Last updated: May 20, 2026
Bottom line
If you are a single mother in Georgia and cannot pay an electric, gas, water, or phone bill, start with three steps: call the utility company, contact your county Community Action Agency for LIHEAP, and call 2-1-1 for local funds. Georgia utility help is usually not cash sent to you. Most programs pay the utility company, offer a discount, set up a payment plan, or delay a shutoff while you send documents.
The main statewide energy program is LIHEAP. The DHS LIHEAP page says Georgia energy assistance is handled through Community Action Agencies and is served on a first-come, first-served basis. Cooling help normally starts first for people age 65 or older and medically homebound, then opens to other eligible households. Heating help uses a similar early-start schedule in winter.
This guide is written for electric, natural gas, water, sewer, phone, and internet bills. For a wider list of support, use our Georgia help guide and our national energy assistance guide for more next steps.
If you have a shutoff notice
Do not wait for LIHEAP alone. Call your utility today and say you need a payment arrangement to prevent disconnection. Ask the worker to mark your account that you are applying for assistance.
If someone in your home has a serious illness that would be made worse by losing service, tell the utility right away. Georgia Public Service Commission information on electric disconnection explains that serious-illness rules require written notice and a written statement from a physician, county board of health, hospital, or clinic. The same page explains weather-related limits on certain electric shutoffs during heat advisories and cold weather.
If the utility will not work with you, contact the PSC assistance page and ask how to file a complaint. Also call Georgia 211 for local utility funds, churches, Salvation Army offices, and other agencies near your ZIP code.
Where to start
For energy bills
Use the DHS apply page to find the Community Action Agency that serves your county. Ask for LIHEAP, crisis help, and any local fuel fund.
For a shutoff
Call the utility company first. Ask for a payment plan, a medical hold if needed, and a note on your account showing that you are seeking help.
For water bills
Water help is often city or county based. Ask your water department about hardship aid, payment plans, leak adjustments, or senior and disability discounts.
For other bills
Use help with bills for broader steps, then add food, rent, child care, or legal help if one bill problem is part of a larger crisis.
Quick program table
| Need | Best first step | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Electric or gas bill | Contact your local CAA | LIHEAP pays the energy supplier directly if you qualify and funds are available. |
| Active shutoff notice | Call the utility company | Ask for a payment plan, serious-illness hold, and note of pending assistance. |
| High Georgia Power bill | Check the discount | Georgia Power has an income-qualified discount for some customers. |
| Natural gas credit issue | Ask about SCANA Regulated | The regulated provider can help some low-income or credit-challenged gas customers. |
| Water or sewer bill | Call your city or county | Water assistance varies by local utility and may have different rules. |
| Phone or internet | Apply for Lifeline | Lifeline can lower the monthly cost of qualifying phone, internet, or bundled service. |
LIHEAP in Georgia
LIHEAP is the main program for heating and cooling bill help in Georgia. It is for low-income households that are responsible for the home energy bill. The program is handled by local Community Action Agencies, not by A Single Mother.
Georgia DHS says the basic LIHEAP rules include income at or below 60% of the state median income, responsibility for paying the home energy cost, and U.S. citizenship or legal admission rules for applicants. The 2026 cooling notice listed income examples for one-person and five-person households, but you should still confirm your current household limit with your local agency before you apply.
The Georgia EAP portal may be used in some areas for prescreening or account access. Many families still need an appointment with the CAA that serves their county. Use the CAA county list if you are not sure which office to call.
LIHEAP is helpful, but it is not instant. Funding can run out, and each local agency may use its own appointment system. If you have a shutoff date, tell the CAA, call the utility, and ask 2-1-1 for backup resources while your application is pending.
Georgia shutoff rules to know
Georgia rules do not erase the bill. They may give you time to pay, time to dispute a bill, or time to submit medical paperwork. Keep notes every time you call. Write down the date, time, name of the person you spoke with, and what they said.
| Protection | What it can do | What you must do |
|---|---|---|
| Payment plan | May delay disconnection if the company accepts the plan. | Get the terms in writing and pay on time. |
| Serious illness | May pause disconnection when loss of service would worsen a serious illness. | Notify the utility and send the medical statement on time. |
| Heat or cold rules | May limit certain disconnections during extreme heat or cold. | Ask the utility and PSC how the rule applies to your county that day. |
| Billing dispute | May give review time if you believe the bill or shutoff is wrong. | Ask for a supervisor and file a PSC complaint if needed. |
Reality check
A shutoff hold is usually temporary. It gives you time to apply, pay, or fix a paperwork problem. It does not make a past-due balance disappear.
