Last updated: July 16, 2026
Bottom line
If you are behind on an electric, gas, propane, water, or sewer bill in Kansas, call the utility before the shutoff date. Ask for a payment plan and whether an agency pledge can pause disconnection while an application is reviewed.
Kansas Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LIEAP) helps eligible households with winter heating costs. The Kansas LIEAP page says the 2026 application period has ended, and the next application dates have not been announced.
While LIEAP is closed, check utility hardship funds, city water programs, Community Action agencies, Kansas 211, and weatherization. The ASMOM national utility guide explains how energy assistance usually works.
If shutoff is close
- Call the utility and confirm the amount, shutoff date, and smallest payment that can stop disconnection.
- Ask for a written payment plan and whether the account can be held while an agency considers assistance.
- Dial 2-1-1 or text your ZIP code to 898-211 through Kansas 211. Phone, text, and chat specialists are available Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.; the online database is available anytime.
- If a KCC-regulated utility will not explain your options, call the Kansas Corporation Commission at 800-662-0027 or use its consumer help page.
If service is already off, ask about reconnection costs, deposits, and the exact amount required today. The ASMOM Kansas emergency guide lists other urgent help.
Where to start
Start with the type of bill and the utility that serves your home. State rules and programs are different for investor-owned utilities, city utilities, rural electric cooperatives, propane companies, and landlords who include heat in rent.
You have a shutoff notice
Call the utility today. Ask about a payment plan, hardship referral, medical form, and whether an agency pledge will hold the account.
You need winter heat help
Check LIEAP status. The 2026 season is closed, so prepare documents for the next season and use other help now.
You owe a water bill
Call the city or water provider. Water assistance is usually local rather than one statewide Kansas program.
Your bills stay high
Apply for weatherization. It is not emergency cash, but approved work may lower future energy use.
For help beyond utilities, use the ASMOM Kansas assistance guide and Kansas housing guide.
Quick reference table
| Need | Best first step | Reality check |
|---|---|---|
| Winter heating bill | Check DCF LIEAP status | The 2026 window is closed, and the next dates are not posted. |
| Shutoff notice | Call the utility before the date | Assistance may take time to reach the account. |
| Local crisis funds | Contact Kansas 211 | Funds, service areas, and document rules change. |
| Water or sewer bill | Call the city or provider | Programs are local and may have narrow application windows. |
| High monthly bills | Apply for weatherization | It is home energy work, not a payment toward today’s bill. |
| Utility dispute | Contact KCC if regulated | KCC does not regulate every municipal utility or cooperative. |
Kansas LIEAP for winter energy costs
LIEAP is a federally funded program run by the Kansas Department for Children and Families. It provides one benefit per year to help an eligible household pay part of its primary winter heating cost. The payment goes to an approved utility, landlord, or fuel vendor rather than directly to the applicant.
The 2026 application window ran from January 20 through 5 p.m. on March 31, 2026. DCF has not announced the next application period. Do not send an old application and assume it will be held for the next season.
Who could qualify in 2026?
An adult living at the service address had to be personally responsible for heating costs paid to a utility, landlord, or fuel supplier. Total gross income for everyone living at the address could not exceed 150% of the federal poverty level.
| People at address | 2026 gross monthly limit |
|---|---|
| 1 | $1,956 |
| 2 | $2,644 |
| 3 | $3,331 |
| 4 | $4,019 |
| 5 | $4,706 |
| 6 | $5,394 |
| 7 | $6,081 |
| 8 | $6,769 |
| Each additional person | Add $688 |
These limits apply to the closed 2026 season. The next season may use different figures. Benefit amounts also vary by income, household size, home type, heating fuel, and utility rates.
What to prepare
DCF says applicants should provide income proof for everyone at the address, copies of fuel bills, child-support information, and a lease when heat is included in rent, the utility is in the landlord’s name, or the home receives a housing subsidy. All adults living at the residence must sign the application.
When applications reopen, use the DCF self-service portal or request a paper form from a DCF service center. Call 888-369-4777 for benefit assistance. Keep a copy or screenshot showing when the application was submitted.
Food and cash benefits can lower pressure on the utility budget. See the ASMOM Kansas SNAP guide and Kansas TANF guide.
Kansas shutoff rules and winter protection
The Cold Weather Rule runs from November 1 through March 31. It applies to residential electric, natural gas, and water utilities under KCC jurisdiction. Municipal utilities and cooperatives may follow different rules, so ask the provider what applies to your account.
