Get Help Paying Electric Bill In Texas

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How to Find Resources for Help Paying an Electricity Bill

The question you have is, “Where can I get help paying my electricity bill?”

Help to pay your light bill in Texas isn’t hard to find.

Texas residents in deregulated areas have several options to choose from based on their individual circumstances.

There are programs for almost anyone who needs assistance.

Finding resources to help pay for your electricity bill is about matching your needs with the right source.

3 Sources for Help to Pay an Electricity Bill

There are several different sources that have established assistance programs for customers who need help getting their electric bills paid in Texas.

Some of them are:

• Bill pay assistance (Texas Comprehensive Energy Assistance Program)
• Federal help (Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program)
• Other (Local Non-profit organizations)

Source 1: Bill Pay Assistance in Texas

Let’s take a look at a few bill pay assistance options in Texas.

Texas Comprehensive Energy Assistance Program

The Texas Comprehensive Energy Assistance Program (CEAP) is a utility assistance program.

It is meant to encourage consumers to control energy costs for years to come by becoming educated on energy consumption.

It protects consumers from fluctuations in energy costs by providing financial assistance.

The CEAP will pay up to six or eight of your highest bills during the year, depending on whether or not your household is considered a vulnerable household.

It also assists in an energy-related crisis or during severe weather or supply shortages.

Who is This Program For?

This program is designed to assist low-income households in meeting their immediate energy needs.

It provides financial relief to low-income elderly and/or disabled households.

It gives support to those most vulnerable to the high cost of energy for home heating and cooling.

How to Apply:

To apply for services, you will need to do one of the following:

1. Call toll-free at 1-877-399-8939 from a landline phone between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m Monday through Friday.

This number will connect you directly with the CEAP service provider in your county.

Or

2. You can also visit the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs and select “Utility Bill Payment Help.”

Texas Weatherization Assistance Program

The Texas Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) assists with the weatherization of your home.

The program is possible because of contracts with an established network of 22 non-profit agencies and local governments.

Each of these entities is experienced in providing weatherization services.

WAP services are available in all 254 counties throughout Texas.

You must meet low-income eligibility guidelines based on established Federal poverty guidelines.

Weathering of your home includes:

• Caulking
• Weather-stripping
• Adding ceiling, wall, and floor insulation
• Patching holes in the building envelope
• Ductwork
• Other related activities to reduce home energy costs and increase its energy efficiency.

Who is This Program For?

This program is designed for low-income elderly and disabled adults as well as their families.

How to Apply:

To apply for this program you will need to do one of the following:

1. Call toll-free at 1-888-606-8889 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

The toll-free number will directly connect you with the WAP service provider in your county.

Or

2. You can visit http://www.tdhca.state.tx.us/texans.htm and select Weatherization.

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Source 2: Federal Help for Paying an Electricity Bill

There are also federal programs that can help to get your electric bill paid.

Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program

The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) assists with heating and cooling energy costs.

They provide the following:

• Bill payment assistance
• Energy crisis assistance
• Weatherization and energy-related home repairs

Who is This Program For?

This program is for eligible low-income households.

How to Apply:

To apply for this program you will need to do one of the following:

1. Contact your state or tribal LIHEAP office.

Or

2. You may also call this toll-free number: 1-866-674-6327

Weatherization Assistance Program for Low-Income Persons

The Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) enables low-income families to reduce their energy bills.

This is done by making your home more energy-efficient.

Money is provided to improve the energy performance of the homes of families in need.

This is done by using some of the most advanced technologies and testing procedures available.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is responsible for funding the government agencies that oversee weatherization efforts.

These governments, in turn, fund a network of local community action agencies, nonprofit organizations, and local governments that provide these weatherization services for every state.

Who is This Program For?

This program is aimed at those with low incomes.

It includes the elderly, disabled, and their families.

How to Apply:

To apply for services, you’ll need to do one of these actions:

1. From a landline, call toll free at 1-888-606-8889 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

The toll-free number will directly connect you with the WAP service provider in your county.

Or

2. You can visit http://www.tdhca.state.tx.us/texans.htm and select Weatherization.

Energy Efficient Mortgage Insurance

The Energy Efficient Mortgage Insurance program helps homebuyers or homeowners save money on utility bills.

They do this by helping them get loans to cover the cost of adding energy-saving features to new or existing housing.

This loan is part of a Federal Housing Administration insured home purchase or refinancing mortgage.

Under this program, you may add the cost of energy-efficient improvements to your loan amount.

Who is This Program For?

This program is for anyone who qualifies for a home purchase or refinances under FHA’s minimum credit requirements.

How to Apply:

To apply for an FHA-insured mortgage, you must contact an FHA-approved lender who is participating in this program.

Source 3: Other Help for Paying an Electricity Bill

If you do not fall into one of the categories listed above, do not fret.

It is more than likely still possible for you to get help paying your electric bill.

There are other types of assistance programs available in Texas.

Local Nonprofit Organizations

Numerous nonprofit organizations in Texas can assist you in finding help to pay your electric bill.

Here are a few that you can contact:

1. Austin Energy

Their Customer Assistance Program helps customers pay utility bills.

2. CPS Energy (San Antonio)

Project WARM and Residential Energy Assistance Partnership (REAP) provide utility bill assistance to families in need. Phone number: 210-335-6770

3. Denton Municipal

P-L-U-S One Program helps hardship-stricken families pay their utility and electric bills. Phone number: 940-349-8700

4. Entergy Texas

Beat The Heat provides fans to help families cool their homes. The Power to Care assistance program will provide short-term utility bill assistance to lower-income elderly and/or disabled. Phone number: 1-800-368-3749

5. First Choice Power

Care to Share provides emergency assistance with utilities and other bills. Phone number: 866-469-2464

6. Irving Cares, Inc.

This assistance program provides aid to assist those residents who live in and around Irving, TX. This is for those individuals who are experiencing a temporary financial crisis, and who may need help with paying electric bills, medical bills, job training, and other aid.

