Utility Assistance for Single Mothers in Hawaii

Where to start

If food, cash, or child care costs are causing the utility problem, also check Hawaii SNAP help, Hawaii TANF help, and Hawaii child care for separate assistance.

Quick help table

How H-HEAP works in Hawaii

The state’s 2026 H-HEAP packet describes two kinds of help. A household may get only one type of H-HEAP payment in a program year (October 1 through September 30). The 2026 packet gives the basic steps; for applications after October 1, ask the island agency whether a newer packet or rule applies.

• Energy Credit: Help for an eligible household that is not in a shutoff crisis. Applications are accepted only from June 1 through June 30. The 2026 window is closed.
• Energy Crisis Intervention: Help when electric or gas service has been disconnected or is scheduled for disconnection. Applications are accepted year-round, but monthly approvals are limited. Ask immediately if the shutoff is close.

The FY 2026 policy treated a shutoff scheduled within seven days of applying as a crisis. Ask the island agency to confirm the FY 2027 timing rule before relying on that number. Applying by itself does not stop a shutoff. Keep talking with the utility until it confirms a hold, restoration, or payment.

You may be able to apply when the utility bill is in your name, rent includes electric or gas, or your share is charged through a shared meter. The agency must be able to document the cost. The account must still be active when the credit is posted.

Who may qualify

Eligibility depends on household size, income, residence, who is responsible for the utility, and the full application. The FY 2026 policy described income-based and certain benefit-based paths, including some households receiving SNAP, SSI, or TANF. Reporting these benefits may help the office review the case; it does not replace the application. List everyone living at the service address, even if you are not related.

The archived table above comes from Hawaii’s FY 2026 LIHEAP model plan, which covered October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. It should not be mistaken for confirmed FY 2027 limits.

Important: These are the state’s FY 2026 reference limits, published for the year that ended September 30, 2026. The state’s FY 2027 numbers could differ. Do not use this old table to decide if you qualify today. Ask the island agency for the current chart and how it counts income. The original figures are kept here so past guidance can be checked.

Two different years: If you got a June 2026 Energy Credit, that was during the program year ending September 30, 2026. A new program year began October 1. Ask your island agency if you can be screened again for a new crisis under the FY 2027 rules; a prior payment does not promise another award.

Where to apply by island

Community Action agencies accept and process H-HEAP applications. Do not send the packet to a DHS eligibility office.

The program can deny or delay an incomplete application. Ask the agency to repeat the checklist and confirm how it wants documents delivered.

Oʻahu application method: For the 2026 June Energy Credit season, Hawaiian Electric said HCAP accepted in-person applications only. Check the HCAP H-HEAP instructions and call the office serving your area for current crisis intake methods and hours. Do not assume mail or email is accepted for a new case. If you need an interpreter, the state application asks whether you want one at no charge.

Electric and gas company help

Call the company before the final disconnect date. Ask for a written payment arrangement, the amount needed to hold service, and whether the account can be noted while an H-HEAP application is reviewed.

Hawaiian Electric’s Special Medical Needs program lists a discount of 4 cents per kWh on the first 500 kWh (up to $20 per month) for certain medically certified residential customers. It currently says the program is full and applicants are waitlisted. A Hawaiʻi-licensed physician must certify the qualifying medical need. It does not erase past-due bills, replace a payment plan, or guarantee power during an outage.

On Kauai, KEO’s emergency electric program may provide up to $300 toward a past-due KIUC bill once in a 12-month period for an eligible household. Availability and documentation rules can change.

Hawaiian Electric H-HEAP rate benefit: An approved household on residential Rate Schedule R may also be enrolled in the utility’s Tier Waiver Provision for 12 months. Residential Time of Use customers are excluded from that rate provision. Ask whether it appears on your account after an award.

Water and sewer bill help

H-HEAP does not normally pay water or sewer bills. The temporary federal Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program is no longer a current statewide application path, so start with the county system that sends the bill.

Oahu water and sewer

Board of Water Supply customers who cannot pay should call 808-748-5000, option 4, and ask for a monthly payment arrangement. The BWS customer center lists current billing help and notices.

