Julia Anderson
What is your biggest monthly expense? If you are like most, it is probably rent or your mortgage. What comes next? Unless you have a car payment, your next biggest bill could be utilities, especially if you live in a climate that requires your AC or heater to run for long times to keep things comfortable.
This is why it comes as no surprise that so many people are entering “I need help paying my electric bill” into Google as utility costs are increasing. And unlike other bills such as your credit cards, you cannot ignore utilities. Why? Because you need to keep the lights on, the water flowing, and your gas and Internet connected so you can live comfortably and your family can function.
2023
Tax Forgiveness
We know how challenging it can be to pay off your tax debt.
The IRS just announced the 2023 Fresh Start Program, to qualify more people for tax relief!
If you are looking for places that can help with electric bills, look no further. Here are the top resources that offer utility bill assistance for low-income families and others who find themselves in need:
Table Of Contents: Emergency Help With Utility Bills
- Help With Electric Bills From 211
- How LIHEAP Offers Help With Electric Bills
- Get Cash From TANF To Pay Your Electric Bill
- Light Bill Assistance From Community Action Agencies
- Ask Your Provider For Help With Electric Bills
- Water Bill Assistance Through LIHWAP
- Internet Bill Assistance From The Affordable Connectivity Program
Emergency Help With Utility Bills
Do you need light bill assistance? Do you fear that your water is about to be shut off? Or is your Internet provider threatening to disconnect your service for nonpayment? Then try these resources that offer emergency help with utility bills or long-term assistance.
Help With Electric Bills From 211
Have you ever called 911 when you had an emergency that caused you to fear for your life? Well, think of 211 as something somewhat similar. 211 are three digits you can dial on your phone to speak to a local operator when you are experiencing a financial emergency, are struggling to stay afloat, or simply need help.
211 is a great number to call when you need emergency help with utility bills since your local operator can quickly direct you to the proper avenue. Depending on where you live, your operator may direct you to a local charity that can pay your past-due utility bills to avoid costly and inconvenient disconnections of service. Examples of such charities known to offer utility bill assistance include Catholic Charities, the Vincent de Paul Society, and the Salvation Army. If none of those light bill assistance options exist in your area, your local operator may connect you with government programs that help with paying utilities or offer service at a discounted cost.
While calling 211 can offer help with electric bills, you can also get other types of assistance from this three-digit hotline. For instance, if you are nearing eviction, your 211 operator can give you a list of nearby homeless shelters, so you don’t end up sleeping on the street. They can guide you toward local soup kitchens and food pantries to keep your family from starving. And if you need healthcare now and cannot afford it, your 211 operator can help you find the low-cost medical attention you need.
Click here to learn more about 211’s utility bill assistance for low-income families, plus other ways it can help you.
How LIHEAP Offers Help With Electric Bills
Has paying your utility bill on time been an issue for a while? Then you may want to consider applying for benefits from the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). Just as SNAP is the most popular government program that helps people buy food to keep their fridges stocked, LIHEAP assists with electric bills to keep the lights on.
Is LIHEAP a form of emergency help with utility bills? Not necessarily, but you may be able to rely on LIHEAP for paying a past-due electric bill or two if you are facing a disconnection of service for nonpayment. What primary purpose does LIHEAP serve, then? To offer long-term utility bill assistance for low-income families by covering the heating and cooling costs portions of their monthly electric bills. Before you roll your eyes at that notion and feel like LIHEAP isn’t worth your time, know that by covering your heating and cooling costs, your utility bill can become much more affordable, especially if you’re located somewhere with frigid winters or scorching hot summers.
Besides paying the occasional past-due utility bill (in exceptional circumstances) or taking care of your heating and cooling costs, LIHEAP can also do the following:
- Repair or replace your damaged heating or cooling equipment
- Weatherize your home to make it more energy-efficient
That first benefit can save you thousands of dollars out of pocket. And that second benefit can significantly reduce your future utility bills and save you even more money by sealing your doors and windows, adding insulation, etc., to your house, so your heater or AC does not have to work overtime.
2023
Tax Forgiveness
We know how challenging it can be to pay off your tax debt.
The IRS just announced the 2023 Fresh Start Program, to qualify more people for tax relief!
How do you qualify for all of LIHEAP’s benefits? By proving that your household needs the program’s financial assistance to keep your utilities connected. This is accomplished by contacting your local LIHEAP office and giving them information regarding your household’s size, income, and more.
Use this search tool to find your nearest LIHEAP office by inputting your state, tribe, or territory. You will also see options to call or email the Energy Assistance Hotline. If you plan on calling, know that you must do so between 9 am and 7 pm Monday through Friday to get assistance.
