Utility Bill Assistance: Help With Electric, Gas, Water, and Phone Bills

Call Your Utility Before the Due Date

The fastest help usually comes from the company that sends the bill. Call the number on your bill, explain what's happening, and ask:

• Can I get a payment arrangement? Many utilities will split a past-due balance into installments added to your monthly bills. In some states, regulated utilities are required to offer certain plans. Ohio, for example, requires its regulated electric and gas utilities to offer several payment plan options.
• Do you offer budget billing? Budget billing (sometimes called levelized billing) sets a predictable monthly amount based on your average use over the past year, so winter or summer spikes don't arrive all at once. The utility adjusts it periodically, and you usually need to be current on your account to enroll.
• Do you have a hardship or discount program? Some utilities and states offer income-based payment plans or discounts. Ohio's PIPP Plus, for example, bases payments on household income.
• What protections apply to me? Ask whether a medical condition, age, or the season affects when service can be shut off.

Write down who you spoke with, the date, and what you agreed to.

Apply for Energy Assistance (LIHEAP)

The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is federally funded and run by states, territories, and tribes. It can help eligible households with:

• Heating and cooling bills, which is the most common type of help
• Energy crises, such as a shutoff notice or running out of fuel
• In some states, weatherization and low-cost repair or replacement of heating and cooling equipment

Benefits and eligibility rules vary by state. Apply through your state or local LIHEAP office; you can find it through 211 or the LIHEAP program pages (opens in a new tab). Funding is limited, so apply as early as you can.

Lower Future Bills With Weatherization

The Weatherization Assistance Program provides energy-efficiency and health-and-safety upgrades, like insulation and air sealing, at no cost to eligible low-income households. It won't pay a bill that's already due, but it can lower bills going forward. Apply through your state's weatherization agency.

Help With Phone and Internet Bills

Lifeline is a federal program that lowers the monthly cost of phone or internet service for eligible households:

• Up to $9.25 a month off broadband or bundled service, and up to $5.25 for voice-only service
• Up to $34.25 a month for eligible households on Tribal lands
• You can qualify with household income at or below 135% of the federal poverty guidelines, or if someone in your household gets benefits such as SNAP, Medicaid, SSI, Federal Public Housing Assistance, or the Veterans Pension

There's one Lifeline benefit per household. You can apply through the Lifeline National Verifier, a participating phone or internet company, or by mail. The FCC's Lifeline page (opens in a new tab) explains how.

Water Bills

There's currently no federal program that pays household water bills. The temporary Low Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP) has ended, and its funding is no longer available. Some states, cities, and water utilities run their own assistance or discount programs, so ask your water provider directly and call 211 for local options.

Know Your Shutoff Protections

Rules about when a utility can disconnect service are set mostly by states, through state utility commissions, and they generally apply to utilities those commissions regulate. Municipal utilities, rural electric cooperatives, and delivered-fuel companies may follow different rules.

Common protections include:

• Cold-weather rules that limit winter shutoffs, based on dates or temperatures. Most states have them.
• Hot-weather rules in some states during extreme heat.
• Medical protections in most states that can delay a shutoff if a doctor certifies a serious health condition, for periods ranging from days to months depending on the state.

These protections delay a shutoff; they don't erase what you owe, and billing continues. Ask your utility or your state utility commission what applies where you live.

Watch Out for Utility Impostor Scams

Scammers pretend to be your utility and threaten to cut off service right away unless you pay immediately, often by gift card, wire transfer, cryptocurrency, or a payment app. Real utility companies don't do this. If you get a call like that, hang up and call the number on your bill. You can report scams at ReportFraud.ftc.gov (opens in a new tab).

If You Still Need to Borrow

If you've asked for a payment arrangement and applied for help, and you still can't cover a bill, compare the cost of any loan with the late fees and reconnection fees you'd face. For a small gap, a short payment plan with the utility usually costs less than borrowing. Our guide to paying bills in installments walks through the options.