A covered utility cannot disconnect service when temperatures are forecast to fall below 35 degrees within the next 48 hours, except in limited situations. When temperatures are above the protected level, the utility may continue the notice and disconnection process.
You must contact the utility and make a payment agreement. The standard option starts with one-twelfth of the overdue amount, one-twelfth of the current bill, disconnection or reconnection fees, and any required deposit. The remaining overdue amount is spread over the next 11 months. You must also keep paying new monthly bills.
Covered utilities must send written notice at least 10 days before disconnection and try to call or make personal contact the day before. The rule does not erase the debt and does not stop every winter shutoff.
Utility company and local hardship funds
Utility funds are separate from LIEAP. They may use customer donations, company funds, nonprofit partners, or local government money. Apply early because funds may run out.
| Program | Current help | Where to start |
|---|---|---|
| Evergy Cares | Assistance toward an overdue Evergy Kansas balance for eligible customers | Use the Evergy Cares application. |
| Evergy payment help | Payment plans and in-person or virtual assistance | Check Evergy financial help. |
| Share The Warmth | Up to $300 once per year for eligible heating costs in Kansas Gas Service counties | Call The Salvation Army at 816-756-5392, option 2, through its Kansas utility page. |
| Black Hills Energy | Payment arrangements, assistance referrals, and medical extension information | Use Black Hills resources. |
| Kansas City BPU | Hardship and income-based electric and water help of up to $500 | Review BPU payment assistance. |
Evergy warns that assistance may take up to 30 business days to reach an account, so set up a payment plan while the application is pending. BPU says its hardship program requires at least six months of active service and proof of the financial emergency. Its income-based utility program generally uses a limit of 200% of the federal poverty level.
The KCC maintains a regional assistance guide with organizations serving different parts of Kansas. You can also find a local agency through the ASMOM Community Action guide.
Water and sewer bill help
Kansas does not currently have one statewide water assistance program like LIEAP. Call the city or water provider and ask about a payment plan, leak adjustment, deposit arrangement, hardship fund, or nonprofit partner.
Wichita
The City of Wichita’s water assistance page lists a $100 Rate Relief credit for 2026. Applications are accepted from March 15 through December 31, 2026. Applicants must provide proof that their household received 2026 LIEAP.
Topeka
The Community Resources Council posts the current Topeka water program and application. Check the current form before applying because income rules, credits, and deadlines can change by year.
Kansas City, Kansas
BPU’s current assistance page includes electric and water hardship programs, payment arrangements, and an income-based utility program. Its help does not cover deposits or connection and reconnection fees.
If the utility problem is part of a rent crisis, use the Kansas housing resource linked earlier and contact the landlord before a deadline. For other urgent bills, return to the national utility guide linked near the top rather than expecting water help from LIEAP.
Weatherization may lower future bills
Weatherization is free home energy work for eligible Kansas renters and homeowners. It does not pay a past-due bill or stop a same-day shutoff.
The Kansas Housing Resources Corporation weatherization overview says approved homes receive an energy audit. Work may include sealing air leaks, insulation, heating and cooling system checks, water-heater work, and other approved energy measures.
Current eligibility is generally based on income at or below 200% of the federal poverty level. A household is automatically income-eligible when a member received SSI, TANF, or LIEAP within the allowed period. The home must also meet program rules. A home weatherized within the past 15 years is generally not eligible again unless an uncovered disaster damaged the earlier work.
Use the provider map to find the agency for your county. Renters can apply, but the property owner may need to approve the work.
If phone or internet cost makes applications harder, use the ASMOM phone and internet guide.
Documents and information to gather
Call for help even if some documents are missing. Ask what other proof is accepted. The ASMOM documents checklist can help you build one application folder.
| Item | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Photo identification | Helps confirm the applicant and service address. |
| Current utility bills | Shows account numbers, service address, balance, and provider. |
| Shutoff notice | Shows the disconnection date and urgent amount due. |
| Income proof | Programs may request recent pay, benefits, unemployment, or child support. |
| Lease or landlord statement | May show that heat is included in rent or an account is in the landlord’s name. |
| Household information | Income limits often depend on everyone living at the address. |
| Application proof | Screenshots, receipts, or case numbers show when documents were sent. |
| Medical information | A utility may have a medical form or extension process, but approval is not guaranteed. |
Also check the ASMOM Kansas child-care guide and Kansas WIC guide when lowering other costs would help you keep utilities on.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Waiting for disconnection: More options may be available before service is off.
