Last updated: May 20, 2026
Bottom line
If you are behind on a power, gas, water, sewer, phone, or internet bill in Kentucky, start with three places: your utility company, your local Community Action agency, and Kentucky 211. Act before the shutoff day if you can.
Kentucky’s main energy bill program is LIHEAP. It is run by the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services, with applications handled through Community Action agencies. The state Kentucky LIHEAP page explains that LIHEAP helps eligible low-income households with heating and cooling needs. Community Action Kentucky also posts local agency information through its agency finder.
For many families, the best answer is a mix of help: a LIHEAP pledge, a payment plan, and a local hardship fund.
If you have a shutoff notice or no heat
Take these steps today. Keep notes with dates, names, and confirmation numbers.
- Call the utility first. Ask for the credit or collections department. Ask for a payment plan and ask whether the account can be held while you apply for help.
- Contact Community Action. Use the agency finder or call Community Action Kentucky at 1-800-456-3452. Ask for the active LIHEAP component and any utility hardship funds for your provider.
- Call 211. Kentucky 211 can connect you with local charities, churches, rent help, food help, and utility funds. You can dial 211 or text your ZIP code to 898211.
- Use PSC help if needed. If your gas, electric, water, or sewer utility is regulated by the Kentucky Public Service Commission and your problem is not fixed after calling the company, use the PSC complaint page or call 1-800-772-4636.
If someone in your home has a serious medical need tied to utility service, ask about medical certificate rules early.
Where to start
Your first call depends on the bill problem.
Shutoff notice
Call the utility and ask for a payment plan. Then call Community Action for LIHEAP Crisis or another hardship fund. If the utility will not review your account, contact the PSC.
High bill, no notice
Ask the utility about budget billing, a due-date change, a payment arrangement, and free energy-saving programs. Apply for LIHEAP during the open window.
Water bill
Call your water or sewer provider. In Louisville, Drops of Kindness and MSD discounts may help. In Kentucky American Water areas, H2O Help to Others may help.
Phone or internet
Check Lifeline for a monthly phone or internet discount. The ACP program ended, so avoid sites that still promise a new ACP benefit.
For more Kentucky help beyond utility bills, see our Kentucky help guide, Kentucky emergency help, and Kentucky community support.
Quick reference: Kentucky utility help
| Need | Best first step | What to ask | Reality check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heating bill | Local Community Action agency | Ask if LIHEAP Subsidy or Crisis is open. | Windows are seasonal and funds can run out. |
| Electric shutoff | Utility credit department | Ask for a payment plan and account hold. | A pledge may not post right away, so confirm with the utility. |
| Water or sewer bill | Water provider or city utility | Ask about discounts, hardship funds, and payment plans. | Water help is very local; state LIHWAP funding has ended in many places. |
| Phone or internet | USAC Lifeline | Ask if you qualify through SNAP, Medicaid, SSI, income, or other rules. | Only one Lifeline benefit is allowed per household. |
| Wrongful shutoff | Kentucky PSC | Ask Consumer Services to review the complaint. | The PSC does not regulate every utility, city system, or propane supplier. |
How to slow or stop a shutoff
Kentucky has consumer rules for many regulated utilities in 807 KAR 5:006. These rules can help, but act before disconnection when possible.
For many regulated gas and electric accounts, a utility must work with residential customers who have received a termination notice and request a reasonable partial payment plan. The rule also covers budget payment plans and winter hardship protections. If you have a billing complaint pending with the PSC, the PSC says the utility will not discontinue service as long as you pay the undisputed part and keep paying regular monthly bills.
Winter protections are not automatic. From November 1 through March 31, certain households may use a Cabinet certificate of need for a 30-day extension or reconnection. The rule says winter hardship reconnection can require a certificate, a payment of one-third of the outstanding bill or $200, whichever is less, and a payment schedule to become current by October 15.
Important limits
The PSC does not regulate every provider. It says it cannot help with TVA-supplied electric utilities, city-owned utilities in some situations, sanitation districts, cable companies, or bottled gas suppliers such as propane. Even when PSC rules do not apply, you can still ask the provider for a supervisor, a written payment plan, and local hardship referrals.
For related housing problems, use our Kentucky housing help and rent help guide.
Kentucky LIHEAP
LIHEAP is the main public program for home energy bills in Kentucky. The state says LIHEAP has a Subsidy component, a Crisis component, and sometimes a cooling component when funds are available. Applications are handled by Community Action agencies in all counties.
The LIHEAP fact sheet for FY 2025-2026 says applications are taken at local Community Action offices or designated county sites. It also lists the 2025-2026 heating Subsidy period as November 3 through December 12, 2025, and Crisis as January 5 through March 27, 2026. Community Action announcements also listed a 2026 spring cooling enrollment period from April 20 through May 22, 2026, on a first-come, first-served basis.
