Help With Your Gas Bill: Programs, Payment Plans, and Shutoff Protections

The fastest help with your gas bill usually comes from the gas company itself, not from a grant. One phone call can get you a payment arrangement, a hardship fund referral, a lower rate if your income qualifies, and protection under your state’s winter shutoff rules.

Most people make that call last, after the shutoff notice. This guide flips the order. It covers natural gas and propane only: the utility programs we checked on each company’s own site on November 3, 2026, the winter dates set by state regulators, and what to do with a doctor’s note.

Winter is also when the bill peaks. The U.S. Energy Information Administration expects a home that heats with natural gas to spend about $640 from November through March this winter, with January the most expensive month. That is 9% less than last winter, but still a lot to absorb at once.

Key Takeaways

• Call your gas company before the due date. Ask for a payment arrangement, budget billing, any hardship fund and any income-based discount in the same call.
• Many gas utilities run donation-funded hardship funds paid through local agencies: SoCalGas, Nicor Gas, Dominion Energy, Atmos Energy and Spire all list one on their own sites.
• Winter shutoff protection depends on your state. Minnesota protects October 1 to April 30, Wisconsin November 1 to April 15, and Illinois and Pennsylvania December 1 to March 31, each with conditions.
• A medical certificate can pause a shutoff. In Pennsylvania the first one lasts up to 30 days and can be renewed; in Wisconsin a utility may delay up to 21 days.
• Propane and heating oil dealers are usually not covered by winter shutoff rules, so plan deliveries and assistance earlier.

Where can I get help with my gas bill right now?

Start with your gas utility, then a local community action agency, then charities. The utility can set up a payment plan and enroll you in discounts the same day. Agencies reached through 211 handle LIHEAP and most utility hardship funds. The Salvation Army runs some of them.

That order matters because the programs feed each other. Some hardship funds will not pay until you have applied for federal energy aid. Some shutoff protections only start once you tell the utility you qualify. Calling in the wrong order can cost you a week you do not have.

Here is the sequence that tends to work best when a gas bill is past due or about to be:

1. Call the number on your gas bill. Ask what you owe to stop collection, whether you can split the balance into installments, and whether you qualify for a discount rate or budget billing.
2. Ask by name about the company’s hardship fund. Write down the agency it uses and the hours that agency takes applications.
3. Apply for LIHEAP through your state. If you already have a disconnect notice, say so; that makes it a crisis case.
4. Call 211. Spire and Atmos Energy both point customers to 211 to find the local agency that hands out their funds.
5. Tell the utility about anything that protects you. A medical condition, age 65 or older, a veteran in the home or enrollment in a benefit like SSI can trigger extra protection.

If several bills are behind, our water bill assistance guide covers water and sewer, and the utilities hub lists other energy programs. For rent, food or cash at the same time, our emergency help guide groups the fastest options.

Which gas companies have their own hardship funds?

Many gas utilities run a fund paid for by customer donations and company money. The utility rarely takes the application. A nonprofit such as United Way, the Salvation Army or a community action agency decides who qualifies and pays the gas account directly. Grants are usually one-time and capped.

These funds are small compared with a full winter of bills, but they are a form of help with a gas bill that does not have to be repaid. They also reach people who earn too much for LIHEAP. Nicor Gas, for example, aims its main grant at households between 301% and 350% of the federal poverty level.

We checked each program below on its own website on November 3, 2026. Amounts and income limits change every program year, so confirm with the agency before you go.

Program (utility)	Where	Most it pays	Who runs intake	Key rule
Gas Assistance Fund (SoCalGas)	Southern California	Up to $100, one time	United Way of Greater Los Angeles partner agencies	Household of 4 at or below $66,000 a year
Sharing Program (Nicor Gas)	Northern Illinois	$250 to $500; up to $150 for seniors	Salvation Army offices	301% to 350% of poverty; seniors 0% to 350%
EnergyShare (Dominion Energy)	Virginia	Up to $700 for heating, October 1 to April 30	Local EnergyShare agencies or 211 Virginia	Need a disconnect notice, a reconnection, help keeping a payment plan or a budget billing removal notice
Sharing the Warmth (Atmos Energy)	Atmos service areas	Set by the local agency	Partner energy assistance agencies	Agency decides eligibility
DollarHelp (Spire)	Alabama and Missouri	Set by the local agency	Community action agencies, found through 211	Helps customers catch up on natural gas bills
Washington Area Fuel Fund (WAFF)	DC and parts of Maryland and Virginia	Up to $750 per gas account	WAFF directly, January through May	Needs a final LIHEAP approval or denial letter

Details that trip people up

SoCalGas says plainly that it “can’t accept or process applications” for its Gas Assistance Fund. You book an appointment with a listed nonprofit, and each one keeps its own hours. Its income limits run from June 1, 2026 to May 31, 2027, or until the money runs out.

