Gas Bill Assistance for Veterans: Help With Natural Gas and Propane Heating Bills

This page focuses on heating fuel. For electric, water, and phone bills, and for state veterans funds, see our broader guide to veteran utility assistance programs.

LIHEAP and how VA income is counted

The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is the biggest source of help with heating bills in the country. It is paid for by the federal government and run by each state, usually through local community action agencies. LIHEAP pays the gas company or propane dealer directly. It can cover a regular heating benefit once a season and, in many states, a separate crisis payment when you have a shutoff notice or are almost out of fuel. Federal rules ask states to resolve an energy crisis within 48 hours, or 18 hours when the situation is life-threatening.

Who qualifies

Under the LIHEAP law (42 U.S.C. 8624), states may set income limits up to the greater of 150% of the federal poverty level or 60% of state median income. The same law gives veterans a specific advantage: states may treat a household as eligible if someone in it receives certain needs-tested VA benefits. These are the VA pension for wartime veterans, the Survivors Pension for spouses and children, and Parents' DIC. In practice, that can mean less paperwork and a quicker yes, though each state decides how it uses the rule. The law also says the biggest benefits should go to households with the lowest incomes and the highest heating costs compared with income.

VA disability compensation

Many veterans ask whether their tax-free VA disability check counts as income for energy help. There is no single national answer, because each state defines countable income in its LIHEAP plan. Some states count VA disability compensation, and others leave some of it out. In Texas, for example, the agencies that run the state's program ask applicants for a current VA award letter along with Social Security and other income proof. Before you apply, call your local LIHEAP office and ask, "Do you count VA disability compensation, and do you need my award letter?" A current-year letter is easy to download from VA.gov and often saves a second trip.

To find the office for your area, use the LIHEAP Clearinghouse state search tool or EnergyHelp.us. Our LIHEAP guide explains the application step by step.

SSVF help with a gas bill

Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) is a VA grant program run by local nonprofits. It is meant for very low-income veteran families who are homeless or at risk of losing their home, not for every high bill. If a gas shutoff would make your home unsafe to live in, or is part of a wider money crisis that threatens your housing, SSVF may be able to help.

• What it can pay: current or past-due utility bills and a utility deposit, sent straight to the gas company, under the federal rule at 38 CFR 62.34.
• Time limits: utility help is capped by months in a 12-month and 2-year window, with longer limits for extremely low-income families.
• How to reach it: call the National Call Center for Homeless Veterans at 877-424-3838, any time, or find a provider on VA's SSVF page.

When you call, describe the whole picture: the shutoff date, whether anyone in the home is elderly or medically fragile, and what else is behind. A gas bill on its own, with no risk to your housing, is usually outside what SSVF can cover. Our veteran utility guide explains the SSVF month limits in more detail.

VFW and American Legion grants

Two of the largest veterans service organizations run small, one-time grants that can go toward a heating bill. They serve very different groups, so read the rules before you apply.

VFW Unmet Needs financial assistance

The VFW financial assistance grant helps active-duty service members, including activated Guard and Reserve, and their families when a money problem comes directly from deployment, other military duty, or a service injury. The grant is up to $2,500, does not need to be paid back, and is paid to the creditor, such as your gas company. When we checked on November 7, 2026, the VFW page showed an online "Apply Today" link; you can also call 1-866-789-6333. Veterans who left the service years ago and have a hardship unrelated to service usually do not fit this program.

American Legion Temporary Financial Assistance

Temporary Financial Assistance is for families with children. The child must be under 18 (or still in high school and under 21), and the parent must be a current American Legion member or a service member on federal active-duty orders. The Legion lists utilities among the needs it covers, along with shelter, food, and health costs. It is a single grant of up to $2,500 per qualifying veteran's minor children. You must apply through a local post or your state Legion headquarters, which investigates the need and checks that you have tried other help first.

Gas company hardship funds

Most large natural gas companies collect donations from customers and add company money to a hardship fund. These funds are usually handed out by a local charity, such as the Salvation Army or a community action agency, not by the gas company itself. They tend to be "last resort" money, so the agency may ask whether you have applied for LIHEAP first. Three examples we checked:

• Atmos Energy, Sharing the Warmth. Atmos describes Sharing the Warmth as a customer donation program that passes money to nonprofit assistance agencies in your area to help eligible customers pay gas bills. Atmos does not publish one income limit or amount; the local agency sets those. Atmos serves customers in Texas and several other states; ask customer service (888-286-6700) or dial 211 for the agency near you.
• Columbia Gas of Ohio, HeatShare. According to a Columbia Gas of Ohio announcement, HeatShare is run by the Salvation Army, is open to households up to 300% of the poverty level, and pays up to $450 to keep or restore gas service. Those terms were announced in December 2024, so confirm the current limit when you apply.
• Other gas companies. Spire, CenterPoint, and many regional utilities list their own funds on a "help paying my bill" page. Search your gas company's website or call the number on your bill and ask, "Do you have a hardship fund, and which agency takes applications?"

Tell the agency you are a veteran. Some charities that run these funds keep separate donations for veterans or can refer you to a veterans service officer at the same time.

Gas bill assistance for veterans compared

This table sums up the main options for heating bills. Amounts are the published maximums, not what every household receives.

