Utility Assistance for Single Mothers in Delaware

Where to start by bill type

• Heating, cooling, or low fuel: Ask Catholic Charities about DEAP/LIHEAP and which seasonal or crisis path is open.
• Delmarva Power bill: Call Delmarva about a payment agreement. Ask Energize Delaware whether you can use the Delaware Energy Fund now that the separate Delmarva relief fund is spent.
• Another electric or gas utility: Ask about the Delaware Energy Fund, other hardship credits, and help through the utility itself.
• Water or sewer bill: Ask the provider about a plan, possible leak adjustment, hardship support, and any local aid partner.
• Phone or internet: Check the federal Lifeline discount and ask the provider about its lowest-cost plan.

Delaware LIHEAP and DEAP for 2026–27

Delaware’s Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program is called DEAP. The Catholic Charities energy program handles statewide intake. Its 2026–27 heating application lists an October 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027 heating period. Applications for Program Year 2027 began on August 1, 2026. A general program page still mentions July starts, so use the dated application page for this season.

What it covers: Depending on the part of DEAP and the case, it can help with electricity, natural gas, oil, propane, kerosene, coal, or wood used for heating; cooling costs; and crisis needs. Delaware says crisis assistance may be available all year for past-due energy bills, shutoff warnings, or a fuel tank at 10% or less. Summer cooling may help with an electric bill or, for eligible households, a window air conditioner. For cooling aid, the state says you must first apply for LIHEAP during the program year.

Who may apply: Renters and owners can ask for screening. Income is capped at 60% of Delaware state median income under the program’s method. The office reviews household size, income, residency, eligible status, heating source, housing costs, and required proof. A parent being single does not by itself qualify or disqualify the family.

Program Year 2027 income limits

The official PY 2027 chart lists these annual household income ceilings. These replace the older Program Year 2026 amounts in this article. Check the official chart if your household has more than eight members.

How the heating benefit is worked out

The PY 2027 chart sets different minimum and maximum heating benefits by fuel. For example, electric heat lists $170–$1,346, natural gas $169–$1,340, and propane $314–$2,496. These are ranges, not promises. The final amount depends on income, household size, and heating type, as well as available program funds.

Important subsidized-rent exception: The PY 2027 chart says a household in subsidized housing with heat included in rent is not eligible under that rule. When heat is not included and subsidized rent is $685 or less per month, the chart gives a flat $177 LIHEAP heating benefit. Above $685 rent, the benefit is determined from the usual matrix. Send your lease or rent proof and ask the worker to check your exact case; do not assume the same amount applies to all rent arrangements.

Apply in Delaware’s three counties

• New Castle County: 302-654-9295.
• Kent County: 302-674-1782.
• Sussex County: 302-856-6310.

Catholic Charities lists DEAP office service hours as 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Call before visiting. You can use its application portal or ask about applying through Delaware’s ASSIST benefits portal. First-time LIHEAP applicants and households with 10 or more people are told to call a county office for a LIHEAP intake appointment rather than relying only on the online heating form.

Upload the full form with a signature and the papers the office asks for. Catholic Charities warns that incomplete applications cannot be processed. Eligibility does not guarantee payment, and benefits normally go to the utility or fuel provider, not as cash to the applicant. Keep paying any amount not covered and maintain an agreed payment plan while you wait for a decision.

Delaware Energy Fund and Delmarva Power relief

Delmarva Power Customer Relief Fund: funds spent

The Delmarva Power Customer Relief Fund page now says all funds have been allocated. Do not treat it as open for new awards. When it had money, this one-time program offered up to $300 for qualifying Delmarva Power electric or gas customers. Its rules included a $250 minimum overdue balance for some moderate-income households and a required Home Energy Checkup and Counseling visit. For a disconnected and finalized account, the past fund had stricter rules: an applicant whose overdue amount exceeded the credit was generally ineligible, with a possible exception where the credit could cover at least 75% of the balance and the customer could pay enough to reconnect. Ask the fund about any older pending case rather than assuming those terms still apply to new applications.

These past rules still help explain an earlier application or an old notice, but a new applicant should ask about the Delaware Energy Fund instead.

