How to get help with bills from your utility company.
Find how to get help with paying bills or reducing energy usage from a utility company. Almost all electric, gas, and light companies provide assistance to their customers or people facing a financial hardship. Learn how to apply for forgiveness of a utility bill, enter into a payment plan, or get help paying a deposit or really in general preventing a disconnection. Find more details below on utility company assistance programs by state, with links to the contact information.
Utility companies will generally offer emergency help before shutting off the power. There is support for anyone in need, with additional help often aimed at seniors, disabled, and people going through a temporary financial hardship. These resources are offered directly by the company to households that live in their service territory. In addition, a utility company customer service team will often help people find other local resources in their area or state, as the goal is to help prevent a shut off.
Types of assistance generally offered by a utility company
The type of resources available vary by state, utility company, funding levels, and what is offered can even change based on the season. A utility company will also try to ensure that all energy programs are explored for the most vulnerable, such as the elderly or customer’s with a medical condition. Examples of what may be offered to struggling, income qualified customers include the following.
- The companies will provide information on who to get applications to government benefits such as LIHEAP (or your state’s version)
- Many utility companies offer some form of payment plan or give extra time to their customers. Most gas and electric companies will provide the customer additional time to catch on any bills that are past due and/or make partial payments.
- Financial assistance from a utility provider will come in the form of credits, emergency financial help or grant money to help customers pay their electric, heating, or cooling bills.
- In addition, most utility company programs will help low income households save money on their utilities through such services as weatherization, free energy audits or any number of other conservation resources.
Local partnerships are also a core service. Some utility companies will have local non-profit organizations process applications and administer the funds to those who need help. Other providers partner with government agencies, and yet other companies will provide the heating and energy bill assistance directly to customer who apply for support. There are many different options available to struggling customers, no matter where they get their electric, gas, or heating service from.
- As a last resort, customers can also get referred to other non-profits, government programs, and charity services that they may eligible for, including low income energy programs focused on senior citizens or disabled people. Depending on the utility service provider and the applicant’s qualifications, apply for weatherization, grant programs to pay past due bills or emergency financial aid from crisis LIHEAP among other possible referrals.
Free energy conservation services from a utility company
Weatherization isa federal government funded program that provides qualified low income, elderly, and disabled customers with free energy saving enhancements to their homes. What may be done includes, but is not limited too, adding insulation, programmable thermostats, windows, and caulking. Find details about weatherization services from the USDOE.
- Energy company window replacement services are often offered in partnership with local organizations. Together they try to help low-income families conserve energy by offering grants, or the free replacement, of a window. As a significant amount of heat, AC, and energy is wasted from old or inefficient windows. Learn more on how to replace windows for free.
Free inspection / energy audits from utility companies can be an option. Most major utility companies provide some version of this to their customers, no matter the households income. They work with customers to help them save money, take pressure off the utility grid, and even give households free items for reducing power usage. Read more about free energy audits from utility companies.
Energy efficient air conditioners, including a free AC unit (usually a window system), is often offered to a senior or person with a disability. Or a utility company will give someone with a medical condition a free AC unit. A number of utility companies partner with charities and non-profits on these programs and locate a free air conditioning near you.
National and local energy assistance programs supported by utility companies
Low Income Energy Assistance Program/LIHEAP or a local version is the main federal funded program that people can turn to help with past and/or future utility costs. There are two components. One is money for paying regular monthly utility bills, with a focus on helping with heating bills and read more about this LIHEAP grant program or ask your utility company customer service team about it.
- When faced with an imminent shut off of energy or electric service, the federal government funded LIHEAP also offers a crisis assistance program. This part of LIHEAP will help someone facing a disconnection. This has a streamlined application process, so a decision is made in less time. To those that qualify, it provides some form of immediate financial help with more details on the crisis assistance program.
Utility bill relief or forgiveness are plans offered to people in a temporary hardship. Many electric, gas, and light companies will forgive a bill when a customer is facing a crisis - if they meed other criteria as well. This option may be offered to someone who is fact, recovering from a natural disaster or certain low-income families that enter into agreed upon plans. Learn more about how to get utility bills forgiven.
 Disconnection laws need to be followed by utility companies. Sadly many families do face disconnection, even after getting some form of financial help or payment arrangement from their utility company. Luckily most states have rules and regulations in place to protect customers, in particular the disabled, elderly or families with young children. Learn about state government utility disconnection laws.
Low cost, high speed Internet service is another option available in most states. Some cable providers or utility companies, such as Comcast Xfinity, provide assistance to low income families with children as well as single mothers. The access, encouraged by the government can help lower a household’s bill to a fraction of the cost of their usual access, and in some cases a computer is provided to them as well. Continue with low cost Internet access.
Free heating oil programs help customers of utility companies during the winter. Some non-profit organizations, working with energy providers, provide a limited amount of free heating oil to customers in the Midwest and Northeast. This is often done in partnership with utility and gas companies and is offered during the fall, winter, and spring months with more details here on free heating oil.
- Heating oil buying networks partner with many utility providers. While not an assistance program, people can save a substantial amount of money by buying their heating oil in bulk fashion. A number of companies, including energy or natural gas, offer these solutions to their customer during the fall and winter. Learn more about heating oil buying networks.
List of states and utility companies - with their assistance programs
Below is a list of states, with links to a list of utility companies and their contact information for each state. There are natural gas providers, electric companies, and other providers listed for each state as well that provide help to their low income customers. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) also has a list of state and local options in partnership with the LIHEAP Clearinghouse (website: https://liheapch.acf.gov/) which can be a resource.
Most energy companies will try to offer as many grants and emergency financial assistance programs as possible as it is expensive for them to both turn off service and also potentially reconnect a customer’s utilities at a later day. Therefore customer service teams at each utility provider can provide applications for those offerings. As they want to offer them more time to find a solution other than a disconnection.
Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
District of Columbia
Florida
Georgia
Hawaii
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming
We also have topics in our forum about utility assistance programs - whether those directly offered by companies or options from charities or the government. As many people struggle each year to keep the power on, and in our forum discussing utility assistance you can find other real life stories, tips and interact with other people from across the US.
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