If you heat your home with oil, this winter is going to cost more.

State energy data put the average price of heating oil in the Lower Hudson region, which includes Westchester, at $5.429 a gallon in September.

Statewide, a late-September survey showed prices about 65 percent higher than a year earlier.

For a household that burns several hundred gallons a season, that is a real hit to the budget.

Prices move week to week, so the number on your next delivery ticket may differ.

The direction, though, is not in doubt.

There is help, and the main program opens soon.

New York's Home Energy Assistance Program, known as HEAP, is scheduled to open its regular benefit on November 2.

For households that pay directly for oil, kerosene or propane, the base benefit is $900, plus add-ons for some households.

The add-ons include $61 for households in the lowest income tier, or $35 if someone in the home is 60 or older, under 6, or permanently disabled.

Eligibility depends on income and household size.

The state's monthly gross income limits for this season are $3,563 for one person, $4,659 for two, $5,756 for three and $6,852 for a family of four.

Households that receive SNAP, Temporary Assistance or SSI may also qualify.

Do not assume you earn too much without checking.

Applications generally stay open until the money runs out, so applying early matters.

Westchester residents can apply online through the state's myBenefits website once the program opens.

You can also apply in person or by mail through a Westchester County Department of Social Services district office.

For questions, the county's information line is 914-995-3333.

Two smaller programs are already open.

The county lists heating equipment repair and replacement, and furnace clean-and-tune help, as open since October 1 for eligible homeowners.

A tuned furnace burns less oil, which is the cheapest gallon you will find all winter.

If you run out of fuel or face a shutoff later in the season, a separate emergency benefit is scheduled to open January 4.

A few steps can help before then.

Ask your oil company about a budget plan or a price cap, and compare prices from more than one dealer.

Check on older neighbors, who are often the last to ask for help and the first to turn the thermostat down too far.

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