Emergency Help With Utility Bills: Fast Ways to Stop a Shutoff

Emergency help with utility bills: where to start

A shutoff notice is stressful, but it usually gives you some time. Most states require utilities to send written notice days or weeks before they disconnect, and the notice itself often lists programs that can help. Read it closely for the shutoff date, the amount needed to stop it, and a customer service number.

The options below can work together. You do not have to pick one. This table shows what each one does and how fast it usually moves.

If the bill is for gas or heating fuel specifically, our guide to gas shut off assistance goes deeper into heating emergencies.

LIHEAP crisis assistance

The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is federally funded and run by each state, tribe, and territory. Besides regular heating and cooling help, every program has a crisis part for households facing a shutoff, an empty fuel tank, or broken heating equipment.

Key points:

• Speed: federal rules require some form of help within 48 hours of a complete application, or within 18 hours if the situation is life-threatening. Help may start as a pledge to the utility that stops the shutoff while payment is processed.
• Income: states may set the limit as high as 150% of the federal poverty guideline or 60% of state median income, whichever is higher. Many states use a lower limit. For 2026, the poverty guideline is $15,960 for one person, plus $5,680 for each additional person.
• Automatic eligibility: many states treat people who get SNAP, SSI, or TANF as income-eligible.
• Funding: crisis money is limited, and some local agencies run out late in the season. Apply as soon as you get a notice.

To find your local office, use the USA.gov energy bill help page or the LIHEAP Clearinghouse search tool, or dial 211. Our LIHEAP guide explains the application step by step. Applying is free.

Help from the utility company itself

Call the number on your bill before the shutoff date. Say you cannot pay the full amount and want to keep service on. Ask about each of these:

• A payment arrangement. Many utilities let you pay the past-due balance in installments along with your current bill. Some states require utilities to offer one.
• A hold while you apply. Tell them you are applying for LIHEAP or charity help and ask for a short delay. Many utilities will pause collection when an agency pledges payment.
• A hardship fund. Many electric and gas companies run a fund, often paid for by customer donations and given out by a local charity.
• Discount rates. Some utilities and states offer lower rates or percentage-of-income plans for households with low income.
• Budget billing. This spreads your yearly cost into equal monthly payments, so winter bills do not spike.
• Late fee waivers. It does not hurt to ask.

Write down the date, the name of the person you spoke with, and any confirmation number. If you make a plan, keep it. Missing a payment on an arrangement can lead to a faster shutoff the next time.

Medical certificates and vulnerable households

Most states have rules that delay a shutoff when it would harm someone's health. Usually a doctor or other licensed provider fills out a certificate or note saying a person in the home has a serious medical condition, or uses equipment that needs power.

The details vary widely. According to the LIHEAP Clearinghouse summary of state rules, Pennsylvania allows a 30-day delay with a doctor's note that may be renewed, Missouri requires utilities to postpone a shutoff for up to 21 days if it would make a medical emergency worse, and Texas protects residents who would become seriously ill, for up to 63 days. A medical delay does not erase the bill. Use the time to apply for LIHEAP and set up a payment plan.

Many states also add protections for older adults, people with disabilities, and homes with infants. Ask your utility whether you can be listed as a medical or vulnerable customer.

Winter and extreme weather shutoff rules

Many states limit or ban shutoffs during cold months, on very cold days, or during heat waves. The LIHEAP Clearinghouse disconnection policy table collects each state's rules. A few examples from that table:

Rules change, and many apply only to regulated utilities, not to some city-owned utilities or co-ops. Winter protection also does not cancel the debt, and the balance comes due when the period ends. Confirm current rules with your state utility commission, which is listed on the Clearinghouse page.

Charities and local emergency funds

When public programs are slow or out of money, local charities often fill the gap. They rarely pay a whole bill, but a partial payment combined with a payment plan can stop a shutoff.

• 211. 211 is a free referral line. Ask for utility assistance and say you have a shutoff date.
• The Salvation Army runs or helps distribute utility hardship funds in many areas.
• Catholic Charities and St. Vincent de Paul offer emergency help in many communities, regardless of religion.
• Churches and community action agencies. Many keep small funds for neighbors. See our guide to churches that help with utility bills.
• Area agencies on aging for adults 60 and older, and veterans service organizations for veterans.

