Help with heating, cooling and utility bills

If you pay your own power, gas or heating bill, several kinds of help can keep the lights on. Here is how the federal energy assistance program works, what your utility company can arrange, and where to apply.

LIHEAP and how to apply

The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, known as LIHEAP, is federally funded and run by states, tribes and territories. It can help with heating or cooling bills, an energy emergency such as a shutoff notice, and sometimes repairs to an unsafe heating system.

You usually apply through a local community action agency or a state office. Application periods, income limits and the help available vary by state, and funds can run out before the season ends, so apply early. The agency decides who receives help.

Renters can apply too. If your heat is included in your rent, ask the agency how your state treats that arrangement.

What your utility company can do

Call the utility before a bill becomes a shutoff notice. Many companies offer payment plans that spread an overdue balance over several months, and budget billing that evens out your monthly charge across the year.

Some utilities run their own discount or hardship programs, and many states limit shutoffs during extreme heat or cold. Ask the customer service line which programs exist and what paperwork they need.

Write down the name of the person you speak with, the date and any plan you agree to. If a shutoff notice still arrives, that record helps you show the company what was arranged.

Have these ready

• A recent bill and any shutoff notice
• Your account number
• Proof of household income
• Your lease if the bill is in a roommate's name

Lowering the bill itself

The Weatherization Assistance Program can pay for insulation, sealing and other repairs that cut energy use, and renters may need the landlord's permission. Your LIHEAP agency can usually tell you how to apply.

Smaller steps help as well. Ask your landlord to fix drafty windows, and check whether your utility offers a free home energy audit.

If the bill is in a roommate's name, agree in writing on how each person pays a share. A missed payment on one person's account can still lead to a shutoff for everyone in the unit.