Here are some possible ways to get help paying your utility bills.
Many customers cannot afford to pay their utility bills and are not eligible for any of the special protections against shut-offs previously discussed in the section in this chapter called Special Protections Against Shut-offs. If you find yourself in this situation, you still are eligible for a payment plan.
Utility companies must provide customers with payment plans that allow a customer to take several months to pay overdue bills.34 You have the absolute right to spread payment of overdue bills over a minimum of four months.
Do not agree to pay more in a shorter amount of time if you cannot afford it. If your budget does not allow you to pay the balance in four months, you should ask for a longer amount of time. Try to work out an acceptable payment plan with the company. If you qualify for the discount rate and/or fuel assistance (see the sections below) and have not received them, tell the company that you will apply and that this will reduce your future bills. This should make the company willing to negotiate a better payment plan (such as requiring less money up-front), since it indicates that you will be in a better position to make payments in the future.
Finally, you may be able to reduce the amount that you owe the company, and thereby get the company to agree to a better payment plan, by getting the low-income discount applied retroactively to your account. For more information see the following section, Discount Rates.
If the utility company won't allow you enough time to pay your overdue bill, call the DPU and say that you want a longer payment plan than the company is offering because you can't afford to pay more quickly.
For many customers, “Arrearage Management Programs” (discussed below) are a better option than a regular payment plan, since the customer is only obligated to pay current bills as they arrive, and not required to pay off the amount in arrears.
a. Getting Discounted Rates on Future Bills
State law requires all non-municipal electric and gas companies to provide discounted rates to low-income customers who receive or are eligible for public benefits.35 You can get a discount on your electric and gas bills if your income is at or below 60% of state median income and you receive any benefits under any income-tested benefits program, including (but not limited to) the following benefits:
- TAFDC, cash assistance,
- EAEDC, cash assistance,
- SSI, cash assistance,
- State Veterans Services benefits,
- Women, Infant & Children (WIC) benefits
- Emergency Assistance shelter benefits,
- SNAP benefits (formerly Food Stamps),
- Most MassHealth programs,
- Refugee Resettlement Program benefits,
- HEAP (formerly called LIHEAP or fuel assistance),
- Certain kinds of veterans' benefits, or
- If your child is enrolled in Head Start or the School Breakfast or School Lunch Program.
The discounted rates can lower your bills by 25% or more, depending on the company, and therefore can save you a substantial amount of money each year. You can also get discounts from most local telephone companies if you receive various public benefits, including SSI, MassHealth Basic or Standard, SNAP (formerly Food Stamps), HEAP (fuel assistance), free school lunch, Head Start, Veteran's assistance or federal housing assistance.
The "Lifeline" program provides discounted landline, mobile phone, or broadband service to eligible households.
See more information about Lifeline in Massachusetts.
b. Getting the Discounts Applied Retroactively
There are three different ways that discount rates can be applied retroactively.
First, some companies may put customers who receive HEAP onto the discount rates as of November 1, regardless of when the customer actually applies for and gets approved for HEAP during the winter months. There are no rules or regulations that require companies to do this, but some companies will do this if requested by the customer.
Second, if you apply on your own to get the discount rates, you should (but may not) be placed on the discount rate back to the day of application. For example, if the company takes two months to process the discount rate application, you should not lose two months of the discount, but should instead ask to be placed on the discount rate as of the date of your application. But, again, there are no rules or regulations that require the company to do so.
Third, every regulated gas and electric company in the state has voluntarily agreed that it will place customers on the discount rate retroactively if the customer has in fact been eligible for the rate for some period of time but did not know to apply. National Grid has formally adopted this practice in a written policy.36
Some of the companies do not consistently comply with this agreement. Customers themselves cannot call the company to ask for this type of retroactive application of the discount. Only advocates can do so, on behalf of their clients-customers, and only certain specified individuals at the companies will respond to these requests. If you are an advocate and need more information about how to contact the company regarding retroactive application of the discount, contact the National Consumer Law Center at [email protected].
Each electric and gas company offers an “Arrearage Management Program” (AMP). In an AMP, the company provides a credit against overdue amounts (arrearages) every time the customer pays the current monthly bill.
For example, if a customer owes $1,200 and the company estimates that the customer’s bills will be $1,800 over the next 12 months ($150 per month), the AMP generally works as follows: the company bills the customer the $150 every month, levelizing the bills so they are the same every month. Every time the customer makes a payment of $150, the company provides a credit against the overdue amount, often 1/12 of that amount. In this case, the credit would be $100 (1/12 of the $1,200 arrearage) every time the customer makes a payment. While the details vary from company to company, the concept is the same: customers are rewarded with credits against the arrearage every time they pay the current monthly bill.
