Utility and energy bill assistance programs Connecticut.
Financial assistance programs in Connecticut are available to qualified customers to help them pay their utility, electric and heating bills. Families across the state can receive hep if they are facing a hardship, an unexpected emergency, or if they qualify as low income. Find resources below including emergency, low income energy bill help below to how to get funds to pay for light bills or to to turn utilities back on. Utility companies offer support as does the government.
In addition to the direct financial assistance for utility bills in CT, also learn about energy bill saving, discount and conservation programs that are offered, including weatherization. Customers can also apply for payment plans or get help pay a deposit in order to turn their power or lights back on.
Government grants and financial assistance for utility bills
State of Connecticut Programs - All Connecticut gas public service companies are required by state laws and regulations to provide customers with an arrearage forgiveness program for paying the bills for gas heating customers. Arrearages are forgiven on accounts if the qualified customer makes regular payments towards their heating and gas bills.
Eligibility criteria for the program include the customer needs to be in arrears of $100 or more that are 60+ days overdue, have had at least $25 paid toward bill by LIHEAP (or other assistance program), and have a low income. In addition, electric also utilities have voluntary arrearage forgiveness as part of budget programs. Call your utility or Gas Company directly and refer to this service/state law.
Low income programs - The two main resources are the LIHEAP Connecticut Energy Assistance Program and also the federal government funded weatherization service. Both prioritize families with children, senior citizens, and the disabled. Cash grants are offered for heating and utility bills. More on Connecticut Energy Assistance Program - CEAP.
- Connecticut Contingency Heating Assistance Program (CHAP) is an assistance program that is often combined with CHAP. The financial aid is for for those households with more moderate to higher incomes than would qualify for the Connecticut Energy Assistance Program. So this is intended to help people who are not just low income. Call your local community action agency or Salvation Army to learn more or to apply for help.
Operation Fuel – This emergency program is offered all across Connecticut. The Operation Fuel program is run by a private, non-profit program that provides emergency help and crisis assistance with paying energy, heating or utility bills for people who are not eligible for CEAP or SAFA. Connecticut's state legislature passed a law requiring all of the state's electric and gas utilities to provide for this program. Contact Operation Fuel's network of 61 fuel banks or your local community action agency. Get more information Operation Fuel energy assistance.
Water bills - A payment plan can provide qualified customers with a cash grant that can be applied towards their outstanding water bills. Funding is very limited, and only a small number of Connecticut families will be able to benefit from this emergency program. The amount that is paid out is also relatively small. Find more information on Connecticut water bill assistance.
Winter heating costs - Some of the options available during the winter include payment plans, government aid, and assistance from your energy company. Your local town or social service office may also offer help in an emergency, and can provide cash grants or fuel. More details on winter heating bill help in CT.
Connecticut utility company payment plans and electric bill help
Connecticut Natural Gas also offers extra Insulation and Weatherization for free to customers who are undergoing a financial hardship. Some of the improvements that can occur include caulking, pipe wrap and insulation, weather stripping. Call the WRAP agency at 1-800-388-9727.
Connecticut Natural Gas offers customers the Matching Payment Plan. The assistance program is for those customers who qualify for matching funds, and people in these situations may see an additional $2 reduction in their monthly gas bill for every dollar that they have paid to the Company. Customers must receive energy bill assistance from other means in order to be eligible for this additional matching program. Call 860.524.8361 or 203.869.6900.
Connecticut Natural Gas provides customers with an Energy Audit. It is basically an onsite energy audit that is performed to provide recommendations of energy conservation measures to the applicant and qualified customer. Each audit performed will include, but is not limited to, a review of the dwellings energy consumption pattern, the number of inhabitants and other variables affecting energy consumption, air infiltration characteristics, and more. There is no charge for qualified/identified hardship customers and is indicated the audit is free. Call the Community Renewal Team at 860.524.8361 or 203.869.6900 to apply.
Connecticut Natural Gas / CNG, also offers low income customers, seniors citizens and others several other payment plans and financial assistance programs. They range from outreach to applications for government assistance, including LIHEAP and weatherization. Budgeting programs may also be offered to CNG customers. More on Connecticut Natural Gas assistance programs.
Connecticut Water Company - They provide service to hundreds of thousands of households across the state. Qualified low income customers may receive grants from the H2O – Help to Our Customers program. Or the company is willing to explore payment plans and other solutions with families. Read more on Connecticut Water Company.
Eversource (formerly Connecticut Light and Power) – If you enter into the Matching Payment Plan and continue to maintain eligibility under the conditions that are established by the Matching Payment Program the customer will see an additional reduction in their past-due amount on their energy or heating bill for every dollar paid to CL&P. For more information on this service dial 800-286-2000.
Eversource (formerly Connecticut Light and Power) offers customers the NUSTART program. It will allow qualified customers the ability to reduce or eliminate their past-due balance on their energy or heating bill if they pay an agreed-upon budgeted amount on time, each month, for their current bill. Call 1800-286-2000 to learn more including the program restrictions.
