Utility Assistance
Utility Assistance Programs
Provides, in chart form, details about a variety of programs that assist income-eligible individuals and household pay their utility bills.
Telephone Services
Provides reduced-rate, limited cellular telephone service to those who qualify.
TurnSealSave.org
Simple steps to save heat and money
Home Weatherization
Habitat for Humanity of Greater Pittsburgh offers home weatherization assistance for those who qualify.
Winter Weather Tips
Keeping Warm When It's Cold Outside
It's important to maintain a healthy body temperature even when it's cold outside. Learn about hypothermia and how to avoid it.
Staying Warm and Safe this Winter
Provides an overview of heating assistance programs and hypothermia
Winter Storm Preparedness Tips
Suggestions about how individuals can plan ahead so their safety is not at risk during severe winter weather
Home Heating
There are many programs to help families and individuals who are having difficulty keeping their homes warm during the winter months. Some of the programs are through government agencies. Some are through private companies. The amount of financial assistance a family or individual can receive is usually based on the total income of the household as compared to some multiple of the Federal Poverty Guidelines.
Government Programs
LIHEAP - Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program
LIHEAP has two different programs for families and individuals whose household income is not more than 150 percent the Federal Poverty Guidelines for a household of their size.
LIHEAP Cash helps pay for utility bills during the late autumn and winter months. LIHEAP Cash does not require that the customer have past-due bills.
LIHEAP Crisis helps keep a crisis from happening. If a household is experiencing a heating emergency caused by the utility service to the home being turned off and locked, being without fuel, having broken heating equipment or leaking lines which must be fixed or replaced, LIHEAP Crisis can make a one-time payment to fix the problem.
Pa. DPW Heating Assistance/LIHEAP information
Non-government Programs
Dollar Energy Fund ($1 Dollar Energy)
800-683-7036 or 412-431-2800
Dollar Energy Fund on HumanServices.net
The Dollar Energy Fund is a non-profit program that helps consumers in two ways.
Directly
Dollar Energy Hardship Program helps pay heating bills for individuals and families whose household incomes do not exceed 200 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines.
Indirectly
Dollar Energy Fund also assists consumers sign up for various utility company programs to get help paying their utility bills. These Customer Assistance Programs benefit individuals and families whose household incomes do not exceed 150 percent of Federal Poverty Guidelines.
Utility Companies also assist customers directly.
Natural Gas
Columbia Gas
1-800-272-2714
Peoples Natural Gas
1-800-400-9276
Equitable Gas
1-800-644-8090
Peoples TWP
1-866-276-4055
Electric
West Penn Power
Duquesne Light
Water
Pennsylvania American Water H2O (Help to Others)