Electric and natural gas help
Georgia Power customers
If you have Georgia Power, ask about a payment plan first. Then check whether the Georgia Power discount fits your household. Georgia Power says some customers with income at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines may qualify if they also meet the program category rules, such as being age 65 or older, receiving SSDI or SSI, or taking part in Housing Choice Voucher assistance.
Georgia Power also works with The Salvation Army through Project SHARE. Project SHARE is a crisis resource, not a guaranteed benefit. Your local Salvation Army office may have different funding and document rules.
Natural gas customers
Natural gas in many parts of Georgia is served through gas marketers on the Atlanta Gas Light system. If you use natural gas, call the marketer listed on your bill and ask for a payment plan and any hardship program. Atlanta Gas Light also posts gas bill help information for customers looking for assistance resources.
Some older adults may qualify for the Atlanta Gas Light senior discount. The AGL discount form says the discount can cover up to $14 of monthly AGL charges for customers who meet age, account, address, and income rules.
If you are low income or were turned down by other gas marketers, the Georgia PSC says SCANA Energy is the state-approved regulated provider. SCANA’s sign-up page explains separate paths for low-income and credit-challenged customers.
Fuel funds
Ask your CAA whether H.E.A.T. funds are open. The H.E.A.T. program is a statewide fuel fund for low- and moderate-income Georgians, but funds can vary by season and agency. The PSC’s utility assistance page also lists Project SHARE, HEAT, weatherization, and utility discounts as places to check.
Water, sewer, phone, and internet help
Georgia does not have one statewide water bill program that works the same in every city. Call your water provider and ask for hardship assistance, payment arrangements, a leak adjustment, a senior or disability discount, and nonprofit referrals.
In Atlanta, the Department of Watershed Management runs Care and Conserve for some low- to moderate-income water customers. The program may help with water bill payment and may also help with plumbing problems that cause high bills. In Savannah, the city posts payment arrangements for utility customers who have fallen behind. Clayton County Water Authority lists affordability programs, including hardship assistance and a low-income discount for customers who meet local rules.
For phone or internet, start with Lifeline Support. Lifeline is a federal program run by USAC with FCC oversight. It can lower the monthly cost of qualifying phone, internet, or bundled service. ACP is not a current backup for most families because the federal Affordable Connectivity Program ended in 2024 due to lack of new funding.
If internet is needed for school, work, benefits, or telehealth, ask your child’s school, library, and internet provider about low-cost plans. Our technology help guide has more Georgia options.
Lower bills long term
If your bill is high every month, ask about weatherization, not only emergency payment help. Georgia’s weatherization program can improve energy efficiency in eligible homes. GEFA says income must not exceed 200% of the federal poverty level, and preference is given to older adults, people with disabilities, and families with children.
Weatherization can include air sealing, insulation, heating and cooling improvements, lighting upgrades, and water conservation devices when the energy audit supports them. The GEFA apply page says the local agency decides eligibility and may have a waiting list.
Renters should still ask. Some programs may need landlord approval before work can be done, but do not assume you are blocked just because you rent.
Documents to gather before you apply
Having documents ready can save days. If you are missing something, still call and ask what substitutes the agency accepts. Do not guess. Rules can vary by agency and program.
| Document | Why it matters | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Current utility bill | Shows account number, provider, balance, and shutoff date. | Send every page if applying online. |
| Photo ID | Confirms who is applying. | Ask about other ID if yours is expired. |
| Social Security numbers | Often required for household members. | Ask the agency what proof is accepted. |
| Proof of income | Shows whether you meet income rules. | Gather recent pay stubs and benefit letters. |
| Citizenship or status proof | Needed for many public benefit programs. | Ask before sending original documents. |
| Medical statement | Needed for a serious-illness hold. | Ask the doctor to include dates and service risk. |
Common mistakes to avoid
- Waiting until the shutoff day to call. Call as soon as the past-due notice arrives.
- Paying only part of a payment plan without checking whether service will still be disconnected.
- Sending screenshots that do not show your name, account number, and full balance.
- Assuming 2-1-1 pays bills directly. It usually gives referrals to agencies that may have funds.
- Ignoring food or rent help while trying to pay the utility bill. Freeing up money for one need can help another.