- Assuming LIEAP is year-round: Kansas uses a seasonal application period.
- Using an old income table: Limits can change each season.
- Sending unreadable documents: Make sure names, dates, account numbers, and amounts can be seen.
- Assuming KCC covers every provider: Municipal and cooperative utilities may have different policies.
- Relying on one fund: Apply to more than one verified program when allowed.
- Paying a scammer: Verify a shutoff notice using the phone number on the official bill, not a number in an unexpected message.
If help is denied, delayed, or unavailable
Ask for the reason in writing. If a document is missing, ask exactly what is needed, where to send it, and the deadline. Save proof that you responded.
A written LIEAP appeal can be sent through the DCF process described in the decision notice. Kansas policy routes written appeals to the Office of Administrative Hearings. Follow the notice rather than guessing the deadline.
If an assistance agency has no funds, ask when it expects new funding and whether another agency serves your county. Call the utility again and explain what you have applied for. Ask whether an agency pledge, case number, or pending decision changes the payment-plan options.
For a dispute with a KCC-regulated utility, call 800-662-0027 or file a complaint through KCC after first trying to resolve the issue with the provider. Kansas Legal Services may help eligible residents with some civil matters.
The ASMOM benefits problem guide explains notices, records, and appeals. The Kansas legal guide lists legal-aid starting points.
Phone scripts you can use
Call the utility
“My account number is [number], and my shutoff date is [date]. I cannot pay the full balance. What is the lowest payment that will stop disconnection, and what written payment plan can you offer?”
Call Kansas 211
“I live in ZIP code [ZIP], and I have a shutoff notice for [electric, gas, propane, or water]. Which agencies are accepting utility applications now, and what documents do they require?”
Call DCF
“I know the 2026 LIEAP period is closed. Has the next application period been announced, and what documents should I prepare for my household and heating account?”
Call a local agency
“Before I apply, are utility funds available for my county and provider? Do you require a shutoff notice, an appointment, or a payment plan with the utility?”
Resumen en español
Si tiene una factura de electricidad, gas, propano o agua atrasada en Kansas, llame a la compañía antes de la fecha de corte. Pida un plan de pago y pregunte si pueden esperar mientras una agencia revisa su solicitud.
El período de LIEAP de 2026 terminó el 31 de marzo de 2026. Kansas todavía no ha anunciado las fechas de la próxima temporada. Mientras espera, marque 2-1-1, pregunte por Community Action, fondos de la compañía, programas de agua de su ciudad y climatización de la vivienda.
Guarde la factura, el aviso de corte, comprobantes de ingresos, contrato de renta y confirmaciones de sus solicitudes. Si recibe una negación, pida la razón por escrito y siga las instrucciones de apelación.
FAQs about Kansas utility assistance
Is Kansas LIEAP open now?
No. The 2026 LIEAP application period ended March 31, 2026. DCF has not yet announced the next application dates.
Can the Cold Weather Rule stop every shutoff?
No. It applies from November 1 through March 31 to residential customers of utilities under KCC jurisdiction. You must contact the utility and make a payment agreement.
Can I get help if the bill is not in my name?
It depends. LIEAP may accept some landlord or rent-included heating arrangements with lease proof. Utility hardship funds may require the applicant to be the account holder.
Is there statewide water assistance in Kansas?
No single statewide program currently works like LIEAP for water bills. Water help usually comes from a city, utility, county, or local nonprofit.
What if assistance will not arrive before shutoff?
Ask the agency for a pledge or case number, then ask the utility for a hold or payment plan. Assistance does not automatically stop disconnection.
Does utility assistance only help mothers?
No. Most programs use income, household size, service address, provider, and account status. Single mothers can apply when their household meets the rules.
Last updated: July 16, 2026 | Next review: October 16, 2026
About this guide
This guide uses official federal, state, local, and other high-trust nonprofit and community sources mentioned in the article.
A Single Mother is independent and is not a government agency, benefits office, lender, law firm, medical provider, or tax advisor.
Program rules, funding, local availability, and eligibility can change. Always confirm details with the official program before you apply or make decisions.
Verification: Last verified July 16, 2026, next review October 16, 2026.
Corrections: If you see something wrong or outdated, email suggestions@asinglemother.org.
Disclaimer: This article is for general information only. It is not legal, financial, medical, tax, immigration, disability, safety, or government-agency advice.