To find out how to enroll in your company’s AMP, call the customer service number on your bill.
The state operates a fuel assistance program that assists low-income households in paying their heating-related bills, which is called the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP). The program is run by the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC). Gas customers are eligible for fuel assistance payments only if they use gas for home heating. Electric customers are eligible if they heat with electricity and sometimes may receive payments on the electric bill if they use electricity to operate their heating system; for example, if the motors or fans on an oil-fired furnace run on electricity. For those who heat with oil, propane, kerosene, coal, or wood, the program pays whichever company delivers that fuel.
All households (except certain non-citizens) earning less than 60% of state median income are financially eligible for fuel assistance.
The actual amount of assistance has varied somewhat over the past several years. The amount that you receive will depend on your income, household size, and whether you live in subsidized housing.
You must apply for fuel assistance between November and April. To find out where to apply in your area, call 800-632-8175 or review the Cold Relief brochure. The Cold Relief brochure also lists the income eligibility limits for HEAP.
See the Fiscal Year 2025 version of the brochure. The Cold Relief brochure also lists the income eligibility limits for HEAP.
Many utility companies voluntarily participate in a program called the Good Neighbor Fund, run by the Salvation Army.
This fund provides modest payments to help people pay their gas, electric, and oil bills. To be eligible for payments, a family must have income between 60% and 80% of the state median income. To find out more about the Good Neighbor Fund, contact your local Salvation Army or visit their website.
In addition to the Good Neighbor Fund, there are statewide and local charities that sometimes help people with their heating bills. There is no central listing of all of these charitable sources, but a good place to start is by calling the United Way, the local chapter of St. Vincent dePaul, or local churches. In addition, each local fuel assistance agency knows of charities that can help pay energy bills.
There are some relocation benefits available to help with utility arrears or deposits.
Department of Transitional Assistance
The Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) will pay up to $1,000 to help get permanent housing for some families who are leaving a shelter or a teen living program. This benefit may be used for advance rent, security deposit, rent arrears, utility arrears or deposits, storage, moving expenses, or other relocation costs. The relocation benefit is available through a DTA worker for:
- a family receiving TAFDC cash assistance or EAEDC cash assistance who has been in emergency shelter for 60 days or more,
- a family receiving TAFDC cash assistance who has been in a domestic violence shelter for 60 days or more, or
- a teen parent age 18 or 19 who has been in a structured teen living program for 60 days or more and can live independently.37
DTA will pay the benefit directly to the vendor, such as the landlord, utility, or storage company. You cannot get reimbursement for expenses you’ve already paid directly.
You can get the $1,000 relocation benefit only once in a 12-month period. Families can receive both a relocation benefit and HomeBase assistance (see below) as long as those payments are not covering the same item.
Residential Assistance for Families in Transition
The Executive of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC) has several programs that may assist with relocation. Residential Assistance for Families in Transition (RAFT) is a homelessness prevention program that can provide relocation assistance of up to $7,000. You may be able to use the money for rent, utilities, moving costs, and mortgage payments. Visit Mass.gov to apply for RAFT or find out if you are eligible.
HomeBASE
If you are experiencing or are at imminent risk of homelessness and are pregnant or have a child under 21, you may be eligible for Emergency Assistance (EA) shelter. If you are found eligible for EA you may also apply for HomeBASE benefits to help you avoid going into shelter or help you leave shelter. HomeBASE can currently provide at least $30,000 over 24 months to be used for rent, utility arrears or other expenses.38 The EA shelter program, including HomeBASE, is run by EOHLC.
Visit Mass.gov to apply for HomeBASE or find out if you are eligible.
For more information see the Emergency Assistance Advocacy Guide prepared by the Massachusetts Law Reform Institute.
Supplemental Security Income Special Benefits
Individuals who receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) may be eligible for state-funded Special Benefits of up to $150 in moving costs to move within the state if the current living situation has been certified as substandard; a move is required due to health, safety, or other conditions; or the individual is moving into subsidized housing. Special Benefits for SSI recipients may also be available to cover the cost of replacing furniture, household equipment, food, clothing, or supplies lost as a result of a fire or other natural disaster. Ask about Special Benefits at your local DTA office.
Visit Mass Legal Services for more information and help getting the benefit.
Many customers cannot afford to pay their utility bills and are not eligible for any of the special protections against shut-offs previously discussed in the section in this chapter called Special Protections Against Shut-offs. If you find yourself in this situation, you still are eligible for a payment plan.