Nicor Gas sends Sharing Program applicants to the Salvation Army in person. The Salvation Army help line for the program is (773) 205-3570, and Nicor suggests calling ahead for an appointment and a list of the papers to bring.

Dominion’s EnergyShare covers more than gas. It pays toward oil, natural gas, kerosene, propane, wood and electricity. People 60 and older may get help more often, and veterans and people with disabilities enrolled in an approved state voucher program may qualify for an extra $500.

Atmos says more than $4.9 million went out through Sharing the Warmth in 2025. Spire says DollarHelp sends more than $1 million a year to customers in Alabama and Missouri. Neither company lists a fixed grant size, because the local agency sets it based on your situation.

WAFF only pays natural gas accounts, and your name must be on the bill. You need a disconnect or discontinuance notice unless you are 65 or older. Your balance must be $750 or less after LIHEAP and other payments, and you can apply once per calendar year. Its open season runs January through May.

If your gas company is not on this list, search its website for “assistance,” “hardship” or “fuel fund,” or ask the customer service agent. Most large gas utilities have something similar under a different name.

Can I get a lower gas rate if my income is low?

In some states, yes. These programs cut the bill every month instead of paying it once. California’s CARE program takes 20% off natural gas for income-qualified homes. New Jersey’s Universal Service Fund credits $20 to $200 a month. Others, such as Illinois PIPP, can close when money runs short.

A standing discount is usually worth more than a one-time grant. On the EIA’s national average of $640 for a gas-heated home this winter, a 20% cut works out to about $128 across five months, and the discount keeps going all year.

California: CARE and Medical Baseline

The California Public Utilities Commission sets CARE income limits for June 1, 2026 to May 31, 2027. A household of one or two qualifies at or below $43,280 a year, three at $54,640 and four at $66,000. Each additional person adds $11,360.

You can also qualify without an income check if you are enrolled in Medi-Cal, SNAP, WIC, LIHEAP, SSI, TANF or the free school lunch program, among others. You apply through your utility. Our California utility help page covers CARE alongside the state’s LIHEAP providers.

SoCalGas also runs a Medical Baseline Allowance. It gives you more natural gas at the lowest rate if someone in the home needs extra space heating because of a medical condition. That is separate from income, so ask about both.

New Jersey: Universal Service Fund

New Jersey’s USF gives monthly credits on electric and gas bills for households at or below 60% of state median income, according to the state Board of Public Utilities. The state takes one application for USF and its LIHEAP program through the DCAid portal.

Illinois and Ohio: percentage of income plans

Some states cap the bill at a share of your income instead. The Illinois Commerce Commission says its Percentage of Income Payment Plan “is not currently accepting new applications due to limited funds.”

If you live in Illinois, ask your gas utility about deferred payment plans and its own hardship programs instead.

Ohio’s PIPP Plus works on the same idea and is run through the state’s energy assistance system. The rules, including the share of income you pay, are on our Ohio utility help page.

Why is my gas bill so high in winter, and does budget billing help?

Your furnace burns most of your yearly gas in four or five months, so winter bills can run several times higher than summer ones. Budget billing spreads the year’s cost into equal monthly payments. It does not lower what you owe in total, but it removes the January spike that pushes many households behind.

The EIA forecast shows the shape of the problem. A typical gas-heated home spends $111 in November, climbs to $146 in January, then falls back to $116 by March. Those are national averages. Regional totals for the five months range from $511 in the South to $879 in the Northeast.

Budget billing goes by several names: budget plan, level pay or equal payment. SoCalGas describes it as “averaging your annual natural gas use and costs over a 12-month period.” Atmos Energy says it charges no fee for the plan.

The plans are not frozen, though. The Public Service Commission of Wisconsin explains that the payment is readjusted every six months to match your actual use. At the end of the budget year, the bill is adjusted again to correct over or under billing. A cold winter can mean a higher payment in spring.

Budget billing works best when you are current or close to it, so ask whether a past-due balance has to go on a payment arrangement first. Dominion treats a budget billing removal notice as a reason to qualify for EnergyShare, so ask what happens if you miss a month.

Two caveats are worth knowing before you sign up:

• If you leave the plan or move, any gap between what you paid and what you used comes due.
• Budget billing does not stop a shutoff by itself. If you stop paying the monthly amount, the normal collection rules apply.

How do I set up a gas payment arrangement before a shutoff?

Call the utility as soon as you know you cannot pay in full, ideally before the due date. Ask for a deferred payment arrangement: a down payment now, then the past-due balance in installments on future bills. Get the terms in writing, and agree only to an amount you can keep paying.

Wisconsin’s regulator describes the deal plainly: a down payment on the balance, then installments negotiated “depending on your situation.” The warning attached is the important part. If you miss the installments, the utility can disconnect you.

