Utility Assistance for Single Mothers in Wyoming

Where to start

Start with the problem that is closest to becoming urgent. If you already have a disconnect notice, call the utility first. If your bill is high but not past due, look at weatherization and budget billing. If you need help with several bills at once, use Wyoming 211 and local agencies.

Quick help table

Wyoming LIEAP for heating bills

LIEAP stands for Low Income Energy Assistance Program. In Wyoming, it helps eligible households pay a portion of winter home heating costs. It can cover heating fuels such as natural gas, electricity when it is the main heat source, propane, coal, wood, pellets, and other heating fuels.

Wyoming DFS says LIEAP pays the fuel provider directly. That means the help usually shows as a credit with your heating company, not as cash in your hand. This is important if you are also behind on rent, child care, or food. For those needs, use our Wyoming help guide and do not count on LIEAP to cover non-heating bills.

Who may qualify

Wyoming DFS says households with income up to 60% of the state median income level may qualify. Priority is given to households with a person age 60 or older, a person with a disability, or a child age 5 or younger. Renters, homeowners, and people living in a permanently parked RV or camper may be able to apply if other rules are met.

When to apply

For the 2025-2026 heating season, DFS listed the application period as October 1, 2025 through April 30, 2026. A new application is required each heating season. On May 20, 2026, the official page says applications are closed for the 2025-2026 heating season and expected to open again in early fall 2026. You can sign up for updates on the official LIEAP page and prepare your documents now.

How to apply

Wyoming uses an online application portal for LIEAP and weatherization. If you need help with the portal, call LIEAP at 1-800-246-4221 or email lieapinfo@wyo.gov. If you do not have reliable internet, our technology help guide may help you find library, phone, and internet options.

Weatherization help that can lower bills

Weatherization is different from bill payment help. It does not usually pay a past-due bill. Instead, it can make the home use less energy. Wyoming DFS says weatherization may include sealing leaks, insulation, heating-system work, safety checks, smoke alarms, carbon monoxide alarms, and other cost-effective measures.

Wyoming WAP applications are accepted year-round. DFS says both renters and homeowners can qualify. If you rent, your landlord may need to cooperate before work can be done. Weatherization is not a quick shutoff fix, but it can help if your winter bills keep coming back too high.

DFS lists two nonprofit weatherization providers. Council Services serves Campbell, Crook, Johnson, Sheridan, and Weston counties. Wyoming Weatherization serves the remaining counties.

Wyoming shutoff rules and what to ask for

Wyoming has utility disconnection rules, but they are not the same as a full winter shutoff ban. The Wyoming shutoff rule says a regulated utility generally must give at least seven calendar days of notice to residential customers before shutoff for nonpayment.

The rule also says a utility should try to make actual contact with the customer before shutoff during the cold-weather period from November 1 through April 30. It also includes protections when a health care provider gives written verification that shutoff would seriously endanger the health or safety of someone in the home. The exact facts matter, so ask your utility what it needs in writing.

The Wyoming PSC regulates many public utilities, but not every provider is covered the same way. Rural electric co-ops, municipal utilities, propane vendors, and landlords may follow different processes. If you believe a regulated utility is not following the rules, ask the PSC how to file a complaint.

Local and utility-specific help

When state help is closed or not enough, local programs may be the bridge. Start with Wyoming 211, then ask your utility what funds or payment tools it works with. You can also check our community support page for broader local help.

If utility bills are part of a bigger housing problem, our Wyoming housing guide can help you plan next steps.

Documents and information to gather

Before you apply or call, gather what you can. You do not have to be perfect before asking for help, but having documents ready can reduce delays.

• Photo ID or other identity proof for household members.
• Social Security numbers or other household information if the program asks for it.
• Proof of income for each household member, such as pay stubs, benefit letters, unemployment, child support, or self-employment records.
• Most recent heating bill and electric bill showing the service address, account number, and name.
• Disconnect notice, past-due notice, or fuel-delivery statement.
• Lease, rent statement, or rental verification if you rent.
• Landlord contact information if the furnace, heat, or utility setup is part of the rental.
• Medical note if shutoff would seriously endanger someone in the home.

If a job loss caused the overdue bill, our job loss help page may help you stack unemployment, food, child care, and utility support.

If you are denied, delayed, or ignored

First, find out why. Many denials happen because a document was missing, a form was incomplete, or the household applied outside the open season. Wyoming DFS says a denied LIEAP applicant may reapply in some situations, such as when verification was missing or household income changed.

If you disagree with a utility bill, keep paying any part you do not dispute if you can. Ask the utility to put the dispute, payment plan, and shutoff date in writing. If a landlord, eviction notice, or unsafe housing condition is involved, the Wyoming courts eviction page and Legal Aid can help you understand official next steps. For more detail, see our Wyoming legal help guide.

Phone and internet bill help

Utility stress often includes phone or internet. Lifeline is the main federal phone and internet discount program for low-income households. The USAGov phone help page explains how Lifeline works and how to check eligibility. The FCC says Lifeline can discount qualifying phone, internet, or bundled service from participating providers.

This is not the same as LIEAP. Lifeline will not pay a heating bill, but it can help you keep a phone active so schools, doctors, utilities, and benefit offices can reach you.