2 minute read • Graham Lumley • Last update July 2024
We all need a helping hand sometimes. Payment assistance may be available to qualified customers who have experienced an emergency or temporary hardship impacting their financial status. If you or someone you know needs some assistance, contact the Texas Information and Referral Network by calling 2-1-1 or visiting 211texas.org.
Available in all 254 counties, CEAP Texas is a utility assistance program providing direct relief toward eligible expenses. Typically, it covers utility bills for the elderly, disabled, and other vulnerable residents on a low income.
Eligibility for home energy assistance is determined per the government’s poverty guidelines. You must be at or below 150% of Federal Poverty Guidelines. However, Texas homeowners receiving SNAP, TANF, SSI, or certain Means Tested Veterans Program payments automatically qualify.
The CEAP home energy assistance program also provides emergency utility assistance in Texas during energy-related crises, such as severe weather events and supply shortages.
CEAP pays for up to six or eight of the highest bills during the year for non-vulnerable households and all remaining bills for vulnerable households.
To apply, call toll free at 1-877-399-8939 between 8AM and 5PM, Monday through Friday. You will be automatically directed to the CEAP service provider within your county.
LIHEAP is a federally funded program that can provide assistance to homes seeking assistance with the payment of utility bills.
Visit Help for Texans and when filling out the form select “Utility Bill Payment Help.”
While the Weatherization Assistance Program is a federally-funded program, it doesn’t offer direct utility bill payment help. Rather, it focuses on improving home energy efficiency so low-income families can reduce their energy bills.
Weatherization improvements such as upgrades to insulation, weather stripping, and window replacements reduce immediate energy needs and can save hundreds of dollars annually.
Qualified Texas homeowners should apply online at Help for Texans and when filling out the form select “Weatherization.”
The Salvation Army has long been heralded for its efforts in supporting any American or qualified alien in need of help. Their mortgage and utility help is not only available to homeowners but also to any family or individual struggling with the financial or emotional burdens associated with paying for utilities.
United Way of Greater Houston offers help paying an electric bill in Texas through Baker Ripley’s Comprehensive Energy Assistance Program–essentially a more localized version of CEAP. To qualify, homes must have at least one occupant who meets the stipulated income criteria.
The Texas Utility Help program is currently closed to new applicants. The organization will continue to make payments to approved applicants until funding runs out.
Assistance programs on the Texas Information and Referral Network are administered by local agencies and may have their own applicable eligibility rules. Customers should consult with the local agency of their choice on what eligibility requirements, if any, they have. Note that it may take up to two billing cycles to activate these benefits.
For customers who have experienced a short-term cash-flow issue and need help with late payments or disconnects, consider our late payment waivers or payment extensions program. Under the program, at our discretion, we may waive late payment fees, provide payment extensions, or deferred payment plans for qualified participants.