Delaware Energy Fund: current possible option

Energize Delaware says its Delaware Energy Fund may assist active, income-eligible residential utility customers whose household income is below 350% of the federal poverty level. It also says eligible Delmarva Power customers may participate now that the separate Delmarva fund is spent. Ask the fund to confirm the current account and income rules before applying.

The fund lists a one-time credit of up to $300, subject to funds and eligibility. It is credited to the utility account when approved. The customer must first take part in an Energize Delaware efficiency program, such as Home Energy Checkup and Counseling (HEC2) or Home Performance with ENERGY STAR. One household cannot use both relief funds for the same assistance; rules for Delmarva customers changed because the first fund ran out.

Call 888-735-1510 with fund or energy-checkup questions. The fund does not settle meter and billing disputes. For those, call the utility and keep a written record. Funding may end without a fixed date, so check the fund’s website and ask whether applications are still being taken.

Shutoff notices, payment plans, and health protection

Delaware’s current utility shutoff law, § 117, is the best starting point for statewide legal protections. It is more current than older versions of the seasonal utility rule. This is general information, not legal advice. Coverage can depend on the type of service and provider.

Notice and weather rules

• For gas, water, wastewater, and electric utility shutoffs covered by § 117, state law generally requires at least 72 hours’ notice for nonpayment, subject to the law’s other rules.
• For gas or electric service during the legal heating season (November 1–March 31) or cooling season (June 1–September 30), the law calls for at least 14 calendar days’ written notice before termination for nonpayment.
• A gas or electric utility cannot disconnect for nonpayment on a day when the National Weather Service reports a 35°F or lower 8 a.m. temperature at an airport in the same county.
• An electric utility cannot disconnect for nonpayment on a day when the 8 a.m. forecast predicts a 95°F or higher heat index at an airport in the same county. That heat-index protection is stated for electric service, not every type of utility.
• Other state rules limit shutoffs outside specified daytime hours and generally prohibit non-emergency shutoffs from December 21 through January 1. Ask the provider how the law applies to the notice you received.

These weather protections postpone disconnection; they do not forgive the balance. Make arrangements before the next day on which termination may be allowed.

Payment plans and bill disputes

Ask the utility for the longest available installment agreement, any budget billing program, and its written tariff for the account. State law says a covered gas or electric notice must explain how a customer can avoid shutoff with an initial payment agreement under the utility’s tariff. Do not assume an automatic right to a specific installment length without checking that tariff.

If part of a bill is wrong, report a good-faith billing dispute to the utility before the shutoff date. State law describes protection while qualifying disputes are reviewed. Keep paying current and undisputed amounts as required, and ask in writing how the dispute affects your account. You can also ask about a voluntary third-party shutoff notice to someone you trust; that person does not become responsible for your debt merely by receiving notices.

Medical certification: who can sign and how long

Delaware law prohibits covered gas, water, or electric disconnection when an occupant is so ill that shutoff would harm their health or recovery and the utility receives a qualifying signed statement. The signer may be a licensed physician, physician associate, or advanced nurse practitioner who meets the law’s licensing conditions. This is broader than the physician-only wording in older summaries.

Under § 117, a signed medical certification lasts 120 days. Renewal requires a new signed statement and a good-faith effort to pay for ongoing service. Get the utility’s form and ask how to send proof securely. Ask it to confirm receipt before any planned shutoff. Medical certification is not debt forgiveness. If the utility disputes the protection, contact the Public Service Commission or legal aid promptly.

When the utility will not fix the problem

Start with the utility. If you still cannot resolve a complaint, the Division of the Public Advocate can explain help paths. The Public Service Commission says a formal complaint is usually the later option, after the customer has contacted both the utility and the Public Advocate. A formal case may require proof and a hearing.

For a landlord-controlled meter, unsafe housing, or an eviction linked to unpaid utilities, see our Delaware legal assistance guide and ask a qualified adviser what protections apply before withholding rent or making a major payment.

