Utility Assistance for Single Mothers in Pennsylvania

What has changed

• Since this article’s July 2026 update, the state has posted a November 2, 2026 opening date for the next LIHEAP season. Check the state page again on the day you apply.
• The state has kept its posted 2026–27 LIHEAP income screening limits, listed below.
• Philadelphia’s August 2026 guidance confirms that one application can check water discounts and special hardship aid.

Where to start

Heating bill

Check the LIHEAP opening date and ask your heating company if a local fund can help sooner. LIHEAP helps with home heat, not every past-due utility charge.

Electric or gas bill

Call the number on your bill. Ask for CAP, hardship grants, CARES case support, the Low-Income Usage Reduction Program (LIURP), and a payment agreement. If you have a shutoff notice, say that first.

Water or sewer bill

Ask the company or city billing office about bill discounts, debt relief, a leak check, or a payment plan. The aid depends on who provides your service.

Phone or internet bill

Check Lifeline and low-cost plans offered by providers. The old federal Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) is closed.

If food or family costs leave too little for bills, you may also need Pennsylvania food benefits, Pennsylvania cash assistance, or Pennsylvania child care aid.

Quick help table

Pennsylvania LIHEAP: heating bill help

LIHEAP is a state-run, federally funded heating program. It pays a grant to your heating fuel seller or utility, not cash into your bank account. The state LIHEAP application page says the 2025–26 cash grants ranged from $200 to $1,000. Those amounts describe the last season; confirm the new season’s award table when it opens.

Renters and homeowners may qualify. You do not need to get another benefit or owe money to seek a regular cash grant. Your household must meet the income rules. Crisis help may cover loss of heat, broken heating equipment, leaking heating lines, very low fuel supply, or danger of a heating-related shutoff. Not every electric bill is a heating crisis.

2026–27 LIHEAP income limits

These are the limits posted by Pennsylvania DHS for 2026–27, effective February 1, 2026. Count household members as the program directs. Income limits are a first check, not a promise of approval.

How to apply when the season opens

1. Visit PA COMPASS or ask your County Assistance Office for a paper form and help.
2. List your heat source, fuel company, household, income, and address. Keep copies of the proof you send.
3. Call the LIHEAP helpline at 1-866-857-7095 if you need to ask about applying. After you apply, check Track My Benefits for your case status.

Past recipients may receive a pre-season notice, not an approval. For heating emergencies before November 2, call the utility and 211.

Electric and gas company programs

Many PUC-regulated companies have bill help for customers with low incomes or hardship. The PUC program guide explains the choices. Ask the utility that bills you; company rules and funding may differ.

CAP often uses an income test near 150% of the federal poverty level, but each program has its own terms. For 2026, 150% is $23,940 a year for one person, $32,460 for two, $40,980 for three, and $49,500 for four. These are screening figures, not a single rule for all utility plans. CARES, LIURP, and hardship funds may use other tests.

Compare CAP with payment plans. Ask how missed payments affect aid. Budget billing smooths costs but does not erase them. Funds can run out.

Shutoff notices and medical rules

Call before the shutoff date. Ask what stops termination and when payment must clear. An aid application alone may not protect service.

Winter rules: Pennsylvania rules give many customers of PUC-regulated electric and gas companies with income at or below 250% of the federal poverty level extra protection from December 1 through March 31. Certain heat-related water service also has protections. This is not a ban on all shutoffs. Company type, income, exceptions, and special rules for city gas systems can matter. Check state winter termination rules and call the utility or PUC about your own case. Do not assume October bills are protected by the winter rule.

Medical certificates can delay a shutoff

If someone in your home has a serious illness and loss of service would harm their health, tell the utility at once. Ask how a licensed doctor, physician assistant, or nurse practitioner can send a medical certificate. A first certificate generally gives protection for up to 30 days; extensions may be available under specific rules. Review the PUC medical certificate guidance and ask about restoration if service is already off.

A certificate does not cancel the bill. You still owe the charges. Ask how to pay or set up a plan while service is protected. When service has been off for more than 30 days, rules may treat reconnection as a new service request. The PUC consumer protection guide explains rights and duties. If the utility refuses protection, call the PUC before the shutoff date.