Utility companies must provide customers with payment plans that allow a customer to take several months to pay overdue bills.34 You have the absolute right to spread payment of overdue bills over a minimum of four months.
Do not agree to pay more in a shorter amount of time if you cannot afford it. If your budget does not allow you to pay the balance in four months, you should ask for a longer amount of time. Try to work out an acceptable payment plan with the company. If you qualify for the discount rate and/or fuel assistance (see the sections below) and have not received them, tell the company that you will apply and that this will reduce your future bills. This should make the company willing to negotiate a better payment plan (such as requiring less money up-front), since it indicates that you will be in a better position to make payments in the future.
Finally, you may be able to reduce the amount that you owe the company, and thereby get the company to agree to a better payment plan, by getting the low-income discount applied retroactively to your account. For more information see the following section, Discount Rates.
If the utility company won't allow you enough time to pay your overdue bill, call the DPU and say that you want a longer payment plan than the company is offering because you can't afford to pay more quickly.
For many customers, “Arrearage Management Programs” (discussed below) are a better option than a regular payment plan, since the customer is only obligated to pay current bills as they arrive, and not required to pay off the amount in arrears.
a. Getting Discounted Rates on Future Bills
State law requires all non-municipal electric and gas companies to provide discounted rates to low-income customers who receive or are eligible for public benefits.35 You can get a discount on your electric and gas bills if your income is at or below 60% of state median income and you receive any benefits under any income-tested benefits program, including (but not limited to) the following benefits:
- TAFDC, cash assistance,
- EAEDC, cash assistance,
- SSI, cash assistance,
- State Veterans Services benefits,
- Women, Infant & Children (WIC) benefits
- Emergency Assistance shelter benefits,
- SNAP benefits (formerly Food Stamps),
- Most MassHealth programs,
- Refugee Resettlement Program benefits,
- HEAP (formerly called LIHEAP or fuel assistance),
- Certain kinds of veterans' benefits, or
- If your child is enrolled in Head Start or the School Breakfast or School Lunch Program.
The discounted rates can lower your bills by 25% or more, depending on the company, and therefore can save you a substantial amount of money each year. You can also get discounts from most local telephone companies if you receive various public benefits, including SSI, MassHealth Basic or Standard, SNAP (formerly Food Stamps), HEAP (fuel assistance), free school lunch, Head Start, Veteran's assistance or federal housing assistance.
The "Lifeline" program provides discounted landline, mobile phone, or broadband service to eligible households.
See more information about Lifeline in Massachusetts.
b. Getting the Discounts Applied Retroactively
There are three different ways that discount rates can be applied retroactively.
First, some companies may put customers who receive HEAP onto the discount rates as of November 1, regardless of when the customer actually applies for and gets approved for HEAP during the winter months. There are no rules or regulations that require companies to do this, but some companies will do this if requested by the customer.
Second, if you apply on your own to get the discount rates, you should (but may not) be placed on the discount rate back to the day of application. For example, if the company takes two months to process the discount rate application, you should not lose two months of the discount, but should instead ask to be placed on the discount rate as of the date of your application. But, again, there are no rules or regulations that require the company to do so.
Third, every regulated gas and electric company in the state has voluntarily agreed that it will place customers on the discount rate retroactively if the customer has in fact been eligible for the rate for some period of time but did not know to apply. National Grid has formally adopted this practice in a written policy.36
Some of the companies do not consistently comply with this agreement. Customers themselves cannot call the company to ask for this type of retroactive application of the discount. Only advocates can do so, on behalf of their clients-customers, and only certain specified individuals at the companies will respond to these requests. If you are an advocate and need more information about how to contact the company regarding retroactive application of the discount, contact the National Consumer Law Center at [email protected].
Each electric and gas company offers an “Arrearage Management Program” (AMP). In an AMP, the company provides a credit against overdue amounts (arrearages) every time the customer pays the current monthly bill.
For example, if a customer owes $1,200 and the company estimates that the customer’s bills will be $1,800 over the next 12 months ($150 per month), the AMP generally works as follows: the company bills the customer the $150 every month, levelizing the bills so they are the same every month. Every time the customer makes a payment of $150, the company provides a credit against the overdue amount, often 1/12 of that amount. In this case, the credit would be $100 (1/12 of the $1,200 arrearage) every time the customer makes a payment. While the details vary from company to company, the concept is the same: customers are rewarded with credits against the arrearage every time they pay the current monthly bill.
To find out how to enroll in your company’s AMP, call the customer service number on your bill.