Some states limit what the utility can demand in winter. In Illinois, from December 1 to March 31, a utility generally cannot cut off a customer who heats with gas or electricity unless it first offered a payment arrangement with no more than 10% down and the customer refused.

Minnesota goes further. Under its Cold Weather Rule, the utility must offer a payment plan “that is reasonable for your household’s financial circumstances.” If you and the company cannot agree, you can appeal to the Public Utilities Commission within 10 days, and your service stays on while the appeal is pending.

What to have ready when you call

• Your account number and the exact past-due amount on the notice.
• Your monthly income, so you can explain what payment is realistic.
• Any benefits you receive, such as SSI, SNAP, Medicaid or LIHEAP, since they can unlock protections.
• Whether anyone in the home is 65 or older, has a serious illness, or uses medical equipment.
• A pen. Write down the date, the agent’s name and the terms.

Ask whether a third party can get copies of your notices. Minnesota utilities must offer a third-party notice form, and Pennsylvania lets you name a friend or relative to receive late notices. The third party does not owe the bill; they simply get a warning in time to help.

When is the gas company not allowed to shut off my heat?

Many cold-weather states limit heat shutoffs in winter, but the dates and conditions differ, and few are blanket bans. Some protect everyone who heats with gas, some only low-income or older customers, and some require you to enroll or keep a payment plan. Check your state’s rules early.

The table below shows the winter rules we confirmed on each state regulator’s site. It is not a full list of states. If yours is missing, search your state’s public utility or public service commission website for “winter” or “cold weather.”

State	Winter window	Who is protected	What you must do
Minnesota	October 1 to April 30	Gas and electric customers, including renters with the account in their name	Make and keep a payment plan
Wisconsin	November 1 to April 15	Homes where the service provides or runs the main heat	Arrange payment to restore service already cut
Michigan	November 1 to March 31	Age 65 or older, or on state cash, food or Medicaid, or at or below 150% of poverty	Enroll in the Winter Protection Plan
New Jersey	November 15 to March 15	LIHEAP, SSI, TANF, USF, PAAD, Lifeline and General Assistance recipients, plus hardship cases	Tell your utility you qualify
Massachusetts	November 15 to March 15	Customers with financial hardship who need the service for heat	Give the utility proof of hardship
Illinois	December 1 to March 31	LIHEAP and PIPP customers and military members or veterans; others if offered a 10% down plan and they refused	Accept a deferred payment arrangement
Pennsylvania	December 1 to March 31	Customers within the utility’s income guidelines	Stay within the rules; the PUC must approve winter shutoffs

Read the conditions closely. Michigan’s Winter Protection Plan does not erase the bill. Low-income customers pay 7% of their estimated annual bill each month from November through March, and seniors pay no set amount. Both then pay off what they owe in installments between April and November.

Illinois also has a weather trigger. Beyond the December to March window, its cold weather rules apply on days when the forecast is at freezing or below. Wisconsin requires utilities to try to contact customers who were cut off for nonpayment before winter, check on their well-being and offer a payment plan.

New Jersey’s Winter Termination Program ran November 15, 2025 to March 15, 2026 last season and covered gas and electric service, among others. The Board of Public Utilities urged people to keep making good-faith payments through the winter so the balance is smaller when protection ends.

For state-level detail, including notices and how to complain, see our utility help pages for Pennsylvania, Illinois and New York. Southern states such as Georgia and Florida rely more on weather-based rules than calendar dates.

Can a doctor’s note stop a gas shutoff?

Often, yes, for a limited time. Most states let a licensed medical provider certify that cutting off service would harm someone in the home. The utility then has to hold off for a set period. The bill does not go away, so use the pause to set up a payment plan or get assistance approved.

Pennsylvania’s rule is one of the clearer ones. The Public Utility Commission says service will not be cut while someone in the home is certified as seriously ill.

The letter must come from a licensed physician, physician assistant or nurse practitioner. The first certificate lasts up to 30 days, and renewals are possible.

Wisconsin’s version is shorter. If a shutoff would make a medical or protective services emergency worse, the utility may delay it for up to 21 days and may ask for documentation from a professional involved in the case.

Massachusetts protects households with a serious illness and asks for proof such as a doctor’s note. It also bars shutoffs without regulator permission when every resident is 65 or older. Rules for infants, older adults and people on life support vary in other states, so ask your utility what documentation it accepts.

A few practical points make the certificate work:

• Call the utility first and tell them a certificate is coming. Ask whether it will accept a call from the provider’s office before the written form arrives.
• Ask exactly when the protection ends, and put that date on your calendar.
• Keep paying something. A certificate pauses the shutoff; it does not stop new charges from building.

If someone in the home needs more heat because of a condition, a medical rate program such as SoCalGas’s Medical Baseline Allowance can lower the cost long term. Our disability resources hub lists other programs that help with the costs of a serious condition.

