New Hampshire financial assistance directory
Low-Income Help and Resources in New Hampshire
If household costs are hard to manage, New Hampshire has programs that may help with food, housing, utilities, healthcare, child care, and other basic needs. Start with the statewide options below, then follow the district, town, regional, or community-agency route when a program is handled locally.
Money Fit serves New Hampshire residents statewide. If debt or monthly payments are also part of the problem, call 800-432-0310 or start a confidential debt review.
Where to start
New Hampshire uses NH EASY for many public benefits, while rent, fuel, weatherization, and emergency basic-needs help may route through New Hampshire Housing, Community Action Agencies, town or city welfare offices, and other local providers.
Apply for public benefits
NH EASY is the state's online application and case-management route for programs that can include SNAP, cash assistance, Medicaid, and child care assistance.
Find nearby help statewide
211 New Hampshire is the state's comprehensive information and referral service for food, housing, utilities, healthcare, legal services, transportation, family support, crisis resources, and other non-emergency needs.
Housing or utility help
New Hampshire Housing directs renters to current housing resources, while the state's five Community Action Agencies handle Fuel Assistance, Electric Assistance, weatherization, and other local programs.
Local routing matters in New Hampshire. DHHS District Offices help with public benefits, the five Community Action Agencies divide the state for fuel and weatherization help, towns and cities administer local welfare, and New Hampshire Housing is separate from local housing authorities.
Food assistance
For ongoing grocery help, start with SNAP or WIC when the household may qualify. For food needed sooner, the New Hampshire Food Bank and 211 can help locate local pantries, soup kitchens, mobile distributions, and other meal resources.
New Hampshire SNAP
SNAP provides grocery benefits to eligible New Hampshire households. Applications can be submitted through NH EASY, by telephone, or through a DHHS District Office.
New Hampshire WIC
WIC provides healthy foods, nutrition education, breastfeeding support, and referrals for eligible pregnant and postpartum participants, infants, and children under age five. Local WIC agencies complete enrollment.
New Hampshire Food Bank
The New Hampshire Food Bank is the state's only food bank and works with more than 400 partner agencies. Its food map can help residents find nearby pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, and other partner programs. Mobile food distributions are also offered in different communities during the year.
SNAP Outreach Coordinator: 877-347-7627
Food Bank: 603-669-9725
Housing, rent, and utility help
New Hampshire does not use one statewide emergency-rent application. Housing help is divided among New Hampshire Housing, local housing authorities, Community Action Agencies, town or city welfare offices, legal-aid organizations, and shelter or homelessness providers.
New Hampshire Housing voucher program
New Hampshire Housing administers a statewide Housing Choice Voucher program for very low-income households. Applications remain available through the applicant portal, but demand greatly exceeds the number of vouchers. New Hampshire Housing currently estimates a typical wait of about seven to nine years for most applicants.
New Hampshire Housing: 800-439-7247
Current renter assistance routes
New Hampshire Housing states that it does not provide emergency money for rent, security deposits, moving costs, or one-time renter expenses. Residents with urgent housing costs should check 211, the local Community Action Agency, and the town or city welfare office for current options.
Town or city welfare
New Hampshire municipal welfare offices can provide assistance with basic needs when a household meets local program rules. Depending on the situation, help may involve shelter, rent, heating, utilities, food, prescriptions, necessary transportation, or other immediate needs. Contact the welfare office for the town or city where you live.
Fuel Assistance Program
New Hampshire's LIHEAP program, called the Fuel Assistance Program, helps qualifying households with winter heating costs. Applications are handled by the Community Action Agency serving the household. Current program dates list priority intake in July and August, deliverable-fuel applications from September 1 through October 15, applications for all households and heating types beginning October 15, program opening December 1, and a final application date of April 30.
Electric Assistance Program
The Electric Assistance Program provides qualifying utility customers with a percentage discount on monthly electric bills. The program is administered through New Hampshire's Community Action Agencies, and households can ask about electric assistance during a Fuel Assistance appointment.
New Hampshire Weatherization Assistance Program
Weatherization may help eligible renters and homeowners reduce home energy use through approved measures such as insulation, air sealing, weather-stripping, and certain heating-system repairs. Applications are handled through local Community Action Agencies.
211 New Hampshire and Coordinated Entry
New Hampshire uses Coordinated Entry to connect people experiencing homelessness with available housing and services. 211 can identify emergency shelter, homelessness prevention, Coordinated Entry access, warming centers, and other local housing resources.
603 Legal Aid
603 Legal Aid provides free civil legal information, advice, referrals, and representation to qualifying people facing New Hampshire legal issues. Housing assistance may include eviction, foreclosure, tenant rights, and related matters.
603 Legal Aid: 800-639-5290 or 603-224-3333
Current intake phone hours: Monday-Wednesday, 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Healthcare coverage and clinics
New Hampshire Medicaid covers several eligibility groups, including children, parents and caretakers, pregnant people, older adults, people with disabilities, and qualifying adults under the Granite Advantage program. NH EASY is the main online application route.
New Hampshire Medicaid
Residents can apply for Medicaid through NH EASY or through a DHHS District Office. Different eligibility rules apply depending on age, disability, pregnancy, household composition, income, Medicare status, and long-term-care needs.
DHHS District Offices
District Offices can help residents apply for medical, food, cash, and child care assistance, submit required documents, and resolve case questions. DHHS also accepts many applications and renewals electronically or by telephone.
Community health centers
Federally supported health centers provide primary care and may offer dental, behavioral health, pharmacy, substance-use treatment, and other services. Health centers serve insured and uninsured patients and use sliding-fee programs based on income and family size.