Propane heat: deliveries, tanks, and summer fills

Many rural veterans heat with propane, and that changes the rules. Propane is a delivered fuel. There is no meter and no monthly shutoff notice. Instead, a dealer will not deliver unless you pay or have a payment promise from an agency, and many dealers have a minimum delivery size. That means the crisis usually starts when the tank gauge drops, not when a letter arrives.

Getting LIHEAP to pay for a delivery

LIHEAP can pay for propane as well as natural gas. The agency normally pays a dealer that has signed up as a LIHEAP vendor, so ask your dealer whether it accepts LIHEAP before you apply, or ask the agency for a list of vendors. If your tank is below about a quarter full and you cannot afford a fill, ask for crisis help right away and say that you heat with propane. Bring a recent delivery ticket or statement showing your account number and the dealer's name.

Leased tanks and running out

If you lease your tank, usually only the company that owns it is allowed to fill it. Switching to a cheaper dealer may mean a new tank and fees, so ask about this before you change. Running completely empty is risky: pilot lights go out, and many dealers must do a leak check before they can turn the gas back on, which can add a service charge. Asking for help at a quarter tank avoids both problems.

Summer fills and prebuy plans

Propane often costs less in late summer than in January. Many dealers offer a "summer fill," a prebuy contract that locks a price for the winter, or a budget plan that spreads the cost over 10 or 12 months. Some states have built this into their programs. Minnesota law, for example, lets the state Commerce Department buy part of the propane used by energy assistance households ahead of winter (Minn. Stat. 216B.0951). If you get LIHEAP, ask your agency whether it offers a prebuy or early-fill option in your state.

Winter gas shutoff rules by state

Every state sets its own rules for disconnecting natural gas. Some ban shutoffs on very cold days, some protect low-income households for the whole winter, and most offer extra time when a doctor certifies a medical need. These rules usually apply to the regulated gas company, not to propane dealers. A few examples show how much they differ:

• Texas: the Railroad Commission's rule at 16 TAC 7.460 bars gas utilities from disconnecting a residential customer on a day when the prior day's high stayed at or below 32°F and the forecast calls for freezing for the next 24 hours. Bills that come due in that weather must be deferred and put on a payment schedule.
• Pennsylvania: under 52 Pa. Code 56.100, gas and electric utilities may not shut off households at or below 250% of the poverty level from December 1 through March 31 without the Public Utility Commission's approval.
• Wisconsin: the state's winter moratorium runs from November 1 to April 15 and protects heating service from disconnection for nonpayment.
• Minnesota: the Cold Weather Rule runs from October 1 to April 30. It is not automatic: you must set up and keep a payment plan with your gas company. It does not cover propane or other delivered fuels.

A winter rule usually delays a shutoff; it does not erase the bill. The balance keeps growing, and spring disconnections are common. Use the protected months to apply for LIHEAP and set up a plan. Our guide to gas shut-off assistance covers reconnection and deposits.

Budget billing and payment plans

Natural gas bills swing more than almost any other household cost. A home that uses little gas in July can use several times as much in January. Two tools from the gas company help with this, and neither one needs an income test in most places:

• Budget billing (also called levelized or average billing) spreads your yearly cost into equal monthly payments, with a true-up once a year. It works best when you start in late summer or fall, before the heating season.
• Payment arrangements split a past-due balance into installments added to your regular bill. Ask for the longest plan available, and for the down payment to be as small as possible. If an agency has promised to pay part of the bill, tell the company; most will hold off on a shutoff while they wait for the pledge.

If you are on a fixed income, such as VA compensation or Social Security, ask whether the company can move your due date to a few days after your deposit arrives. Many will, and it helps prevent late fees.

Lowering the heating bill itself

Help with one bill is welcome, but the next one comes in 30 days. The federal Weatherization Assistance Program pays for free insulation, air sealing, and sometimes furnace repair or replacement for low-income households, and it is often run by the same agency as LIHEAP. Ask about both on one call. Other steps that cost little:

• Have the furnace or space heater checked before winter; a dirty burner wastes fuel and can be unsafe.
• Lower the thermostat a few degrees at night and when you are out, if your health allows.
• Close off unused rooms and seal drafty windows with plastic film.
• Install a working carbon monoxide alarm near sleeping areas whenever you heat with gas or propane.

Veterans with a service-connected disability may also qualify for state property tax relief that frees up money for heating; see our guide to government grants for disabled veterans.

Which door should I knock on first?

1. Call the gas company or propane dealer today. Ask for a payment arrangement, the date of any shutoff, and the name of the agency that runs its hardship fund.
2. Apply for LIHEAP the same week. Say whether you have a shutoff notice or a low tank, and mention any VA pension or Survivors Pension.
3. If your housing is at risk, call 877-424-3838 and ask for an SSVF provider.
4. If you are on active duty with a military-related hardship, apply to the VFW. If you have a child at home and are a Legion member, contact your local post.
5. Ask for budget billing once the balance is under control, so next winter's bills are smaller and predictable.

Related guides

• Veteran utility assistance programs
• LIHEAP: how the energy assistance program works
• Gas assistance for low income households
• Salvation Army help with utility bills

Frequently asked questions

This guide is general information. Program rules, amounts, and funding change, and each agency makes its own decisions. National Relief Program is an independent website and is not affiliated with the VA, the VFW, the American Legion, any gas company, or any government agency.