Get Help Paying Rent and Bills: Utilities, Phone, Internet and Water

Help with rent and help with your other bills come from different places. Rent help runs through local rental programs, while utility, phone and internet bills are covered by LIHEAP, your utility's own hardship plans and the FCC's Lifeline discount. This page covers those bills as of October 2026. For rent, see our list of 20 rent assistance programs and our guide to asking your landlord for a payment plan.

Where Each Bill Gets Help

Bill	Main program	Status as of October 2026	How to start
Heating, cooling, electric	LIHEAP	All fiscal 2026 federal funds released to states by April 2026	Local LIHEAP office, or call 866-674-6327 to find it
High energy use in a drafty home	Weatherization Assistance Program	Program year runs July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027	State weatherization agency, then a local provider
Phone or internet	Lifeline	Active: up to $9.25 a month, $34.25 on Tribal lands	Apply through Lifeline, then call a participating provider
Internet	Affordable Connectivity Program	Ended June 1, 2024, when its funding ran out	No new enrollment
Water and sewer	LIHWAP	Ended; the federal office wrapped it up in March 2024	Ask your water utility and 211
Any utility	Payment plan or hardship program	Varies by company and state	Call the utility before the due date

Heating and Electric Bills: LIHEAP and Weatherization

The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) helps pay heating and cooling bills and can help in an energy crisis, such as a shut-off notice. Each state runs it with its own forms, income limits and application season. To find where to apply, call the National Energy Assistance Referral line at 866-674-6327.

All federal LIHEAP money for fiscal 2026 had reached states by April 2026, after delays. The administration's 2027 budget proposal would eliminate the program again, so apply as soon as your state opens and don't wait for a shut-off notice. Our page on financial hardship covers asking creditors for hardship plans.

The Weatherization Assistance Program lowers bills for good by fixing the house rather than paying the bill. An energy auditor tests for air leaks and checks heating equipment, then a crew makes the repairs. Households at or below 200% of the poverty guidelines, or receiving SSI, are eligible; states may instead use LIHEAP's income rules. Renters can apply with the landlord's permission. Expect a waiting list.

Ask Your Utility for a Hardship Plan Before the Shut-Off Notice

Utilities would rather get paid slowly than not at all. Call before the due date and ask for:

• A payment arrangement that spreads the past-due amount over several months on top of your current bill.
• A hardship designation. In Connecticut, for example, households with a financial hardship designation can't be shut off from November 1 to May 1 if they keep paying on a current bill or arrangement.
• Medical protection. Many states delay a shut-off when a doctor certifies a serious illness. Michigan, for example, allows medical holds of up to 21 days, up to 63 days in a year per household member.
• Discount rates or arrearage forgiveness, which some utilities offer to low-income customers.

Rules differ by state. Your state's public utility commission website lists the protections that apply to you.

Phone and Internet: Lifeline After the ACP

The Affordable Connectivity Program, which more than 23 million households relied on for cheaper internet, ended on June 1, 2024, when its funding ran out. Lifeline is the federal discount still running.

• Benefit: up to $9.25 a month off phone, internet or a bundle, or up to $34.25 on qualifying Tribal lands.
• Who qualifies: households with income at or below 135% of the 2026 federal poverty guidelines, or with someone on Medicaid, SNAP, SSI, Federal Public Housing Assistance or the Veterans Pension and Survivors Benefit.
• How to apply: apply at lifelinesupport.org or call 800-234-9473, then contact a participating phone or internet company. Oregon and Texas residents apply through their state.

Also ask your internet provider whether it has its own low-income plan. The FCC has warned that some provider websites still advertise the ACP, so don't enter personal details on any site that claims to enroll you in it.

Water and Sewer Bills After LIHWAP Ended

The Low Income Household Water Assistance Program was a pandemic-era program. The federal Office of Community Services wrapped it up in March 2024, and its benefits are no longer available. For water help now:

• Ask your water utility about a customer assistance program, a payment plan or a leak adjustment if a leak caused a high bill.
• Call 211 and ask about local water bill help. Some cities and charities fund their own.
• If water is included in your rent, a rent assistance program may cover it.

Smooth Out Seasonal Bills With Budget Billing

Budget billing doesn't lower what you owe for the year. It spreads it into equal monthly payments, so a $240 January bill doesn't land on the same month as rent and holiday costs.

The utility averages your last 12 months of use. If your electric bills totaled $1,560 last year, ranging from $95 in spring to $240 in winter, your budget payment would be about $130 a month. At the end of the plan year, the utility compares what you paid with what you used. If you used more, you owe the difference; if you used less, you get a credit.

• Call your utility or use its website to enroll. Many utilities offer it to any customer.
• Check your actual use on each bill so a big settlement doesn't surprise you.
• Keep paying on time. A missed budget payment is still a missed payment and can lead to a shut-off.

If a Bill Can't Wait for a Program

Assistance programs can take weeks to pay. If a shut-off date comes first, ask the utility to hold off while your application is pending. If you still need to cover the gap, LendUp is an online loan-matching service for $200 to $5,000; loans come from licensed lenders in its network, and approval isn't guaranteed. See our emergency cash plan before you borrow.

Frequently Asked Questions