Some states provide protection against heating cut-offs during the winter months.
Low-income families and individuals who cannot afford to pay their utility bills and are at risk for shut-off can apply to government agencies and non-profit private organizations for financial assistance. Some states have specific laws and programs to protect impoverished families during the winter months, when having your heating system shut off is especially dangerous. However, eligibility for these programs does not mean automatic enrollment. Regardless of your income or whether you have children, you must apply to qualify.
Energy Assistance Programs
State programs, such as the Maryland Energy Assistance Program, helps qualifying families with their home heating bills. This may also include financial assistance to replace inefficient or broken furnaces, as well as emergency cash payments to stop a utility cut-off. Generally, if you qualify for other benefits like food stamps or child support programs you also qualify for a utilities protection program.
Cold Weather Rule
Some states, such as Minnesota, have a cold weather rule that helps low-income families with the utilities they need to keep their heat working throughout the winter. For instance, in Minnesota, the cold weather rule provides a payment system that averages out the heating cost of a family throughout the year to avoid heating bill spikes from October 15th to April 15th. Under this program, families with an income of 50 percent or less of the state median income do not have to pay more than 10 percent of their income towards heating.
Fuel Assistance
Low-income families in certain jurisdictions can apply for fuel assistance to pay for home weatherization projects, get utility discounts, carry out emergency furnace repairs and cash payments to cover energy bills before they are cut-off. For instance, the Massachusetts Energy Assistance program offers Massachusetts residents the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, or LIHEAP, to families that meet the eligibility requirements of the program. The LIHEAP program is a federal initiative available to all low-income households. The government doesn't pay this directly to low-income individuals, but administers the funds to local agencies for distribution within their communities.
Non-Profit and Faith-Based Organizations
Families and individuals who need financial assistance before a utility shut-off can also appeal to non-profit and faith-based organizations that offer assistance to low-income families with a financial emergency. For instance, the Community Crisis Center in Reisterstown, Maryland offers residents of Reisterstown a financial assistance grant if they face an eviction or a utilities shut-off.
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