Will meeting LIHEAP’s eligibility requirements be enough to get utility bill assistance from the program? Ideally, the answer would be yes, but that is not the case. Since the demand for LIHEAP benefits is so high, you could qualify for the program and still not receive its help with electric bills. In fact, estimates show that only 20 percent of qualified households end up receiving benefits from LIHEAP. With applications increasing, you should complete yours now by contacting your local office via the above link to grab your spot in the LIHEAP line before someone else does.
Get Cash From TANF To Pay Your Electric Bill
The other tips in this list offer more conventional ways to get help with electric bills. Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) offers an unconventional way to get the job done.
What is TANF? In a word, some would call it welfare. TANF offers temporary help to families that need it so they can hopefully become financially independent as soon as possible. TANF offers this help via cash assistance that can pay for your essentials such as housing, clothing, food, and bills like utilities. The program also supplies job training to qualified applicants so they can start bringing in a sufficient income of their own.
Is TANF your best bet if “I need help paying my electric bill” is a thought that keeps racing through your mind? No, but since it offers a cash benefit that can be used towards your utility bills, job training, and more to help fix your finances, we thought it deserved a spot in this guide.
Light Bill Assistance From Community Action Agencies
A call to 211 could help you find a local charity that can pay your past-due utility bill. That’s not the only way to get light bill assistance, though, as your local Community Action Agency could offer similar help. For nearly 60 years, Community Action Agencies across the country have helped low-income families and those struggling to stay afloat with utility bill assistance and much more.
If your local Community Action Agency does not offer help with electric bills on its own, one of its volunteers can at least point you in the right direction to fix your issue.
Ask Your Provider For Help With Electric Bills
If they keep calling and sending you bills in the mail requesting payment, you probably won’t see your utility provider as a friend. But the truth is, calling your utility company when you are behind on your bill could be your best option. Why? Because they control whether your utilities get shut off. And contrary to popular belief, your provider would rather keep your utilities connected than play the role of the bad guy.
On the topic of shutoffs, you should know your rights as a consumer when dealing with utility companies. They can disconnect your service if they warn you beforehand, and once disconnected, they can charge you a deposit to regain connection. Although it may seem unfair, especially if you’re already struggling as-is, that deposit serves as an insurance policy should you fail to pay your utility bills in the future. Since states vary in terms of disconnection laws, go here to see how utility shutoffs are handled in your area before speaking to your provider.
Are there instances where utility companies cannot disconnect service, even if you have not paid? Perhaps, as the following exceptions may keep you connected in some instances:
- A member of your household needs electricity because they are on life support, very ill, elderly, or disabled
- Extreme temperatures required your utilities to be on for survival
Beyond those circumstances, you could also protect yourself from a utilities shutoff by setting up a payment plan with your provider since it shows an intent to pay. Call your provider and tell them that you are struggling financially and cannot pay your bill. They will probably offer you payment plans with these standard setups to keep your service on and make your bill more budget-friendly:
- Whatever you owe gets added to future bills, giving you time to come up with ways to increase your income
- Your yearly utility expenses get divided by 12, giving you equal monthly payments so you don’t get surprised by high bills during summer or winter months, when you may use more electricity to cool or heat your home
Water Bill Assistance Through LIHWAP
It’s essential to keep your lights on, but some may say that keeping the water flowing in your home is even more critical. LIHWAP, or the Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program, can help you achieve that goal when times get tough or you don’t make enough cash to pay your utility bills consistently.
Will LIHWAP cover all of your utility expenses? No, as only water and wastewater bills are covered by this program. Still, that can be of immense help, which is why we included LIHWAP on our list of utility bill assistance for low-income families.
Go here to learn more about LIHWAP.
Internet Bill Assistance From The Affordable Connectivity Program
When you think of utility bills, expenses like heating, cooling, water, and gas may come to mind. But since it is so essential to our everyday lives, Internet is now considered by many to be a utility as well.
Households with children need a reliable Internet connection so their kids can complete assignments. You may need the same if you are attending school to further your education as an adult. The Internet can help you shop, pay bills, and complete many more tasks, so if you struggle to pay that bill each month, you’ll be glad to know that something like the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) exists.
As its name suggests, the Affordable Connectivity Program makes Internet service budget-friendly by offering a $30 discount on your monthly bill. That number jumps to $75 per month if you live on Tribal lands. Are you looking for free Internet service? The ACP may provide that if you pick a plan with low enough costs that can be covered entirely by the program.
Do low-cost Internet plans exist? Absolutely, as you can research plans like Comcast Internet Essentials, EveryoneOn, Access from AT&T, Verizon Lifeline, and Connect 2 Compete to find something to fit even the most limited of budgets. And if low-cost Internet wasn’t enough, the Affordable Connectivity Program also offers a $100 discount towards the purchase of a laptop, tablet, or desktop computer so you can get online.
You must make below a certain income to qualify for the ACP. You can also qualify automatically if you receive government assistance via SNAP, public housing, SSI, Medicaid, or other programs.
Eric Tomasso