Child care, family, and cash assistance
New Hampshire's Bureau of Family Assistance administers cash assistance and the Child Care Scholarship program. NH EASY and DHHS District Offices can be used to start applications and manage benefit cases.
New Hampshire Child Care Scholarship
The Child Care Scholarship program helps eligible families pay for child care needed for employment, education, or training. Benefit amounts and family cost share depend on current program rules, household income, the child's age, level of care, and provider rates.
Bureau of Child Development and Head Start Collaboration: 603-271-4242
Financial Assistance to Needy Families
FANF is New Hampshire's TANF cash-assistance program for eligible families with dependent children and certain relatives caring for related children. Work-eligible adults may participate in the New Hampshire Employment Program or another employment-support track.
New Hampshire Family Resource Centers
Family Resource Centers provide community-based support for parents, caregivers, children, and families. Services vary by location and may include parenting support, child development, referrals, concrete supports, and connections to public or nonprofit programs.
Head Start and Early Head Start
Head Start programs provide early learning, health, nutrition, and family support for eligible young children and families. Local programs handle eligibility, applications, openings, and waiting lists.
Locator help: 866-763-6481
Work, legal help, and essential services
Job loss, a legal problem, or loss of affordable phone or internet service can quickly affect housing, healthcare, transportation, and the rest of the household budget.
New Hampshire unemployment insurance
Eligible workers who lose employment may qualify for temporary unemployment benefits. New Hampshire Employment Security accepts unemployment claims online and provides claim support through local offices and claimant-assistance staff.
NH Employment Security: 603-224-3311
Claims Representative: 800-685-6588
NH Works and New Hampshire Employment Security
NH Works partners provide job-search assistance, training information, career services, unemployment support, veterans services, apprenticeship resources, and access to the state's Job Match System.
603 Legal Aid
603 Legal Aid provides free civil legal help for qualifying people with New Hampshire legal issues. Areas of assistance include housing, benefits, consumer debt, unemployment, family law, domestic violence, civil rights, and tax issues.
603 Legal Aid: 800-639-5290 or 603-224-3333
Federal Lifeline benefit
Lifeline may reduce the monthly cost of qualifying phone or broadband service. Eligibility can be based on household income or participation in certain public benefit programs.
Lifeline Support Center: 800-234-9473
Older adults, people with disabilities, and caregivers
New Hampshire's Aging and Disability Resource Center network, commonly known as ServiceLink, helps residents understand long-term services, caregiver support, Medicare, Medicaid, and other aging or disability resources. Adult Protective Services handles reports involving incapacitated adults.
ServiceLink Aging and Disability Resource Center
ServiceLink connects older adults, people with disabilities, caregivers, and families with long-term services and supports, caregiver resources, Medicare and Medicaid information, options counseling, and local programs.
ServiceLink: 866-634-9412
ServiceLink Medicare counseling
ServiceLink also provides State Health Insurance Assistance Program and Senior Medicare Patrol services, including free help understanding Medicare coverage, enrollment, cost-saving programs, and healthcare fraud concerns.
New Hampshire Adult Protective Services
APS receives and investigates reports involving suspected abuse, neglect, self-neglect, or exploitation of incapacitated adults. For immediate danger outside normal reporting circumstances, contact local law enforcement or 911.
APS Central Intake: 603-271-7014
In-state toll-free: 800-949-0470
Crisis, safety, and disaster resources
If someone is in immediate danger, has a life-threatening medical emergency, or cannot stay safe, call 911.
New Hampshire 988 and Rapid Response
Call or text 988 for free, confidential crisis support. New Hampshire's Rapid Response Access Point also provides 24-hour mental health and substance-use crisis support and can connect people with mobile crisis teams or community mental health services.
Call or text: 988
Rapid Response: 833-710-6477
New Hampshire statewide helpline
New Hampshire's 12 domestic and sexual violence crisis centers provide free, confidential support for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, human trafficking, and child abuse. The statewide helpline is available 24 hours a day.
24-hour helpline: 866-644-3574
211 New Hampshire
211 New Hampshire is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year for non-emergency health and human-service referrals. Residents can call, text, or search online for food, housing, utilities, legal services, healthcare, transportation, substance-use resources, and more.
Call: 211 or 866-444-4211
New Hampshire and federal disaster assistance
New Hampshire Homeland Security and Emergency Management coordinates state emergency response and recovery. FEMA household assistance is available only after qualifying federal declarations for designated areas and eligible losses, so check current event information before applying.
FEMA Helpline: 800-621-3362
Review the household budget and unsecured debt together
Public assistance may help with food, housing, healthcare, child care, or utilities while credit cards, medical bills, collections, personal loans, payday loans, or other unsecured debts continue affecting the household budget. Money Fit nonprofit credit counseling can help New Hampshire residents review income, expenses, debts, and possible next steps.
A debt management plan may help organize eligible unsecured debts into one monthly payment to Money Fit, which then sends payments to participating creditors. It is not a new loan or debt settlement. Creditor participation, concessions, account treatment, fees, and payment changes can vary.
Money Fit does not provide cash assistance, food benefits, rent assistance, utility benefits, government benefits, or emergency grants. The counseling form below is for help reviewing debt and monthly payments.
Open the Money Fit debt review form
Share a few details so Money Fit can respond to your request. Your information stays with Money Fit and is not sent to a marketplace of lenders or debt companies.
Related Money Fit resources
These resources can help with debt, housing, financial education, and assistance in other states.
