Energy Assistance Programs
Other Assistance with Utilities
Protection From Shut-offs
Arrearage Forgiveness Programs
Weatherization
Assistance to Help You Cut Your Energy Use
Information and Help Applying for
Assistance
Finding Help to Resolve Problems
If you are low-income, you may need assistance paying for your utility bills (electric and gas) and energy or deliverable fuel bills (oil, propane gas, and wood). This booklet describes programs that can help you with these costs. You may be eligible for more than one program, so consider applying to all for which you may be eligible.
It may be possible to budget your utility bills throughout the year to avoid having your utility service shut-off, and energy assistance programs can reduce what you must pay each month. Winter is a good time to set up a budget payment agreement because you will avoid the risk of a spring utility shut-off and be able to get the benefits from utility arrearage forgiveness programs (in exchange for regular payments the utility forgives part of your debt). To figure out how much you must pay each month, use the Legal Aid booklet, How to Keep Year 'Round Utility Service/Resolving a Utility Shut-off, available on the web or from the legal assistance offices listed on the back of this booklet.
To find the energy assistance application site nearest your home, call Infoline at 2-1-1. When you apply, you will need proof of income for everyone in the house. Ask what documents you will need to bring when you apply (for example, photo identification, paycheck stubs, Social Security checks, a copy of your gas or electric bill if this is your heat source, etc.). Use the space below to record the information. You can get help in completing your application from the Community Action Agency if you are homebound because of disability or illness and cannot go to an appointment to complete an energy assistance application.
Community Action Agency Energy Assistance Application Site:
Phone number:___________________________ Hours
open:______________________________________
Address: ________________________________________ Documents needed:________________________________
Local Fuel Bank Site:
Phone number:___________________ Hours open: _____________________________________
Address: ________________________________________ Documents needed: _______________________________
For more information on programs described in this booklet, call the Connecticut Energy Assistance Hotline at 1-800-842-1132 or on the web go to www.ct.gov/staywarm.
Apply for energy assistance at the Community Action Agency energy assistance application site for your area (call Infoline at 211). One application covers CEAP (Connecticut Energy Assistance Program) benefits and a request for weatherization assistance (both are described below). Help is available if you are homebound because of disability or illness and cannot go to an appointment to complete an energy assistance application. Applications are taken between the beginning of November and a date set each year, typically between mid-March and mid-April, unless funding runs out before that deadline. To find out the deadline for applications, call 1-800-842-1132.
The Connecticut Energy Assistance Program (CEAP) will help pay your winter heating bills if you are low income. Help is only available for your main source of heat (called "primary heat"). A fixed amount is paid directly to your utility company or your deliverable fuel dealer (oil, propane or wood). If you heat with a deliverable fuel, you are also eligible for a "clean, tune, and test" of your furnace. Additional assistance may be available only to households which heat with deliverable fuels ("crisis" and "safety net" assistance). Benefits are limited and are not likely to cover your full winter bill.
Help is also available when heat is included in your rent. CEAP will pay a small amount of cash to help pay the rent as long as your rent is more than 30% of your income.
Once you have used up your basic CEAP benefits, a one-time crisis assistance payment of up to $200 or $400, depending on household income, may be available to households that heat with deliverable fuels (oil, propane, wood, coal or kerosene). More safety net benefits may be available after that, also limited to deliverable fuels. Households using utility services as the primary heat source cannot get crisis or safety net assistance. Ask for this assistance from the Community Action Agency handling your CEAP benefits.
CEAP Furnace Repair/Replacement: Where a heating system is unsafe or inoperable, repair or replacement is available to some very low-income CEAP eligible homeowners. Contact the Community Action Agency handling your energy assistance application if you need this assistance.
CEAP Food Stamp Related Benefit: Households receiving CEAP can have the Department of Social Services (DSS) calculate their food stamp benefits using the "standard utility allowance" (SUA). This results in higher food stamp benefits when the SUA is more than actual utility expenses.
Operation Fuel provides emergency energy assistance for people who are not eligible for CEAP or who have used up their CEAP benefits. Payments are made directly to the company that supplies the household with energy or utility services. Local fuel banks may also have other funds available. Apply at the fuel bank serving your area. To find your local fuel bank, call Infoline at 2-1-1.Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines Fund
If you or your spouse were in the armed services and were honorably discharged, you may be eligible for assistance that can be used for energy and utility bills. Every town has an application site. For information, call Infoline at 2-1-1.
