Not paying your bills on time puts your household in danger of losing essential energy and utility services, which places your family's health and well-being at risk. However, regardless of where you live in the U.S., there are local and federal grant programs available that can help you pay your energy and utility bills. The majority of bill assistance programs cater to low-income families, households with ill or elderly members, or families with special circumstances. Even if you fail to qualify for bill payment assistance grants, alternatives are available to assist you in paying your bills.
Instructions
1. Visit your city social services office or your utility service provider to apply for a Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) grant. LIHEAP is a federally funded effort that provides bill payment, energy and winter weatherization assistance in all U.S. states and territories. Assistance is available according to family size, and your household must be at least 150 percent below the poverty level to be eligible in most areas. You must supply proof of income for all working household members or family members who receive unemployment, Social Security or other forms of income. Bring copies of your recent utility bills when you apply, and if you received a shutoff notice, supply the notice to the representative handling your case to receive expedited assistance.
2. Obtain assistance from a non-profit organization or community action agency that specializes in bill payment assistance. Non-profit organizations such as Project SHARE work with the Red Cross and Salvation Army to help low-income families across the nation cover their energy and utility bills. Contact your local Red Cross or Salvation Army to locate non-profit organizations that provide bill payment assistance in your area. Additionally, community action agencies across the U.S. provide bill payment help for elderly and low-income families. Visit the National Association of Community Action Partnership's website to locate a reputable community action agency that provides bill payment assistance in your area. Many of these organizations depend on donations to extend their services, so apply for assistance immediately because funds are typically limited.
3. Determine whether your state provides shutoff protection laws if you are unable to secure bill payment assistance. States like Utah and Massachusetts bar energy and utility providers from cutting off services for low-income and elderly families. Most shutoff protection programs require that applicants exhaust all possibilities to obtain assistance before using the programs as their last resort. Understand that the shutoff protection does not relieve you of the amount due on your energy and utility bills. Your service provider may apply interest to the amount you owe while you retain service under the shutoff protection program, or require that you sign up for a payment agreement to receive the protection.
4. Ask for a discount on your current bill if you do not qualify for bill payment assistance grants or other bill payment assistance alternatives. A bill discount will allow you to submit a partial payment while you retain your service, and buy extra time to obtain the rest of the amount due. In states like Massachusetts, state regulated energy and utility service providers are legally required to provide service discounts for households that receive government assistance, such as food stamps or Section 8. Contact your service provider to determine if government assistance recipients are eligible for discounts.
Tags: bill payment, bill payment assistance, payment assistance, energy utility, shutoff protection