Backup options if LIHEAP is closed or delayed
When LIHEAP appointments are full, ask to be placed on the agency’s waiting list after the program has opened. Then call 2-1-1 and ask for utility assistance in your county. The Salvation Army Georgia page describes rent, mortgage, and utility help through local teams. St. Vincent de Paul Georgia lists an assistance line on its Get Help page for people seeking financial assistance and other support.
If the utility bill is part of a bigger emergency, use Georgia emergency help. If you are behind on rent, review Georgia housing help so you do not solve the power bill and lose housing. If food money is being used for utilities, check Georgia food help, Georgia WIC, and Georgia TANF if your family may qualify.
For child care or work problems that are causing the bill crisis, review Georgia child care and Georgia community support. If a landlord, utility company, or debt collector is treating you unfairly, our Georgia legal help guide can point you toward legal aid. If utility shutoff is part of family violence or unsafe housing, use Georgia safety help and avoid sharing plans where an unsafe person may see them.
If you are denied, delayed, or overwhelmed
Ask for the reason in writing. A denial may be about missing documents, income, a bill credit, wrong county, no funds, or applying before the program window opened. If the issue is missing paperwork, ask whether you can reopen the file after you send it.
If your local CAA is out of funds, ask when funds may reopen and whether any partner program has money. If you cannot reach the agency by phone, try early in the morning, check its website for an appointment portal, and ask 2-1-1 whether there is a different intake route for your county.
If a utility refuses to follow its rules, ask for a supervisor. Then contact the PSC and keep a copy of your bill, shutoff notice, payment receipts, medical paperwork, and call notes.
Phone scripts
Call your utility company
“Hi, my name is ____. I have a past-due bill and a child in the home. I need to stop disconnection and set up a payment arrangement. I am also applying for LIHEAP. Can you note that on my account and tell me the smallest payment needed today?”
Call your Community Action Agency
“Hi, I live in ____ County and need energy bill help. I have a shutoff notice. Are LIHEAP or crisis appointments open? What documents do I need, and can I apply online or by phone?”
Call 2-1-1
“I am a single mother in ZIP code ____ and need help with a utility bill. I already called my utility and CAA. Can you search for churches, charities, water assistance, and emergency funds that are open this week?”
Call about a medical hold
“Someone in my home has a serious illness that could be made worse by losing service. What exact form or doctor statement do you need, where should it be sent, and how long do I have to submit it?”
Resumen en español
Si vive en Georgia y no puede pagar la luz, el gas, el agua, el teléfono o internet, llame primero a la compañía de servicios. Pida un plan de pago y pregunte si pueden pausar el corte mientras solicita ayuda.
Para ayuda con energía, contacte a la agencia Community Action de su condado y pregunte por LIHEAP. Tenga lista su factura, identificación, ingresos recientes y documentos de las personas en el hogar. También puede llamar al 2-1-1 para encontrar ayuda local.
Si hay una enfermedad seria en la casa, pregunte por una protección médica contra el corte. Necesitará una carta o formulario médico. Esta guía es información general, no consejo legal ni garantía de ayuda.
FAQ
Can single mothers in Georgia get help paying electric bills?
Yes, some households can get help through LIHEAP, utility payment plans, local charities, Project SHARE, H.E.A.T., or utility discounts. Approval depends on income, documents, county rules, funding, and the type of bill.
Does LIHEAP pay me or the utility company?
In Georgia, energy assistance is generally paid to the home energy supplier on behalf of an eligible household. Do not plan on receiving cash directly.
What if my power is about to be shut off?
Call the utility company right away and ask for a payment arrangement. If there is a serious illness in the home, ask about the medical hold process. Then call your CAA and 2-1-1 for emergency referrals.
Can renters get utility assistance?
Yes, renters may qualify if they are responsible for the energy bill and meet program rules. If your fuel cost is included in subsidized rent, some energy assistance may not apply.
Is there help for water bills in Georgia?
Water help is usually local. Call your city or county water provider and ask about hardship programs, payment plans, leak adjustments, and local nonprofit referrals.
Can I get help with phone or internet service?
Lifeline may lower the monthly cost of qualifying phone, internet, or bundled service. You must qualify by income or by taking part in certain benefit programs.
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 with the article title.
Disclaimer: This article is for general information only. It is not legal, financial, medical, tax, immigration, disability, safety, or government-agency advice.