Last updated: July 16, 2026
Bottom line
Vermont utility help comes through several programs. Use Vermont Fuel Assistance for seasonal heating costs, your utility for a payment plan or discount, and Community Action for winter heating emergencies. Call before a shutoff date because an application does not automatically protect the account.
The 2025–2026 Crisis Fuel season has ended. The program normally operates from late November into April, subject to funding. Seasonal Fuel Assistance can still be started through the state benefits system for the next heating season, but the final 2026–2027 benefit schedule may not yet be posted.
ASMOM’s national utility guide explains common energy-help terms. The Vermont help page covers other state programs.
This article gives general information. It does not promise Fuel Assistance, a crisis delivery, a discount, restored service, a repair, or an appeal result.
If service may be shut off
Call the utility now. Ask for the exact disconnect date, the minimum payment needed, a reasonable repayment plan, budget billing, and any medical or winter protection that may apply. Write down the representative’s name and confirmation number.
Call Vermont 211. Use Vermont 211 to search for local fuel funds, town assistance, churches, Community Action, food, shelter, and other emergency help. Dial 211 when the line works from your phone.
Contact Community Action. Use the state’s agency directory to find the office serving your town. In July, ask about private or local funds because the regular Crisis Fuel season is closed.
If utility loss is tied to rent, shelter, food, transportation, or family safety, use ASMOM’s Vermont emergency guide. For abuse or control of utilities and money, use the Vermont safety guide from a safer device.
Where to start
Work on the bill that creates the greatest risk. A heating emergency, electric shutoff, and water notice may use different programs.
Heating costs
Apply for Seasonal Fuel Assistance through MyBenefits or by phone. It may help whether you buy fuel directly or heat is included in rent.
Past-due electricity or gas
Call the utility for a repayment plan, budget billing, and any income-based discount. Do this even when you are applying for Fuel Assistance.
No heat in winter
Call Community Action for Crisis Fuel screening during the winter season. Do not order a delivery or repair first unless the agency approves it.
Water or internet bill
Contact the provider and 211. The old statewide water program and the federal Affordable Connectivity Program are no longer open.
If several bills are behind, also check ASMOM’s Vermont housing guide and Vermont community guide.
Vermont utility help quick reference
| Problem | First contact | What to ask | Reality check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seasonal heating costs | DCF or MyBenefits | Seasonal Fuel Assistance | It pays part of eligible heating costs, not the full season. |
| Winter heating emergency | Community Action | Crisis Fuel or heating-system help | The season is closed in July and funding is limited. |
| Electric or gas arrears | Utility company | Repayment plan, budget billing, discount | A discount may not remove the old balance. |
| Medical shutoff risk | Utility and clinician | Physician’s certificate process | The protection is temporary and has yearly limits. |
| Water or sewer bill | Local provider and 211 | Payment plan, town fund, leak review | There is no current statewide LIHWAP benefit. |
Seasonal Fuel Assistance
Vermont Seasonal Fuel Assistance is the state’s main Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program benefit. It helps eligible households pay part of their home heating costs. It can cover fuel oil, kerosene, propane, natural gas, electricity used for heat, wood, pellets, and other approved heating sources.
Homeowners and renters can apply. A household may also qualify when heat is included in rent. The program looks at the people who live together as one economic unit and share the cost of heat.
How to apply
Apply through Vermont MyBenefits, call the Benefits Service Center at 1-800-479-6151, or ask for a paper application. People who are deaf or hard of hearing can use 711. You can apply for Fuel Assistance alone or with benefits such as 3SquaresVT and Reach Up.
The 2025–2026 seasonal benefit was limited to fuel delivered from November 1, 2025 through April 30, 2026. That delivery period has ended. Applying now can start the process for the next heating season, but do not rely on an old benefit amount or delivery date.
Current income screens
Vermont’s Seasonal Fuel rule uses a gross-income limit of 185% of the federal poverty guidelines. Crisis Fuel uses 200%. The figures below use the official 2026 federal guidelines. DCF decides whose income is counted and how it is verified.
| Household size | Seasonal Fuel: 185% | Crisis Fuel: 200% |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $2,460.50 | $2,660.00 |
| 2 | $3,336.17 | $3,606.67 |
| 3 | $4,211.83 | $4,553.33 |
| 4 | $5,087.50 | $5,500.00 |
| 5 | $5,963.17 | $6,446.67 |
| 6 | $6,838.83 | $7,393.33 |
| 7 | $7,714.50 | $8,340.00 |
| 8 | $8,590.17 | $9,286.67 |
The federal figures are listed in the 2026 poverty table. For a current Vermont explanation, use VTLawHelp energy programs. Do not reject yourself because income changes from week to week; apply and provide the records DCF requests.