Our overview of utility relief programs lists more state and national options.

Water and sewer bills

Help with water bills is harder to find. The federal Low Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP) was a temporary pandemic-era program, and it is no longer funded. LIHEAP generally covers heating and cooling energy, not water. Our water bill help guide covers utility assistance plans, charities, and shutoff rules in more detail.

What still works:

• Ask your water utility about a payment plan, a customer assistance program, or a hardship discount. Many larger city utilities have one.
• Ask about a leak adjustment if a high bill came from a broken pipe or running toilet.
• Call 211 for local charity funds that cover water.
• If you rent and water is in the landlord's name, the landlord is usually responsible for keeping it on. Your local tenant rights office can explain the rules where you live.

Phone and internet discounts

A working phone matters when you are dealing with agencies and utilities. The federal Lifeline program gives up to $9.25 a month off phone or internet service, or up to $34.25 on qualifying Tribal lands. You can qualify with income at or below 135% of the federal poverty guideline, or by getting SNAP, Medicaid, SSI, Federal Public Housing Assistance, or the Veterans Pension. Only one Lifeline benefit is allowed per household.

The separate Affordable Connectivity Program ended in 2024, so Lifeline is the main federal internet discount now. Many internet companies also have their own low-income plans.

Lowering bills for the long term

Once the emergency is handled, cutting your monthly cost makes the next bill easier. The Weatherization Assistance Program from the U.S. Department of Energy pays for improvements such as insulation, air sealing, and heating system repairs for households with low income. The Department of Energy says weatherized households save $372 or more a year on average.

Weatherization is free to qualifying households, but waiting lists are common, so apply early. Many states also use part of their LIHEAP money for weatherization or to repair or replace unsafe heating systems. Utilities often offer free energy audits and rebates, too.

Small steps help as well: lower the thermostat a few degrees at night, seal drafts around doors with towels or weather stripping, and run large appliances only with full loads.

If your service is already off

It is not too late. LIHEAP crisis help covers reconnection in most states, and the 48-hour and 18-hour rules still apply. Do these things right away:

1. Call the utility and ask exactly what it takes to reconnect: the past-due amount, any reconnection fee, and any deposit.
2. Apply for LIHEAP crisis help and tell the agency your service is off. If anyone in the home is elderly, very young, or ill, say so, because it may count as life-threatening.
3. Ask about a medical certificate, which in some states can restore service, not just delay a shutoff.
4. Check winter rules. Some states require reconnection during cold months if you pay a set amount and join a payment plan.
5. Stay safe. Never use a gas oven, grill, or generator indoors to heat your home, because they can cause carbon monoxide poisoning. If you cannot stay warm, ask 211 about warming centers or emergency shelter.

Utility scams to avoid

Scammers often pose as utility workers and threaten an immediate shutoff unless you pay at once. Warning signs include a demand for payment by gift card, wire transfer, payment app, or cryptocurrency, and pressure to pay within the hour. Real utilities send written notice before a shutoff.

If you get a call like this, hang up and call the number printed on your bill. Never pay someone who offers to "approve" you for LIHEAP for a fee. Government energy help is free to apply for.

What documents do I need to apply?

Expect to show photo ID, Social Security numbers for the people applying, proof of income for the last 30 days, and proof of where you live, plus any paper that shows the emergency itself. Our document checklist explains what counts for each item and what to do if something is missing. If you don't have everything yet, apply anyway and ask the office how long you have to bring the rest.

Stopping a shutoff, step by step

1. Read the notice for the shutoff date and the amount needed.
2. Call your utility and ask for a payment plan, a hold, and its hardship fund.
3. Apply for LIHEAP crisis help the same day through your local agency or 211.
4. Get a medical certificate if someone in the home has a serious health condition.
5. Check your state's weather rules on the LIHEAP Clearinghouse table.
6. Ask local charities for a pledge to cover what is left.
7. Apply for weatherization to lower future bills.

Related guides

• LIHEAP application
• Weatherization Assistance Program
• Salvation Army emergency assistance
• Grant money for bills and personal use

Frequently asked questions

This guide is general information. Program rules, funding, and shutoff protections are set by each state, agency, and utility and can change. National Relief Program is an independent website and is not affiliated with any utility or government agency.