on,the gas is in my name...but to file the application i have to put my husband on the paper work and I am not sure if we will get in trouble for apply for assistance,any advice on what i should do?

Edited October 10, 2009 by Ant+D+A

[Old Dominion 26]

You need the gas turned back on, bottom line. There is no reason NOT to apply. Then, the two of you, along wth anyone else obtaining govt. help, need to get your heads together, look carefully at how you spend your money, and try to obtain jobs that will support your household.