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Customers must meet certain income limits and be payment-troubled to qualify for CAP, CARES, LIURP and Hardship Funds. Payment-troubled usually means customers have made a payment agreement with the company. Customers need to meet monthly income limits to qualify and should call their local electric or natural gas company for details to see if they qualify. Each company's toll-free number is listed below.

*Household Size Yearly Income
1 person $16,245
2 persons $21,855
3 persons $27,465
4 persons $33,075
5 persons $38,685
6 persons $44,295
7 persons $49,905
8 persons $55,515
For each additional person, add $5,610

(*Figures denote incomes before taxes as of January 23, 2009.)
Income levels are slightly higher for LIURP, CARES and Hardship Funds.

Residential customers may contact their electric or natural gas company and request budget billing at any time. Each monthly bill will be the same amount until the total bill is paid. The company may adjust the bill four times a year, up or down, depending on the customer’s use.

Click here for income limits.

Consumer Assistance Programs (CAPs) provide an alternative to traditional collection methods for low-income, payment troubled utility customers. Generally, customers enrolled in a CAP agree to make monthly payments to the utility based on household size and gross income. Customers make regular monthly payments, which may be for an amount that is less than the current bill for utility service. Besides regular monthly payments, customers need to follow certain rules to remain eligible for continued participation. In exchange for regular payments, some companies may also remove the amount consumers already owe. Companies work with customers to determine what customers can pay instead of what they use.

Click here for income limits.

The Customer Assistance Referral and Evaluation Program (CARES) helps customers with special needs find ways to pay their utility bills. Special needs include family emergencies, divorce, unemployment or medical emergencies.

Click here for income limits.

Utility company hardship funds provide cash assistance to utility customers to help them pay their utility bills. Hardship funds provide assistance grants to customers who cannot qualify for other financial assistance programs, or to those who still have a critical need for assistance when there are no other resources. The funds make payments directly to companies on behalf of eligible customers.

Click here for income limits.

The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is the federal program that provides financial assistance to low-income households for home energy bills. In Pennsylvania, the Department of Public Welfare (DPW) administers the LIHEAP program.

If you are part of the Competitive Discount Program (CDP) for electric, the EDC will apply the LIHEAP grant to your entire bill.

The LIHEAP program provides both cash and crisis benefits. Cash benefits help low-income consumers pay for their home energy bills while crisis payments help meet emergency home energy needs. More information is available from DPW,including information on income limits.

Click here to print the LIHEAP application form.

DPW County Assistance Office Telephone Numbers

Low-Income Usage Reduction Program (LIURP) helps low-income residential customers lower the amount of energy used each month. Typically, the company may install energy saving features or make energy efficiency improvements in customers’ homes to help reduce bills.

Click here for income limits.

Click above for the new Utility Choice brochure for Electric and Natural Gas Customers on Limited Incomes. This newly updated brochure provides answers to commonly asked questions about limited income programs, a description of low-income programs available and important contact information for consumers.