Weatherization for bills that stay high

Delaware’s Weatherization Assistance Program helps eligible owners and renters cut energy waste. It is run by DNREC, with the Energy Coordinating Agency handling statewide applications. Work is chosen after a home assessment and may include air sealing, weatherstripping, insulation, duct sealing, pipe insulation, minor broken-glass replacement, and heating-system maintenance.

The current DNREC chart lists annual income ceilings of $31,920 for one person, $43,280 for two, $54,640 for three, and $66,000 for four. Its table also lists $77,360 for five, $88,720 for six, $100,080 for seven, and $111,440 for eight. These figures differ from the older ones in this article. Use DNREC’s live chart for a larger household or future changes.

To apply, call the Energy Coordinating Agency at 302-504-6111. DNREC also lists 302-735-3480 for other program questions. Renters should ask if the owner must approve work. The program is not general home repair: it does not routinely replace doors, windows, or furnaces or install or repair air conditioners.

Eligible households join a waiting list, and selection depends on need and funds. DNREC says people not served within 12 months must reapply to show they still meet the income rules. A utility payment plan or LIHEAP help may still be needed while you wait.

Water, sewer, phone, and internet help

Water or sewer bills

There is no single state water-bill grant that pays every Delaware customer’s bill. Contact the company or local government that bills you. Ask for a payment plan, hardship policy, leak adjustment, a second-party notice option, and any local fund. The Delaware water consumer guide explains water-provider differences and when the Public Advocate or PSC may be involved. For another local payment source, ask Delaware 211 or a State Service Center.

If the bill is in a landlord’s name, check the lease and ask for advice before agreeing to cover a debt you may not owe. If shutoff would affect health, ask whether the medical provision in state law covers the type of service and facts of your case.

Phone and internet bills

Federal Lifeline eligibility rules offer a way for some lower-income households to reduce phone or internet costs. You may qualify through income at or below 135% of the 2026 federal poverty guideline, or because you or an eligible household member uses a listed program such as SNAP, Medicaid, SSI, certain federal housing aid, or Veterans Pension and Survivors Benefit.

The current Lifeline support schedule lists up to $9.25 per month for eligible internet or broadband bundles and up to $5.25 per month for qualifying voice-only service. Normally, only one benefit is allowed per household. Ask the carrier how any plan price, taxes, and device costs work. The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) ended; do not pay a site that claims an active ACP enrollment fee or ongoing ACP benefit.

Some survivors of domestic violence or trafficking may have separate emergency Lifeline routes. Ask the Lifeline administrator about those rules without disclosing unsafe contact details on a shared device.

Documents to gather for an application

The right documents depend on the program. Ask which records are required and whether a replacement is possible when one is missing. Catholic Charities has a detailed DEAP checklist, including identity, status, utility bills, lease, income, and household records. Do not send sensitive identity records to a random third-party site.

Call or start an application early instead of hiding a missing paper. But note that Catholic Charities says its LIHEAP form must be complete, with all required proof, before it can be processed. Ask the worker what to send first, what may substitute for a missing document, and how to prove the office received it.

If help is denied, delayed, or not enough

1. Get the reason in writing. Ask whether it was income, missing proof, a closed application, a wrong account type, a seasonal rule, or lack of money.
2. Check review rights. Read your notice for any time limit. For DEAP, ask Catholic Charities or DHSS how to request a review or appeal and what evidence you may submit. Do not guess a deadline.
3. Keep the utility updated. Give the application date, case number, and any written pledge. Ask about an account hold, payment plan, or reconnection terms.
4. Try another real help path. Ask 211 about State Service Centers, local charities, Community Action agencies, faith groups, and hardship funds. Delaware State Service Centers also list emergency cash help for utilities in some cases. See the State Service Center service list and ask your nearest office about eligibility, the emergency you face, and available funds. Availability changes by town and funding.
5. Review your whole budget. If food costs are taking up the money needed for heat, check Delaware SNAP and food aid. For possible cash support, review Delaware TANF assistance. Also see Delaware child care help and Delaware transportation help when those costs are part of the shortfall.

If the utility crisis may cause a housing loss, the Delaware housing assistance guide lists rent, shelter, and housing-stability paths. Keep copies of every notice, upload, call, payment receipt, and agency answer so you can follow up without starting over.

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