A new report on heating costs from the AARP warns there's a rough road ahead for many older people in New York State this winter. The report says this part of the country could see heating costs rise as much as 13 percent or more. AARP spokesman Dave Irwin says that news is especially troublesome for older New Yorkers.
"Not because they use more energy than their younger counterparts, but because they dedicate much more of their household income to utility expenditures, and that's really coming at a time where they live in a very delicate balance between paying for their prescriptions, their groceries and the basics."
Irwin says there is help for low-income state residents from the Home Energy Assistance Program, or "HEAP" but he notes that funding for HEAP is lower than it was last year.
New York State residents can start applying for HEAP benefits on November 18th.