The best long-term protection from a shut-off is a payment agreement you can afford to keep. However, gas and electric companies cannot refuse at any time during the year to provide service if a lack of service is life-threatening, regardless of the amount of money the customer owes. Protection for low-income persons from winter shut-offs is available under certain circumstances, depending on whether the company provides electric or gas service:
Electric Utilities: Protection from a winter shut-off is available to low-income electric utility customers by applying each fall to your electric company for "hardship" status. "Hardship" customers cannot be shut off between November 1 and April 15, even if they owe the company money. If electric service is shut off, the utility must turn it back on by November 1, even if you are unable to make a payment.
Gas Utilities: Protection from a winter shut-off is available only to low-income gas heat customers by applying in the fall to your gas company for "hardship" status. "Hardship" heating customers cannot be shut off between November 1 and April 15, even if they owe the company money. If gas service is shut off, whether the utility must turn it back on by November 1 depends on the customer’s situation:
* $100; or
* minimum payments due under the payment agreement; or
* 20% of the amount owed when gas was shut off (not the amount of the
final billing after the shut-off).
Whenever possible, if you are low income, you should
An arrearage forgiveness program means that some of the back debt (bills) will be forgiven in exchange for making regular monthly payments on your bill. Households are put on a budget plan which results in forgiveness of back bills to the utility company as long as the household makes the payments agreed to in the budget plan. The arrearage forgiveness programs have two parts: The winter program (November 1 to April 30) and the summer program (May 1 to October 31).
Apply for the arrearage forgiveness program with your utility company. Your local Community Action Agency or fuel bank may also help you apply.
Gas and Electric Heat Customers
Yankee Gas, Southern Connecticut Gas Company (SCG), Connecticut Natural Gas (CNG), Connecticut Light and Power (CL&P) and United Illuminating (UI) must offer low-income customers a payment plan that allows for back bills to be "forgiven" in exchange for making regular payments, if the customer:Notes on Forgiveness Programs and Payment Agreements:
CL&P and UI also have arrearage forgiveness payment programs available to customers who are not eligible for the programs described above. Contact the utility company to find out how to participate in these programs.
Renters and owners who are low-income can get free help to reduce energy use through weatherization and conservation assistance. This assistance helps low-income households make their home or apartment more comfortable while reducing utility and energy bills. Examples of weatherization include insulation, furnace repairs or replacement, storm windows, caulking, refrigerator replacements, information on reducing energy use, cutting down on drafts from outside, and more. In a rental situation, the landlord may need to agree to some of the weatherization services. In some cases, the landlord may be asked to make a small contribution to the property improvement.
Connecticut Housing Investment Fund (CHIF) has low-interest loans with extended repayment periods for weatherizing homes. Low-income homeowners can apply. Call CHIF at 1-800-992-3665.
The Department of Social Services (DSS) will pay for property repairs, including weatherization related repairs, for homeowners on state welfare for families (TFA), State Supplement (AABD) or State Administered General Assistance (SAGA). The repairs must be needed to allow you to remain in your home. Not all repairs are covered. Contact your worker at DSS for detailed information.
Consumer Assistance and Information Unit is part of the DPUC which assists utility consumers. DPUC, 10 Franklin Square, New Britain, CT 06051. Tel: 1-800-382-4586 or 860-827-2622. TDD: 860-827-2837.
Office of Consumer Counsel represents utility customers from throughout Connecticut. 10 Franklin Square, New Britain, CT 06051. Tel: (860) 827-2900.
Legal Aid assists low-income persons with some problems with utility companies. Call Statewide Legal Services at (860) 344-0380 or 1-800-453-3320 for more information. (Hours: Monday and Wednesday: 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.; Tuesday, Thursday and Friday: 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.)
This document was produced by the Legal Assistance Resource Center of CT in cooperation with CT Legal Services, Greater Hartford Legal Aid, New Haven Legal Assistance Association, and Statewide Legal Services.
The information in this document is based on laws in CT as of February 2006. We hope that the information is helpful. It is not intended as legal advice for an individual situation. If you need further help and have not done so already, please call Statewide Legal Services (see above) or contact an attorney.Copyright: February 2006.