Water and sewer bill help

The old federal Low Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP) is not an open statewide application route. Start with the company on your bill. Ask about discounts, debt relief, hardship grants, leaks, and a payment plan.

Newer Pittsburgh options: A 2026 Pittsburgh Water update says eligible customers may now qualify for wider income-based discounts and may apply for hardship grants twice a year, up to the program cap. The stated cap is up to $450 each for water and wastewater conveyance charges. The provider also expanded its leak and repair support. Confirm which service you have and whether aid is open.

In Philadelphia, one water assistance application can check TAP, senior discounts, and special hardship. The city says eligible TAP debt may be forgiven after 24 qualifying payments; see its August 2026 water guide. This is not instant debt removal.

If your provider is not listed, call it and 211. If your landlord holds the account, ask who must pay. When utility debt risks eviction or unsafe housing, check Pennsylvania housing assistance.

Phone and internet discounts

The federal Affordable Connectivity Program ended in 2024. Avoid websites that still promise a new ACP discount or charge a fee to sign up.

Lifeline is a separate federal program. Eligible households may get up to $9.25 a month for internet or a bundled plan, or up to $5.25 for phone-only service. Some Tribal land households have a higher benefit. You may qualify based on income or SNAP, Medicaid, SSI, federal housing aid, or other listed programs.

Only one Lifeline benefit is allowed per household. Apply through Lifeline and choose a participating company. Ask about remaining fees.

Weatherization and lower future bills

Pennsylvania’s Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) helps lower future energy bills. Work may include insulation, sealing air leaks, heating repairs or upgrades, and safety checks. WAP does not pay a past-due utility bill or give same-day shutoff aid.

The general income limit is 200% of the federal poverty level. For 2026, that is $31,920 a year for one person, $43,280 for two, $54,640 for three, or $66,000 for four. Some households may meet the program’s rules because a member gets SSI, TANF, LIHEAP, or other named aid. Check WAP income rules.

Apply with the local weatherization agency for your county. Renters may apply, though the owner may need to approve changes. Families with children, older people, people with disabilities, and high energy users may get priority. Ask about waiting time and whether a home has been weatherized before.

If electricity powers needed medical devices or a child has special health needs, also check Pennsylvania health care help for medical coverage and care support.

Documents to gather

Call even without every paper. Ask about substitute proof and deadlines. Keep copies.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Waiting for LIHEAP. It is still closed on October 21. Use your utility and 211 now if there is danger of shutoff.
• Asking only for a payment plan. Ask to be screened for CAP, hardship grants, CARES, and LIURP too.
• Thinking winter rules cover all bills. Rules depend on income, provider, dates, and the kind of service.
• Thinking medical protection pays debt. It protects service for a limited time; bills still count.
• Using old water-aid pages. The federal LIHWAP program is not a current statewide application path.
• Paying to unlock public aid. Check the official program before giving personal data or money to anyone.

If help is denied, delayed, or disputed

Ask for the reason in writing. For a LIHEAP denial, follow the notice’s appeal deadline. Ask the County Assistance Office about missing proof. Do not miss the deadline.

For billing errors, service disputes, shutoffs, or payment plans, first ask the utility to review the case. If it is not fixed, use the PUC complaint process. With an active shutoff notice, call 1-800-692-7380 instead of waiting for an online reply. Ask what happens to your shutoff date while the complaint is reviewed; do not assume filing stops it.

When a case involves an improper shutoff, a landlord who controls utilities, disability rights, or unsafe housing, seek Pennsylvania legal assistance. A local legal aid group can check facts and time limits in your case.

Backup options when funds are closed

Ask your utility to compare CAP, a payment agreement, budget billing, and hardship funds. Tell PA 211 your county, provider, bill type, amount owed, and shutoff date. Ask a local Community Action agency which aid is open this week. Schools, clinics, food pantries, and faith groups may know of small local funds that pay the utility directly.

Ask if funding is open, if it serves your utility, and if filing will stop shutoff. Confirm with the company.

Phone scripts you can use