Crisis Fuel Assistance
Crisis Fuel is the emergency part of Vermont’s heating program. Community Action agencies screen households for a real heating crisis, income, resources, and need. Help may involve fuel, electricity needed to run heat, natural gas, or an approved heating-system repair.
The program normally starts on the last Monday in November and ends during April, depending on fuel type and available money. The 2025–2026 season started November 24, 2025 and has ended. The next season’s exact dates have not yet been announced.
Do not order fuel or complete a furnace repair and then expect Crisis Fuel to repay it. Contact the agency first. During the closed season, ask the Community Action office and 211 about private funds, town help, General Assistance, or another emergency path.
What to say when calling
Give your town, heating source, fuel level, shutoff date, household size, and any serious health risk. Ask whether the current program is open and what proof is required before a delivery or repair can be approved.
Electric and gas discounts
Income-based discounts lower new monthly charges. They may not erase an old balance, so ask about a repayment plan at the same time.
| Utility | Current help | Important detail |
|---|---|---|
| Green Mountain Power | GMP Energy Assistance gives a 25% discount on customer and energy charges. | Income must generally be at or below 185% of poverty, and enrollment is verified through DCF. |
| Burlington Electric | BED Energy Assistance gives a 12.5% discount on energy and customer charges. | Only Burlington Electric customers can use the program. |
| Vermont Gas | The Vermont Gas application supports a 20% monthly discount. | Send the form and a recent gas bill to DCF; household income rules apply. |
| Other utilities | Ask about hardship funds, budget billing, arrears plans, and medical protection. | Programs differ by municipal utility, cooperative, fuel dealer, and water provider. |
Vermont’s utility rules require gas and electric companies to offer budget billing at a primary residence. A customer with an overdue balance must also have a chance to combine budget billing with an extended repayment plan.
Lowering food and child care costs may make the plan easier to keep. Check ASMOM’s Vermont SNAP guide, Vermont TANF guide, and Vermont child care guide.
Shutoff protections and complaints
Vermont Public Utility Commission Rule 3.300 covers many residential gas, electric, and water disconnections. It requires notice and an opportunity to negotiate a reasonable repayment plan. When a customer shares income information, the utility must consider income timing, payment history, the balance, the reason for the debt, and unexpected hardship.
Medical protection
A physician can certify that disconnection would create an immediate and serious health hazard for someone in the home. Telling the utility that the certificate is coming can temporarily count, but the written certificate must arrive within seven days. Protection is generally limited to 30-day periods and cannot be used without limit.
Winter protections
From November 1 through March 31, gas and electric utilities have extra contact and weather duties. A covered utility cannot disconnect when the forecast is below 10°F during the required 48-hour period. A household member age 62 or older may receive added protection below 32°F when the account holder gives advance written notice and proof if requested.
Renters and landlord bills
If the landlord is responsible for a utility bill, special tenant notice rules apply. A tenant may be able to place service in the tenant’s name and cannot be required to pay the landlord’s old utility debt. Contact Consumer Affairs before accepting responsibility for someone else’s balance.
Read the current Vermont shutoff rule for exact terms. For help with a regulated utility, submit a Consumer Affairs complaint or call 1-800-622-4496. Propane and fuel-oil dealer complaints may go to the Vermont Attorney General’s Consumer Assistance Program instead.
Lower future bills with weatherization
Weatherization is a longer-term energy program for eligible renters and homeowners. It may provide free insulation, air sealing, energy checks, and related improvements through Vermont’s Community Action agencies.
Start with the income-qualified weatherization program. An energy audit decides which work is allowed. Renters may need owner permission, and health or safety problems may have to be fixed first.
Weatherization does not pay a current shutoff notice. Use it with Fuel Assistance, a utility plan, and any discount for which you qualify.
Water, phone, and internet help
Water and sewer bills
Vermont’s temporary Low Income Household Water Assistance Program ended in 2024. The water assistance update confirms that the statewide COVID-era programs are over. Call the town, water district, private provider, or landlord and ask about a payment plan, leak adjustment, hardship fund, or local assistance. Then call 211.
Phone and internet
The Affordable Connectivity Program ended in 2024. The federal Lifeline program still provides a monthly discount of up to $9.25 on eligible phone, internet, or bundled service. A household may qualify through income or programs such as SNAP or Medicaid. Check Lifeline Support and compare participating providers that actually work at your address.
ASMOM’s phone and internet guide explains the application steps and common scams.