7. Legal Assistance

Three law organizations provide families and individuals in Texas with free legal services and representation.

8. New Braunfels Utilities

The Utility Bill Assistance Program aids people in Texas with their electric, water, and wastewater bills. Phone number: 830-608-9129

Temporary Cash Assistance for Single Mothers

The purpose of the Temporary Cash Assistance for Single Mothers (or TANF) is to provide temporary cash assistance to needy, dependent children.

It also includes the parents or relatives with whom the children are living.

TANF is a program that you can use to help pay your electric bill.

In Texas, these benefits are issued monthly.

Benefits can be accessed through the Lone Star Card.

The card works like a debit card. You can use it at retailers or receive money from an ATM.

To apply, Texas residents can go to YourTexasBenefits.com.

This is a one-stop portal for all Texas residents to apply for SNAP food benefits, Medicaid, CHIP, as well as TANF.

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Victims of Family Violence

If you are a victim of family violence, you may be eligible to have your electric service deposit waived.

To qualify for this electricity assistance program, you will need to provide a Texas Council on Family Violence deposit waiver certification letter.

Your letter should be filled out by a Texas district attorney or county attorney, family violence center personnel, Office of the Attorney General personnel, law enforcement personnel, treating medical personnel, or a grantee of the Texas Equal Access to Justice Foundation.

Your letter must be submitted directly to your Retail Electric Provider using your REP’s toll-free FAX number.

A copy of your deposit waiver certification letter can be obtained from your Texas Council on Family Violence’s Website at https://tcfv.org/findhelp/.

Senate Bill 1976

As of September 1, 2017, electric providers may provide a benefit to their low-income customers.

To be eligible for this benefit from your provider, you must be in the supplemental nutrition assistance program (SNAP) or on Medicaid.

The name that you use for your SNAP, TANF, or Medicaid benefits must be the same name that you use to apply for this benefit as well.

You can not simply enroll yourself in this type of benefit.

First, you must contact your electric provider to see if they participate.

After this, you will also want them to explain to you exactly how their benefit works and exactly how it will benefit you.

Every provider’s benefit could be different.

For additional information, you can call toll-free at 1-866-454-8387.

REP Provided Help for Paying an Electricity Bill

There are times that you need help in a different way to pay your electric bill.

In Texas, some REPs also provide bill payment assistance directly through them.

You don’t have to search to find a third party to help you with your electric bill.

Payment Extension

Oftentimes what you need is just a little more time to make your payment.

If your current REP offers a payment extension as part of their payment arrangements plan, then you may be able to delay your electric bill payment.

A payment extension is an extension of the date that your electric bill is due.

Your bill must be paid in full on the agreed-upon extension date.

The terms and length of your extension depend on your REP.

You will need to contact your REP directly to see if they participate in this type of program and what is required from you for an extension to be made.

Deferred Payments

Deferred payments are yet another way that you can get help paying your electric bill in Texas directly through your REP.

You must contact your REP directly to determine if you qualify for deferred payments.

This assistance allows you to make small payments over a specified period of time on a past-due electric bill.

This program is designed for customers who have missed a payment on their accounts.

With a deferred payment plan, when the due date to make your electric bill payment has passed, you may qualify to make payments over time to bring your account current.

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Low-income Assistance

If you are considered a low-income household and you already receive benefits like SNAP or Medicaid, you may qualify for low-income assistance paying your electric bill, directly from your REP.

Low-income assistance is another program that will allow you to get help paying your electric bill in Texas.

Typically this type of assistance is funded by community donations and local nonprofit organizations.

This benefit is only for persons or families who qualify for financial assistance.

You would need to contact your REP to find out if they participate in this type of program and what information they would need from you to determine if you qualify.

Other Alternatives to Consider

If you need to get help paying your electric bill in Texas, chances are there is a program out there that can help you.

It’s more than likely you can get help through your current REP.

If your REP isn’t able to help you directly, there are several government and nonprofit organizations in Texas that might be able to help you pay your electric bill.

Find a New Retail Electric Provider

Your first thought when it comes to searching for an REP could be that it may be a little time-consuming. No big deal, right?

Let’s break down all the steps it takes for you to manually search for a new REP.

First, you must begin with an online search of every REP in your area.

If an REP doesn’t have their location listed, then you may have to call them to determine if they service the area where you live.

Not so bad, right? Well, there are actually thousands of REPs in the state of Texas.

You started this search at 9 am. It’s now 1 pm, and you are still on the first step.

Let that sink in, now onto the next step.

Your second task is to organize the information that you have gathered into some kind of spreadsheet.

You want to be able to easily compare each REP based on rates, available plans, promotions, and maybe even available payment assistance programs.

You want to be able to easily see that you are choosing the right company based on you and your family’s individual electricity needs.

Now we’re looking at even more hours, possibly even days, searching manually for a new REP.

A week has passed, and now you’re ready for the next step.

Your third step is to call the REP that you have chosen and sign up for their service.

You must provide the REP with all of your personalized information and hope that your calculations and theirs are a match and that you have chosen the right company and plan.

Ok, so another hour or two. No big deal. Right?

Here’s the kicker. You are now tasked with monitoring your electricity usage every month.

It is now your job to keep track of your usage to make sure that your plan continues to work for you.

Have you thought about how you’re going to make that happen?

There is, however, a much easier way to search for a new REP.

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