Dates change each season. Call your local agency and ask what is open today.
| LIHEAP part | What it helps with | When to ask | Key proof |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subsidy | Seasonal heating help paid to the vendor. | Usually fall or early winter. | Income proof and current heating bill. |
| Crisis | A heating emergency, shutoff, past-due notice, low fuel, or heat-in-rent eviction notice. | Usually winter crisis season. | Disconnect notice, past-due notice, eviction notice, or low-fuel proof. |
| Cooling | A one-time electric benefit when Kentucky offers a cooling component. | Spring or summer if funded. | Electric bill, income proof, and household information. |
Income and household rules
For the 2025-2026 Kentucky LIHEAP fact sheet, the listed monthly gross income limit starts at $1,957 for one person, $2,644 for two people, $3,332 for three people, and $4,019 for four people. The sheet says to add $688 for each extra household member. These figures can change, so ask your Community Action worker to confirm the current limit.
What LIHEAP usually asks for
Be ready with proof of Social Security number or permanent resident card for each household member, proof of all household income from the prior month, the current heating or electric bill, the account number and account name, and any disconnect, past-due, arrearage plan, low-fuel, or eviction notice. If heat is included in rent, bring the lease and any notice tied to nonpayment.
If you also need food, cash, or child care help, these guides may help next: Kentucky SNAP help, Kentucky TANF help, and Kentucky child care.
Utility company programs you can ask about
Many utility companies have their own programs, often through Community Action or nonprofit partners. Ask for every program tied to your account.
| Provider or area | Program to ask about | What it may do | Best next step |
|---|---|---|---|
| LG&E or KU | Assistance programs and WeCare | Payment help referrals and no-cost energy upgrades for eligible customers. | Use LG&E/KU assistance and WeCare. |
| Duke Energy Kentucky | Payment Plus | Eligible customers may earn a bill reduction after program steps. | Check Payment Plus or call Duke. |
| Kentucky Power | HEART, THAW, and payment plans | Winter bill credits, one-time hardship help, and budget tools may be available. | Use Payment Assistance. |
| Co-ops and city utilities | Operation Round Up, Plus One, or local funds | Small local grants or pledges when funds exist. | Call member services and ask for hardship funds. |
Ask for stacking
Tell the utility if you already applied for LIHEAP. Ask whether they can stack a company fund, due-date change, and payment plan while the pledge posts.
Water and sewer bill help
Water help in Kentucky is usually local. Start with the water company, sewer district, city utility office, or 211. Ask about hardship funds, bill discounts, payment arrangements, and leak adjustments.
In the Louisville area, Drops of Kindness brings Louisville Water and MSD support options together. The site says it can help customers look for more time to pay, wastewater discounts, senior discounts, and partner agency help. MSD’s EWRAP page says the Emergency Wastewater Rate Assistance Program provides a 30% discount on qualifying wastewater charges and requires annual renewal.
Kentucky American Water customers may be able to use H2O Help. Kentucky American Water says the program can help income-eligible residential water and wastewater customers when funds permit, and that Community Action Council administers the program.
If your water provider is a city or small district, call the billing office and ask if a board-approved payment plan or leak adjustment is available. Then call 211 and ask for agencies that pay water bills in your county.
Weatherization and lowering the bill
Weatherization will not fix a bill due tomorrow, but it can lower future bills. Kentucky’s Weatherization Assistance Program is run by Kentucky Housing Corporation and delivered through Community Action agencies. KHC says it can include insulation, sealing, duct repairs, and heating equipment work when needed.
Start with the KHC weatherization page. Renters can ask, but landlord permission may be needed for some work. If you are an LG&E or KU customer, also check WeCare because it may install smaller energy-saving items or weatherization measures at no added cost for eligible customers.
For a broader benefits search, Kentucky Housing Corporation points families toward kynect resources, local agencies, 211, legal aid, and housing resources.
Phone and internet discounts
The federal Lifeline program can reduce the cost of phone or internet service. USAC says Lifeline offers up to $9.25 per month for eligible phone or internet service, and more for eligible households on Tribal lands. You can use the provider search to find companies near you.
The Affordable Connectivity Program is no longer open. The FCC says the ACP ended because Congress did not provide more funding, and households stopped receiving ACP discounts after June 1, 2024. Be careful with ads or websites that still claim they can newly enroll you in ACP.
For more options, see our phone discount guide and local resource guide.
Documents checklist
Gather these before calling or going to an appointment. Missing papers often delay applications.
- Photo ID for the adult applying, if available.
- Social Security number proof or permanent resident card for each household member, if the program asks for it.
- Proof of income for all household members from the prior month.
- Current utility bill with the account number and account name.
- Disconnect notice, past-due notice, arrearage payment plan, or final notice.
- Pre-pay electric statement if you use pre-pay service.
- Lease and eviction notice if heating or utilities are included in rent.
- Medical certificate or provider note if you are asking about a medical hold.