The Honolulu CARES sewer program says it is accepting applications from May 1 through October 31, 2026, unless funding runs out first. As of this October 13 update, that published deadline is close. The program offers up to $240 in annual sewer-bill credits to qualifying Oʻahu residential sewer customers at or below 80% of area median income. Pick up an application at a public library or Satellite City Hall, or print the form, then mail or drop it off as directed. The city says it does not accept online applications. Call ENV at 808-768-3330 to confirm funds and delivery instructions.

Other counties

Maui County customers can use the Maui water page for billing contacts. Hawaii Island customers can check Hawaii DWS billing, and Kauai customers can use the Kauai water page. Ask about payment arrangements, billing errors, leak reviews, and the amount needed to prevent disconnection.

Use the city’s CARES application page before sending papers. A sewer credit is different from the Board of Water Supply water bill, and a renter whose sewer charge is included in rent should ask which account arrangements qualify.

Phone and internet discounts

The federal Affordable Connectivity Program stopped providing benefits in 2024. The official ACP page confirms the wind-down, so avoid websites that still promise automatic ACP money.

Lifeline remains available. Eligible households can receive up to $9.25 per month toward phone, internet, or bundled service. Eligible households on qualifying Tribal lands can receive up to $34.25 per month. Only one Lifeline benefit is allowed per household.

People may qualify through income or programs such as SNAP, Medicaid, SSI, Federal Public Housing Assistance, or Veterans Pension. Apply through the official Lifeline site linked above, then follow its rules for annual renewal and proof requests.

If a website says that ACP is reopening or asks for an application fee, use the official FCC ACP program information to confirm its status. Lifeline is separate from H-HEAP and needs its own application and proof.

Help lowering future bills

Weatherization is not a past-due bill payment. It helps eligible households lower future energy use through an energy review, education, and approved improvements. Hawaii’s Weatherization Assistance Program uses local agencies and generally serves households at or below 200% of the federal poverty guideline or through certain cash-assistance pathways.

For Oahu, Hawaii Island, and Maui County, Hawaii Energy rebates may lower the cost of qualifying efficient appliances, cooling equipment, and water-heating upgrades. The current 2026-2027 program runs through June 30, 2027 while funds last. Kauai residents are not eligible for Hawaii Energy rebates and should ask KIUC about local efficiency programs.

If a child’s disability, medical equipment, or need for cooling raises the bill, ask the doctor, health plan, and utility whether care-coordination help or special medical programs fit your family.

Documents to gather

Keep photos or copies of every document you send, and write down account numbers, worker names, submission dates, and deadlines.

The 2026 state packet also asks for Social Security number proof for household members over age one and, when needed, citizenship or immigration-status records. Ask the island agency how to submit sensitive records securely. If you apply for gas aid, the packet asks for the recent electric bill too. If someone else owns the utility account, the account holder may need to sign the L-3 consent and provide ID. Missing items can delay or stop review; call and ask what other proof the agency will accept.

If help is denied, delayed, or disputed

The state’s 2026 H-HEAP application says a household may appeal a negative decision or undue processing delay by submitting a written request within 90 days of the notification. The older state plan refers to form DHS 1461; ask the Community Action agency which form and filing path apply now, especially for the FY 2027 benefit year. Do not miss the deadline shown on your own notice while you seek help.

Save the decision notice. Write down the appeal deadline, the reasons given, the documents you submitted, and every call. Ask your island agency for the current hearing form rather than trusting an old copy online.

For a regulated electric or gas dispute, contact the company first. If it does not resolve the problem, the PUC complaint process explains how to file an informal complaint. County water and sewer systems are generally handled through the county, not the PUC.

If a landlord controls the utility, shuts off an essential service, or will not show you the bill, use Hawaii legal help for a legal-aid starting point. This guide is general information, not legal advice.

Keep proof of each step. Ask for a copy of the agency’s written decision and case record. Get a date-stamped receipt for a hearing request, and keep copies of letters, forms, and emails. Utility billing complaints and state H-HEAP appeals are two separate processes.