As a federally funded program to help utility customers pay for winter heating costs remains shut down, the cost of fuel to heat homes is on the rise.

The federal Home Energy Assistance Program is not accepting applications from homeowners, Newsday reported last week, as they face dropping temperatures in the coming days and weeks. HEAP normally opens Nov. 3, and suspension of the program tied to the federal government shutdown could leave those most dependent on the benefit with higher costs as gas and oil prices rise, state officials have said.

Meanwhile, National Grid is telling its approximately 600,000 Long Island customers to expect higher winter costs to heat their homes with natural gas.

"Average residential heating bills are expected to increase about 10.7%, or approximately

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