The state operates a fuel assistance program that assists low-income households in paying their heating-related bills, which is called the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP). The program is run by the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC). Gas customers are eligible for fuel assistance payments only if they use gas for home heating. Electric customers are eligible if they heat with electricity and sometimes may receive payments on the electric bill if they use electricity to operate their heating system; for example, if the motors or fans on an oil-fired furnace run on electricity. For those who heat with oil, propane, kerosene, coal, or wood, the program pays whichever company delivers that fuel.
All households (except certain non-citizens) earning less than 60% of state median income are financially eligible for fuel assistance.
The actual amount of assistance has varied somewhat over the past several years. The amount that you receive will depend on your income, household size, and whether you live in subsidized housing.
You must apply for fuel assistance between November and April. To find out where to apply in your area, call 800-632-8175 or review the Cold Relief brochure. The Cold Relief brochure also lists the income eligibility limits for HEAP.
See the Fiscal Year 2025 version of the brochure. The Cold Relief brochure also lists the income eligibility limits for HEAP.
Many utility companies voluntarily participate in a program called the Good Neighbor Fund, run by the Salvation Army.
This fund provides modest payments to help people pay their gas, electric, and oil bills. To be eligible for payments, a family must have income between 60% and 80% of the state median income. To find out more about the Good Neighbor Fund, contact your local Salvation Army or visit their website.
In addition to the Good Neighbor Fund, there are statewide and local charities that sometimes help people with their heating bills. There is no central listing of all of these charitable sources, but a good place to start is by calling the United Way, the local chapter of St. Vincent dePaul, or local churches. In addition, each local fuel assistance agency knows of charities that can help pay energy bills.
There are some relocation benefits available to help with utility arrears or deposits.
Department of Transitional Assistance
The Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) will pay up to $1,000 to help get permanent housing for some families who are leaving a shelter or a teen living program. This benefit may be used for advance rent, security deposit, rent arrears, utility arrears or deposits, storage, moving expenses, or other relocation costs. The relocation benefit is available through a DTA worker for:
- a family receiving TAFDC cash assistance or EAEDC cash assistance who has been in emergency shelter for 60 days or more,
- a family receiving TAFDC cash assistance who has been in a domestic violence shelter for 60 days or more, or
- a teen parent age 18 or 19 who has been in a structured teen living program for 60 days or more and can live independently.37
DTA will pay the benefit directly to the vendor, such as the landlord, utility, or storage company. You cannot get reimbursement for expenses you’ve already paid directly.
You can get the $1,000 relocation benefit only once in a 12-month period. Families can receive both a relocation benefit and HomeBase assistance (see below) as long as those payments are not covering the same item.
Residential Assistance for Families in Transition
The Executive of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC) has several programs that may assist with relocation. Residential Assistance for Families in Transition (RAFT) is a homelessness prevention program that can provide relocation assistance of up to $7,000. You may be able to use the money for rent, utilities, moving costs, and mortgage payments. Visit Mass.gov to apply for RAFT or find out if you are eligible.
HomeBASE
If you are experiencing or are at imminent risk of homelessness and are pregnant or have a child under 21, you may be eligible for Emergency Assistance (EA) shelter. If you are found eligible for EA you may also apply for HomeBASE benefits to help you avoid going into shelter or help you leave shelter. HomeBASE can currently provide at least $30,000 over 24 months to be used for rent, utility arrears or other expenses.38 The EA shelter program, including HomeBASE, is run by EOHLC.
Visit Mass.gov to apply for HomeBASE or find out if you are eligible.
For more information see the Emergency Assistance Advocacy Guide prepared by the Massachusetts Law Reform Institute.
Supplemental Security Income Special Benefits
Individuals who receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) may be eligible for state-funded Special Benefits of up to $150 in moving costs to move within the state if the current living situation has been certified as substandard; a move is required due to health, safety, or other conditions; or the individual is moving into subsidized housing. Special Benefits for SSI recipients may also be available to cover the cost of replacing furniture, household equipment, food, clothing, or supplies lost as a result of a fire or other natural disaster. Ask about Special Benefits at your local DTA office.
Visit Mass Legal Services for more information and help getting the benefit.
34. 220 C.M.R. §25.01(2) (definition of "payment plan"), §25.02(6).
35. G.L. c. 164, §1F(4)(i); 220 C.M.R. §14.03(2A).
36. For National Grid, "All requests must be submitted to [email protected]. Supporting documents showing the customer’s continuous qualification for the low-income discount rate, up to 12 months prior to the date of the customer’s request, must be provided with the customer’s request."
37. 106 C.M.R. §705.350(A)(3).
38. 760 CMR 65.00