- Proof of SNAP, Medicaid, SSI, TANF, WIC, housing assistance, or other benefits, if the utility program accepts categorical eligibility.
If your emergency also involves diapers, baby items, or health coverage, see Kentucky baby items and Medicaid and CHIP.
If you are denied, delayed, or ignored
Ask for the reason in writing. A denial can happen because documents are missing, the program window is closed, the household is over the income limit, the account is not in the right name, or funds are gone.
If LIHEAP is denied, ask the Community Action worker how to appeal or request a supervisor review. The 2025-2026 LIHEAP fact sheet says applicants must be told their rights if they are denied and may be able to appeal through the local agency and then through the Cabinet for Health and Family Services.
If a utility is not honoring a payment plan, medical certificate, dispute, or pledge, ask the utility for a supervisor. If it is a regulated utility and still not fixed, contact the PSC. If the matter involves eviction, court papers, domestic safety, or a legal dispute, contact legal aid. Kentucky’s legal help portal at help near you can point you to the legal aid program for your county.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Waiting until service is already off. It is usually easier to stop a shutoff than to reconnect service.
- Calling only one place. Call the utility, Community Action, and 211. Each may have a different option.
- Assuming one program pays all arrears. LIHEAP and hardship funds often pay only part of the bill.
- Missing the seasonal window. Kentucky LIHEAP windows change by component and funding.
- Not getting a pledge number. If an agency promises payment, ask for the pledge amount, date, and confirmation number.
- Ignoring water and sewer separately. In some places, water and sewer discounts are separate programs.
Backup options if utility funds are gone
If the main program is closed, ask 211 about churches, Salvation Army branches, Catholic Charities, local ministries, county emergency funds, and utility hardship partners. Ask your child’s school family resource center if it knows local emergency funds. Some schools know which churches or nonprofits still have money that month.
Also ask the utility about a smaller down payment, a longer repayment period, budget billing, average monthly payment, a late-fee waiver, a due-date change, or a hold while an agency reviews your application.
For broader bill help, use our emergency bill help, real grants guide, and Community Action guide.
Phone scripts
Calling the utility
“Hi, I am calling about account number [number]. I am a single parent and I received a past-due or shutoff notice. I can pay [amount] today. Can you review every payment plan, hardship fund, hold, budget billing option, and due-date option for this account?”
Calling Community Action
“Hi, I need help with a utility bill in [county]. Is LIHEAP open today? If not, are there any utility company funds, water funds, or emergency funds I can apply for? What documents should I bring?”
Calling 211
“Hi, I live in [ZIP code] and need help with [electric/gas/water/sewer]. I have [a shutoff notice/no shutoff notice]. Can you search for agencies, churches, or local funds that help with this bill?”
Calling the PSC
“Hi, I contacted my utility and could not resolve a shutoff or billing problem. The provider is [name]. I have notes from the calls and copies of my bill. Can Consumer Services tell me if the PSC can review this complaint?”
Resumen en español
Si necesita ayuda con una factura de luz, gas, agua, alcantarillado, teléfono o internet en Kentucky, llame primero a la compañía de servicios. Pida un plan de pago y pregunte si pueden pausar la desconexión mientras busca ayuda.
Después llame a Community Action Kentucky al 1-800-456-3452 o busque su oficina local. Pregunte si LIHEAP está abierto y qué documentos necesita. También puede llamar al 211 o enviar su código postal por texto al 898211 para buscar ayuda local.
Si una compañía regulada no responde o cree que no siguió las reglas, puede llamar a la Comisión de Servicio Público de Kentucky al 1-800-772-4636.
FAQ
Can LIHEAP pay my whole utility bill in Kentucky?
Sometimes it helps with only part of the bill. LIHEAP benefits are usually paid to the energy vendor, and the amount depends on the active program, household details, fuel type, crisis amount, and available funds.
Is Kentucky LIHEAP open all year?
No. LIHEAP has seasonal windows. Heating Subsidy, Crisis, and cooling help may open at different times. Call your local Community Action agency to confirm what is open today.
What if my electric is already disconnected?
Call the utility and your Community Action agency right away. Ask about reconnection rules, LIHEAP Crisis, winter hardship reconnection if it is winter, and any company hardship funds. If the utility is regulated and you cannot resolve the issue, contact the PSC.
Does Kentucky have help for water bills?
Some areas do. Louisville Water and MSD use Drops of Kindness and MSD discount programs. Kentucky American Water has H2O Help to Others. Other water systems may have local hardship funds or payment plans.
Can I get help if the bill is not in my name?
Maybe. It depends on the program. LIHEAP and utility programs often need the account number, account name, and proof that your household is responsible for the utility cost. Ask before your appointment.
What happened to the ACP internet discount?
The Affordable Connectivity Program ended after funding ran out. Households no longer receive ACP discounts. Check Lifeline and low-cost provider plans instead.
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 May 20, 2026, next review August 20, 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.