Effective January 1, heating bills assistance benefits will be offered to vulnerable households only if they apply for them. The application together with the documents confirming the household’s low income should be submitted to the respective territorial social assistance departments, Info-Prim Neo reports. Social Protection Minister Valentina Buliga told a news conference today that eligible recipients are the families on social aid and the households whose monthly earnings are below the state-guaranteed minimum income, fixed in the Social Insurance Budget. Eligibility for heating benefits will be determined concomitantly with eligibility for social aid on the basis of a single application. Starting next year, entitled to social aid will also be pregnant women from the 30th week of pregnancy, when pregnant women enter the legal period of incapacity for work. A total of 27,152 households in Moldova currently receive social aid.