Where does LIHEAP fit when the bill is for gas?

LIHEAP is the federal energy assistance program, run by each state, and it pays gas utilities and fuel dealers directly. When you face a shutoff, ask for crisis assistance. Federal law requires some help within 48 hours of an eligible household’s crisis application, or 18 hours if the situation is life-threatening.

We cover the program in depth elsewhere, so here are the links instead of a repeat: how to apply for LIHEAP, the LIHEAP income limits by household size, and how to check your application status. The LIHEAP program page summarizes the rules every state follows.

One gas-specific point: apply for LIHEAP even if you expect to be denied. The Washington Area Fuel Fund will not process an application without a final LIHEAP approval or denial letter. Other hardship funds also look at what LIHEAP has already paid before they decide how much to add.

What if I heat with propane or heating oil?

Propane and heating oil are delivered fuels, and most winter shutoff rules do not cover them. Minnesota’s regulator says so directly: its Cold Weather Rule “does not apply to delivered fuels.” That means planning and assistance have to happen before the tank runs low, because a dealer can simply decline to deliver.

The fuel also costs more. The EIA expects a home that heats mainly with propane to spend about $1,246 this winter, down 3%, at an average of $2.52 a gallon. Heating oil homes face about $2,115, up 21%, at roughly $5.26 a gallon. Natural gas, at $640, is the cheapest of the main heating fuels.

Several tools still apply to delivered fuels:

• Budget plans. Minnesota requires propane dealers to offer a budget billing plan. Elsewhere, ask your dealer whether they offer one before the season starts.
• LIHEAP. State programs pay fuel dealers as well as utilities. Pennsylvania sends grants to your utility or fuel company, and New York’s regular benefit starts at $990 for homes that pay an oil, kerosene or propane dealer directly.
• Utility funds that cover any fuel. Dominion’s EnergyShare pays toward propane, oil, kerosene and wood, not only natural gas.
• The electric account. If your propane or oil furnace needs electricity to run, Minnesota tells customers to request cold weather protection from the electric company.

Call for assistance before the gauge drops near empty. Some dealers have minimum delivery amounts, and crisis programs generally move faster when you call while you still have some fuel. New York, for example, sizes its benefit by fuel type and how you pay for it.

What should I do if my gas has already been shut off?

Call the utility, ask exactly what it needs to restore service, and apply for crisis assistance the same day. During Pennsylvania’s winter moratorium, service comes back within 24 hours after you pay and meet the utility’s conditions. Until the gas is back, stay safe: never use a gas oven or stove to heat your home.

Ask the utility three things: the amount needed to reconnect, whether a payment arrangement can cover part of it, and whether a medical certificate or winter rule applies to your account. In Wisconsin, a utility does not have to reconnect until you make payment arrangements, so the plan is the key.

Then call your LIHEAP office or 211 and say your gas is off. A shutoff is the definition of an energy crisis, and that is when the 48-hour federal response rule applies to eligible households.

Safety comes before anything else while you wait. The CDC says to “never heat your house with a gas oven.” It also recommends checking carbon monoxide detector batteries when you change your clocks, replacing detectors every five years and having gas appliances serviced every year.

Be careful with anyone who calls or texts offering to stop a shutoff for a fee. Real utility hardship funds are paid through the company or a nonprofit and do not ask for gift cards or wire transfers. Our scam watch page lists the common versions.

A seven-day plan for a gas shutoff notice

A disconnect notice gives you a short window. In Pennsylvania, for example, the utility must send a 10-day notice before a winter or summer shutoff. Here is how to use that time, in order:

1. Day 1: Call the gas company. Ask for a payment arrangement, budget billing, the hardship fund and any discount rate. Tell them about anyone 65 or older, a serious illness or a veteran in the home.
2. Day 1 or 2: If someone in the home is seriously ill, ask the doctor’s office to send the utility a medical certificate.
3. Day 2: Apply for LIHEAP crisis help with your state or local agency, and mention the notice date.
4. Day 3: Call 211 or the agency the utility named for its hardship fund. Book the earliest appointment.
5. Day 4 or 5: Check your state’s winter rules on the regulator’s website and tell the utility if you qualify.
6. Day 6: Make the first payment under your arrangement, even if it is small, and keep the receipt.
7. Day 7: Call the utility to confirm the shutoff is on hold and note the date of the next payment.

If your income is close to a program’s limit, the federal poverty level calculator shows where your household falls, since many gas programs set limits as a percentage of poverty. Older adults can find more programs on our seniors hub, and veterans on the veterans hub.

Related reading on GrantsHubUSA:

• Pennsylvania LIHEAP: dates, income limits and crisis grants
• Texas utility help, including CPS Energy’s bill credit
• North Carolina energy programs and winter shutoff limits
• Help for low-income families