How to Get Help With Your Electric Bill: Practical Options and Next Steps

If you’re behind on your electric bill or worried you won’t be able to pay an upcoming bill, there are several real programs and offices that routinely handle this problem: your electric utility’s customer assistance department, your state’s energy assistance office (which usually runs LIHEAP), and local community action agencies or nonprofit bill assistance programs.

Most people start by combining two tracks: working directly with the utility for payment arrangements and applying for official energy assistance (like LIHEAP) to cover some or all of a past-due balance.

Quick ways to lower or delay what you owe

The fastest options usually come from your own utility company, because they control due dates, shutoffs, and many discount programs.

Common utility-based options include:

• Payment arrangements or extensions – break a past-due balance into smaller payments or push a due date out.
• Budget billing / levelized billing – even out payments across the year so high seasonal bills are spread over 12 months.
• Low-income discounts – percentage off your bill or removal/reduction of fees for customers who qualify based on income.
• Medical hardship protections – temporary hold on shutoff if someone in the home relies on electricity for medical equipment (often with doctor verification).
• Crisis assistance funds – some utilities run their own “hardship,” “neighbor-to-neighbor,” or “care” funds for one-time help.

Concrete action you can take today:
Call your electric utility’s customer service or visit their local office and say: “I’m having trouble paying my electric bill and I need to know what payment plans or assistance programs you offer.”

You can expect the utility representative to:

• Check your account status (past due amount, disconnection date).
• Offer payment arrangements, a due date extension, or tell you what forms you need for any low-income or medical protection programs.
• Often refer you to your state’s energy assistance/LIHEAP office or a local community action agency if you need more than just a payment plan.

Rules for protections and payment plans vary by state and sometimes by city, so what your utility can do will depend on local regulation and their own policies.

The official agencies that handle electric bill assistance

For formal help with electric bills (especially if you’re low-income or already facing shutoff), there are two main “system touchpoints” most people use:

1. State energy assistance office / LIHEAP office

   • This office (sometimes inside the state benefits agency or state department of human services) administers the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and related crisis programs.
   • They typically help with past-due electric bills, reconnection fees, and sometimes future bills during high-cost seasons.

2. Local community action agency or nonprofit assistance agency

   • These agencies often run local energy funds, charity grants, or act as intake sites for LIHEAP and similar programs.
   • They may also manage emergency funds specifically for shutoff notices, and sometimes can pay the utility directly on your behalf.

How to find the right office:

• Search for your state’s official “energy assistance” or “LIHEAP” portal and look for addresses and phone numbers ending in .gov.
• Look up your county’s community action agency or “emergency financial assistance” through your local United Way referral line or similar information service.
• Call the utility and ask, “Which local agency handles LIHEAP or energy assistance for your customers?” and write down the exact program name and phone number.

Never give personal information or pay “application fees” to websites that are not clearly government (.gov) or well-known local nonprofits; legitimate bill assistance programs typically do not charge to apply.

What you need to prepare before you apply

Electric bill assistance programs almost always require proof that you’re the customer, that you actually owe the amount claimed, and that your income qualifies.

Key terms to know:

• LIHEAP — A federal program run by states that helps low-income households with energy bills, including electric.
• Shutoff notice / disconnect notice — A formal letter from the utility saying your power can be disconnected after a certain date if you don’t pay.
• Primary account holder — The person whose name is on the electric bill; most programs require this person to sign the application.
• Crisis assistance — Additional or faster help for people facing immediate loss of service or who have already been disconnected.

Documents you’ll typically need:

• Most recent electric bill showing your name, account number, service address, and any shutoff or past-due amount.
• Proof of income for everyone in the household, such as recent pay stubs, benefit award letters (like SSI or unemployment), or a statement of no income if applicable.
• Photo ID and proof of address for the primary account holder, such as a driver’s license or state ID matching the service address on the bill.

Other documents often required include Social Security numbers for household members, rental agreements (to show who is responsible for utilities), and sometimes immigration status documents, depending on the program.

Practical step to take today:
Gather and make copies or clear photos of your electric bill, ID, and income documents for the last 30–60 days so you can quickly complete applications by phone, online, or in person.

Step-by-step: how to apply for electric bill assistance

Use this sequence to move from “I’m behind” to having an application in the system and a plan with your utility.

1. Contact your electric utility’s customer service or local office
   Tell them: “I’m struggling to pay and I need information about payment plans and any assistance programs you participate in.”
   Ask specifically whether they have income-based discounts, medical protections, or a hardship fund, and confirm your disconnection date if you received a shutoff notice.

2. Ask the utility which agencies handle assistance for their customers
   Write down the names and phone numbers of any state energy assistance office, LIHEAP program, or community action agency they mention.
   Ask if they can note your account that you’re applying for assistance; some utilities will temporarily hold disconnection once they know an application is in progress, but this is not guaranteed.

3. Locate the official application channel
   Search for your state’s energy assistance or LIHEAP portal (look for .gov) or call the local community action agency the utility named.
   Ask, “How do I apply for help with my electric bill — online, by phone, or in person?” and whether you need an appointment.

4. Prepare and submit your application
   Using your gathered documents, complete the LIHEAP or emergency energy assistance application through the method they specify (online form, phone interview, mail, or in-person visit).
   You can typically expect to sign consents, list all household members and their income, and provide your utility account number so funds (if approved) can be sent directly to the electric company.

5. What to expect after you apply
   After submission, most agencies will enter your application into their system and give you either a confirmation number, a receipt, or an estimated review timeframe.
   It’s common for them to contact you later for missing documents or clarification; if approved, they usually notify your utility directly and send you a letter or notice explaining the amount paid and the period it covers.

6. Follow up with both the agency and the utility
   About a week (or the timeframe they gave) after applying, call the agency and say, “I’m calling to check the status of my energy assistance application for my electric bill.”
   Then call the utility and ask whether they received a pledge or payment notification from the agency and whether your disconnection date has changed or your balance has been reduced.

Real-world friction to watch for

Real-world friction to watch for
A common snag is applications being delayed because one required document is missing or unreadable (for example, a blurry photo of a bill or incomplete income proof). Programs often won’t move forward until every document is in place, so if you’re told anything is missing, send a clear, complete copy right away and confirm they received it to avoid gaps that could lead to shutoff.

Safe extra help, advocacy, and scam warnings

If you’re still at risk of disconnection or your application was denied, there are additional legitimate help sources that do not replace official programs but can support you:

• Local legal aid office – especially if you believe your utility is not following shutoff rules or if you have a medical or disability-related hardship; they can explain your rights under state utility regulations.
• Nonprofit credit counseling agencies – can help you prioritize debts, build a budget around your electric costs, and sometimes work with creditors, though they don’t usually manage utility assistance directly.
• 211 or local information/referral hotlines – can list churches, charities, and seasonal programs that sometimes offer small grants or one-time payments to your utility.

When seeking help:

• Be careful of websites or people who ask for upfront “processing fees” or guarantee approval for bill assistance; legitimate programs do not guarantee results and almost never charge just to apply.
• Only submit your Social Security number, ID, and utility account information through official .gov portals, recognized community agencies, or directly with your utility’s customer service or office.
• If something feels off, you can call your state consumer protection office or utility regulator to ask if a program is legitimate before sharing information.

Once you’ve contacted your utility, identified your state energy assistance or LIHEAP agency, and gathered your core documents (bill, ID, income proof), you’re ready to submit an application through the official channel and follow up with both the agency and the utility about any pledge or payment on your account.