Can't afford my electric bill — what help is there for seniors?
If you are over 60 and cannot pay your electric bill, the fastest help is your state's Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) crisis payment, which can pay part of an overdue bill directly to your power company, often within 48 hours when your service is about to be shut off.
What this means
- LIHEAP is federal money that each state hands out. Most states keep a separate pot for emergencies, so an overdue notice can move you to the front of the line.
- The payment goes to the power company, not to you. You do not get a check and you do not pay it back.
- Your power company almost always has its own hardship fund and a payment plan. These are two different kinds of help, and you may use both.
What to do first
- Call your state LIHEAP office today and use the words "I have a shut-off notice" or "I am about to run out of power." That phrase opens the crisis pot.
- Call the number on your electric bill next and ask for the hardship fund and a level payment plan. Ask them to put a hold on the shut-off while your LIHEAP application is pending.
- Ask both offices whether your state has a medical hold if anyone in the home uses oxygen, a nebulizer, or a power wheelchair.
- Ask the LIHEAP worker to also sign you up for the Weatherization Assistance Program so next winter's bill is smaller.
LIHEAP Home Energy Assistance
Helps pay heating and cooling bills, and can stop a shut-off in an emergency.
Weatherization Assistance Program
Free insulation, sealing, and heating repairs that permanently lower your energy bill.
Utility Hardship Funds and Senior Shut-Off Protections
Medical baseline rates, winter shut-off protection, hardship grants, and budget billing your utility rarely mentions.
What you'll need
- Your most recent electric bill and the shut-off notice if you have one
- Proof of income for the last 30 days, such as your Social Security award letter or bank statement
- Photo identification and proof of your address
- Social Security numbers for everyone living in the home
Deadlines and timing
- Many states open LIHEAP in October or November and stop taking applications when the money runs out, often by February or March. Apply early even if you are current on the bill.
- A crisis payment usually has to be requested while the shut-off notice is active, not after the power is already off for weeks.
Where to go
- State LIHEAP contact list: https://acf.gov/ocs/map/liheap-map-state-and-territory-contact-listing — pick your state and call the number listed. Expect a short income questionnaire.
- Dial 211 and say "electric shut-off." A person will look up local church and charity funds that pay the part LIHEAP does not cover.
Reviewed by Jason Burns, Editorial Steward · Last verified August 26, 2026
Sources
- LIHEAP program overview · Administration for Children and Families
- LIHEAP state and territory contacts · Administration for Children and Families
Need help today?
- Shut-off notice in hand: call the number on the bill and ask for a medical hold and a payment plan, then call 211.
- No food today: call 211 or the Eldercare Locator at 1-800-677-1116 for a same-week food bank or meal.
- In danger: call 911, or reach Adult Protective Services through the Eldercare Locator at 1-800-677-1116.
Every program on this site is free to apply for. Anyone who asks you to pay to apply, or to “unlock” a government benefit, is a scam — hang up and call Senior Medicare Patrol or 211.
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