Documents and information to gather
Programs ask for different records. Call even when something is missing and ask what other proof can be used.
| Information | Examples | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Identity | Photo ID, case number, birth records | Confirms the applicant and household |
| Income | Pay, benefits, child support, self-employment | Programs use gross household income |
| Utility account | Current bill, account number, shutoff notice | Connects help to the correct account |
| Heating details | Fuel type, dealer, tank level, landlord information | Shows how the home is heated |
| Housing | Lease, rent statement, heat-in-rent proof | Needed when the applicant does not pay a dealer directly |
| Medical need | Clinician contact and utility form | May support temporary medical protection |
| Submission proof | Screenshot, fax report, call log | Helps with follow-up or appeal |
ASMOM’s documents checklist gives a longer benefits-application list.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Waiting for shutoff day. A utility, fuel dealer, or agency may need time to verify the account.
- Calling Crisis Fuel in July. The regular program is winter-only; ask about local backup funds instead.
- Ordering fuel or repairs first. Crisis help may not repay a completed delivery or repair.
- Assuming an application stops shutoff. Confirm any hold with the utility.
- Using an old income chart. Federal poverty figures change each year.
- Promising an impossible payment. Give the utility your real income schedule and request a workable plan.
- Paying an application fee. Public fuel and discount applications should not require a fee or banking password.
If help is denied, delayed, or unavailable
Ask for the reason and decision in writing. Check whether the problem is income, missing verification, household composition, account name, fuel type, season, or funding.
For Fuel Assistance, Vermont procedures allow a Director’s review within five working days after an adverse notice. A fair-hearing request generally may be made within 90 days of the mailed decision. Follow the deadline and instructions on your own notice. Fuel benefits do not normally continue during an appeal.
The official fair-hearing procedure explains the deadlines. VTLawHelp hearings explains what to expect.
For a utility dispute, call Consumer Affairs before the shutoff when possible. For legal advice about benefits, a landlord-paid utility, unsafe housing, or a disputed disconnection, use ASMOM’s Vermont legal guide. Use the benefits problem guide to organize the notice, documents, and call log.
If a medical condition or disability affects heat or electricity needs, check the Vermont health guide. Help depends on the program and your case.
Phone scripts
Calling the utility
“Hello, my account has a past-due balance or disconnect date of _____. Please tell me the minimum needed to stop disconnection, and offer the most reasonable repayment and budget-billing plan based on my income schedule.”
Calling DCF
“Hello, I want to apply for Seasonal Fuel Assistance for the next heating season. Can I apply through MyBenefits, what records are missing, and how will I know my application was received?”
Calling Community Action
“Hello, I live in _____ and heat with _____. Is Crisis Fuel open now? If it is closed, do you have another fuel, utility, town, or private fund I should contact?”
Calling Consumer Affairs
“Hello, I tried to make a payment plan with _____. I need help understanding the shutoff notice and whether the offered plan follows Vermont rules. What records should I submit?”
Resumen en español
Si necesita ayuda con calefacción, electricidad, gas o agua en Vermont, llame primero a la compañía y pida un plan de pago. Puede solicitar Seasonal Fuel Assistance por MyBenefits o llamar al 1-800-479-6151.
Crisis Fuel normalmente funciona desde finales de noviembre hasta abril. En julio de 2026 está cerrado. Llame a Community Action y al 211 para preguntar por otros fondos locales.
Guarde facturas, avisos de corte, prueba de ingresos, datos del combustible y comprobantes de todo lo enviado. Si niegan Fuel Assistance, pida la decisión por escrito y revise rápidamente las fechas para una revisión o audiencia.
FAQs about Vermont utility help
Is Vermont Crisis Fuel open in July 2026?
No. The regular 2025–2026 season has ended. Crisis Fuel normally opens in late November and closes during April, subject to funding. Ask Community Action about other local funds.
What is the Seasonal Fuel income limit?
Vermont uses 185% of the federal poverty guidelines. In 2026, the monthly gross screen is $2,460.50 for one person and $5,087.50 for four people.
Can Vermont Fuel Assistance pay the full heating bill?
Usually not. Seasonal Fuel Assistance pays part of eligible heating costs. The amount depends on program rules, household facts, fuel type, prices, and available funds.
Can a utility shut off service during winter?
It may disconnect in some situations, but Vermont requires extra winter notice and weather checks. Medical, age, repayment-plan, and temperature protections may apply.
Does Vermont have water-bill assistance?
The temporary statewide LIHWAP program ended in 2024. Ask the water provider, town, landlord, Community Action, and Vermont 211 about local payment plans or funds.
How long do I have to appeal Fuel Assistance?
A fair-hearing request generally may be made within 90 days of the mailed decision. A Fuel Assistance Director’s review may be requested within five working days. Follow your notice.
Last updated: July 16, 2026. Next review: October 16, 2026.
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 July 16, 2026, next review October 16, 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.