Atmos Energy Bill Assistance: Sharing the Warmth, Payment Plans, and LIHEAP by State

Atmos Energy bill assistance options compared

Each option solves a different problem. A grant lowers what you owe. A payment plan spreads it out. Budget billing evens out the winter spikes. Most households in trouble use two or three together.

How Sharing the Warmth works

Sharing the Warmth is Atmos Energy's hardship fund. Atmos and its customers both put money in, and the company passes it to nonprofit community agencies in its service areas. Those agencies decide who gets help and how much, and they pay the money directly toward the customer's Atmos bill.

A few things to know before you call:

• You do not apply to Atmos. You apply to the local agency. Atmos's website has an energy assistance agency search, and 211 can give you the same list.
• Residential customers only. Business accounts are not eligible.
• Rules vary by agency. Atmos does not publish a statewide income limit for Sharing the Warmth. Many agencies use the same income test they use for LIHEAP.
• Funds run out. Atmos notes that in several states, help is first come, first served. Calling early in the heating season gives you a better chance.

Some agencies run their own Atmos programs too. In North Texas, for example, Catholic Charities of Dallas lists one-time help of up to $500 for Atmos customers in nine counties. Our Catholic Charities gas bill assistance guide explains how those church-run programs work elsewhere.

If you are in a position to give, Atmos lets customers sign up to donate to Sharing the Warmth through its website. In Colorado, donations go through Energy Outreach Colorado, which receives donor information for tax reporting.

Payment arrangements through Atmos

If you cannot pay a past-due balance in full, ask Atmos for an installment plan. Atmos says these plans have no charge or fee. You can set one up two ways:

1. Log in to the Atmos Account Center and open the Payment Assistance tab.
2. Call Customer Service at 888-286-6700, Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Central.

Atmos says Louisiana customers can spread a balance over up to 12 months. For other states, Atmos does not publish a set length, so ask what term you can get and what your monthly payment will be on top of your current bill. Pick a number you can actually make. In Texas, breaking a deferred payment plan lets a gas utility disconnect without offering a new one.

Business customers can request a commercial plan by email at commercialpaymentplan@atmosenergy.com, also at no charge.

If you have a pending application with a local agency, tell Atmos when you call. Agencies can often ask the utility to note your account while they review your case.

Budget billing and what it does not do

Gas bills can jump sharply in a cold month. Budget billing smooths that out. Atmos calculates your payment from a rolling 12-month average of your bills and recalculates it each billing cycle using your usage and the current cost of gas. So the amount moves a little, but without the winter shock.

Atmos is clear that budget billing is not a discount. You still pay for all the gas you use. Your bill shows a Total Budget Balance that tracks the difference between what you have used and what you have paid. That balance can be a charge or a credit. If you cancel, or if a missed payment ends the plan, the balance comes due on your next bill.

Budget billing is free and open to residential customers, though Atmos says qualifications apply. Sign up in the Account Center or by phone. It works best once you are caught up; if you are behind, pair it with a payment arrangement or assistance first.

LIHEAP agencies in the eight Atmos states

The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program is the largest source of help with a heating bill. It is federally funded and run by each state, usually through local community action agencies. Federal rules let states set income limits up to 150% of the poverty guideline or 60% of state median income, and crisis help must be provided within 48 hours, or 18 hours in a life-threatening situation. Our LIHEAP guide covers the national rules in more depth.

In Texas, LIHEAP is delivered as the Comprehensive Energy Assistance Program, run county by county. See our Texas CEAP guide for how to find the agency for your county. Nationwide, the federal LIHEAP Clearinghouse has a search tool that shows the agency for any state.

Colorado's income-based payment plan

Atmos customers in Colorado have an extra option: the Percentage of Income Payment Plan (PIPP). Instead of paying the full bill, you get a monthly credit so that your gas costs equal a set share of your income. For gas-heated homes, Atmos lists 2% of income for households at or below 75% of the poverty guideline, 2.5% for 76% to 125%, and 3% above that.

• Who qualifies: income at or below 200% of the poverty guideline or 80% of area median income, and you must first get help through Colorado LEAP, Energy Outreach Colorado, or the Colorado Energy Office.
• Debt forgiveness: new participants get a one-time forgiveness of their past-due balance.
• Length: enrollment lasts two program years. Atmos sends an approval or denial notice within 30 days.
• Budget billing: PIPP members are enrolled automatically but can opt out at 888-286-6700.

Apply through Colorado LEAP during the heating season, or through Energy Outreach Colorado year-round. The Colorado Heat Help line is 866-432-8435.

Texas shutoff rules for gas customers

Atmos is the main gas utility for much of North and West Texas. Gas utilities in Texas follow Railroad Commission of Texas rules, which give customers several protections:

• Extreme cold: a utility may not disconnect a residential customer during an extreme weather emergency, defined as a day when the previous day's high did not go above 32°F and the forecast stays at or below freezing for the next 24 hours. Bills that come due during the emergency must be deferred and spread into a payment schedule.
• Serious illness: if shutting off gas would make someone in the home seriously ill or worse, you can ask for a delay with a written statement from a licensed physician. Both must reach the utility within five working days after the bill becomes delinquent. The delay lasts 20 days unless you agree to a shorter time, and you must sign an installment agreement.
• Notice: a disconnection notice must be mailed or hand-delivered at least five working days before the shutoff date.
• Customers 60 and older who occupy the whole home (not a shared unit) can ask to move their due date to the 25th day after the bill is issued, without a penalty.
• Deferred payment plans may include a one-time 5% late penalty but no finance charge.

If Atmos will not work with you, you can file a complaint with the Railroad Commission's Gas Services Department.

Winter and medical protections in other states

Each state's utility commission sets its own rules. The federal LIHEAP Clearinghouse keeps a state-by-state table. This is our summary of what it lists for the other Atmos states; confirm the details with your state commission or Atmos before you count on them.

None of these rules erase what you owe. Bills keep coming during a protected period, so use the time to apply for help and set up a plan.

Lowering future gas bills

Assistance clears a balance once. Lower usage helps every month. Atmos points customers to low-income weatherization programs, which can add insulation, seal leaks, and replace old gas appliances at no cost to eligible households. In Colorado it partners with Energy Outreach Colorado and the Colorado Energy Office; in other states, ask the agency that handles your LIHEAP application.

Simple steps help too: lower the thermostat a few degrees at night, set the water heater to about 120°F, and have a furnace checked before winter so it runs efficiently.

Avoiding fake Atmos calls

Scammers often pose as utility workers and threaten a same-day shutoff unless you pay with a gift card, payment app, or prepaid card. Atmos warns customers about these scams. Hang up and call 888-286-6700 or check your account online. Real shutoffs come with written notice first, and real assistance programs do not charge a fee.

Getting help with a past-due gas bill

1. Check your notice for the amount due and the disconnection date.
2. Call Atmos at 888-286-6700 or use the Account Center to set up a payment arrangement.
3. Contact your local agency through the Atmos locator or 211, and apply for LIHEAP and Sharing the Warmth.
4. Tell Atmos you have applied, and ask whether the agency can request a hold.
5. Use medical or senior protections if they apply in your state.
6. Once caught up, enroll in budget billing and ask about weatherization.

Related guides

• Utility assistance in Dallas County
• Texas utility assistance
• Catholic Charities Dallas hardship help
• Emergency help with utility bills

Frequently asked questions

This guide is general information. Assistance amounts, eligibility, and shutoff rules are set by Atmos Energy, local agencies, and state regulators, and they change. National Relief Program is an independent website and is not affiliated with Atmos Energy or any government agency.