All gas and electric utilities are required to offer payment plans to help customers who face difficulties paying their bills.

Payment Information for Low-Income Customers

Low-income electric and gas customers have several assistance options:

Low Income Discount Rate (LIDR) - for low-income electric utility customers with a hardship designation on their account. Tier 1, for customers earning 60% of the state median income, reduces a customer’s electric bill by 10% each month. Tier 2, for customers earning 160% of the federal poverty guidelines, reduces a customer’s electric bill by 50% each month. Customers should contact Eversource (800-286-2000) or UI (800-722-5584) to see if they qualify.

Matching Payment Plan (MPP) – for electric and gas customers with a financial hardship designation. The utility will match the customer’s payments and any energy assistance award down to a zero balance.

New Start – for Eversource hardship and medical protection customers with an arrearage of $100 for more than 60 days. If customers make their monthly payment, 1/12th of their arrearage is forgiven each month, resulting in the entire arrearage being forgiven in one year.

Bill Forgiveness Program – for UIfinancial hardship customers with an arrearage of $100 for more than 60 days may enroll in BFP. Payment arrangements may be up to 36 months and the company will forgive a portion of the customer’s arrearage based on each payment, which may result in the full arrearage being forgiven at the end of the payment arrangement.

Connecticut Energy Assistance Program (CEAP): Low-income customers should apply for energy assistance either online or by contacting their local CAA. Visit https://portal.ct.gov/heatinghelp/connecticut-energy-assistance-program-ceap for more information. Energy assistance will be applied to the heating utility or oil vendor. MPP will match CEAP assistance.

Flexible Payment Arrangements

There are payment arrangements available to all customers regardless of income or hardship designation. All gas and electric utilities must offer customers a flexible payment arrangement with a regulated down payment and an optional 18-month time frame.

Aquarion and Connecticut Water also offer low-income assistance. Contact each of your utilities to ask what assistance is right for you.