Eversource (formerly Connecticut Light and Power) offers the Winter Protection Program. This service may be able to protect customers who are facing a financial hardship from electric or heating service shut-offs or natural gas shut-offs for nonpayment on their energy bill during the winter months of from Nov. 1 to May 1. To qualify for this particular program, a customer's total household income will be considered when applying.
In addition, additional criteria that may also qualify a customer for Winter Protection can include, but is not limited to, temporary family assistance, food stamps, aid to the blind, elderly and disabled individuals, Medicaid, general assistance, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), federal government assistance, or a serious or life-threatening illness in the household. Customers still receive their energy bills from Connecticut Light and Power and should try to pay on their bills what they can each month to avoid a larger balance due when the winter protection period ends. Call 800-286-2000 to see if you qualify or to sign up.
Eversource (formerly Connecticut Light and Power) runs the Low-Income Weatherization Residential Assistance Program (WRAP). This is a free program for eligible customers who use more than 2,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity a year to power their home or apartment. Those households with an income of up to 200% of the federal poverty level qualify for the free program. An application is available online or call 800-286-2000 to learn more.
Eversource (formerly formerly Connecticut Light and Power/CL&P) - In addition to the four programs listed above, they offer several other financial assistance, energy conservation, and other programs to low income customers. The utility company is willing to work with people to find a solution to an unpaid energy bill. Learn more on financial help from Eversource.
Southern Connecticut Company – This utility company runs its own version of the Matching Payment Plan. The matching grant program helps qualified low to moderate income customers by matching half of any energy bill paid by you or on your behalf through an energy assistance plan. To learn more or to apply for help call 800.659.8299.
Southern Connecticut Gas helps in other ways as well. They are involved in federal and state resources such as Connecticut Energy Assistance Program (CEAP) and Operation Fuel. Or customers and seniors can explore hardship status for their utility accounts or budget payment plans. Customer service representatives from SCG will work with households in its service territory explore solutions. Click Southern Connecticut Gas programs.
The Windsor Fuel Bank – The program can provide additional fuel and heating assistance, and the aid is made available through the Connecticut Natural Gas customers as well as The Windsor Fuel Bank for CL&P. Funds can be used to help people who do not qualify for other financial assistance programs or programs.
United Illuminating Company. also runs MaPP. This option is a payment arrangement plan that can help qualified low income and customers who are facing a financial hardship pay past due electric and energy bills. Under the MaPP program, if payments on the customer’s bills are current, a past due balance can be waived or "forgiven" over time. Dial 1-800.722.5584
United Illuminating Co. runs the UI HELPS program, which is for those customers on a limited income. The UI Helps program can provide energy-saving and conservation products for your home or apartment, free of charge to the qualified individual. These include-efficient lights, water heater blankets, as well as low-flow shower heads and other energy enhancements. Customers with electrically heated homes may qualify for additional services for this service. Dial 1-800.722.5584
United Illuminating Co., which can be called at 11-800.722.5584, runs a couple different assistance programs. They include the following. Forgiveness Program, which is currently for residential customers who are covered by the Winter Protection Program and who heat their homes or apartment by electricity. These families and individuals may qualify for help. The company will work with the customer to develop a monthly budget agreement and payment plan. If the customer keeps that agreement and stays current with paying their bills, UI will match the customer's payments, so this provides tremendous help to the customer.
About ten other emergency assistance programs are resources are offered by UI. Find more United Illuminating Company financial assistance programs.
Warm Up Fund - Funds for fuel and heating assistance are available for people in Westport and Weston Connecticut. Call Westport 203-227-1743 or Weston 203-226-9178.
Eversource (formerly Yankee Gas) also runs the Winter Protection Program. This is a disconnection protection service, and it will in effect protects hardship customers from electric and/gas service shut-offs or natural gas shut-offs for nonpayment of their bill from Nov. 1 to May 1. To qualify for aid from this program a customer's total household income will be considered when they apply.
Customers will still receive their monthly bills and the customer needs to try to pay what they can each month towards their bill to avoid a larger balance due when the protection period ends. Customers must sign up annually for this program as there is there is no automatic renewal for existing participants. Call 800-286-2000, or click here for more details and resources Yankee Gas assistance programs.
Eversource (formerly Yankee Gas)The WRAP program is for low income customers with a total household income at or below 60% of the state median income, and customers that fall into this category may be eligible for free insulation and other energy saving or weatherization measures. Dial 1800-286-2000
Eversource (formerly Yankee Gas), phone numbe is r800-286-2000, administers for its customers the Matching Payment Program. This is similar to above in that it is for customers of this energy company who enter into and keep current with a payment arrangement plan and also receive LIHEAP. For these individuals Yankee Gas will deduct from their monthly utility and/or gas bill an amount equal to the money they have paid towards their bill and the amount received from the government LIHEAP program, up to zero balance.
If your utility company is not listed above, call your local community action agency for more information on federal, local, and state of Connecticut energy programs and additional resources.
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