Winter Protection Program
Low-income residents with a financial hardship designation may not be shut off from November 1 to May 1 each year. You may learn more about the moratorium here: home heating moratorium. Low-income residents should contact their utility or Community Action Agency (CAA) to receive a financial hardship designation. The utility or CAA will need proof of income eligibility, which could be proof of receipt of certain government benefits or proof of income.
Who Qualifies for the Winter Protection Program
Residents in CT may qualify for the Winter Protection Program if they are considered a hardship case.
Hardship cases are defined by (any one of) the following criteria:
- Customers who receive public or private energy assistance
- Customers who face life threatening situations (e.g., food deprivation) if they cannot pay their delinquent bill
- Customers with serious illness or those who have seriously ill household members
- Customers who are both unemployed and head of household if their overall (household) income was less than 300% of the FPL (Federal Poverty Levels) during the last 12 months.
- Customers whose only source of income is Social Security, Unemployment Compensation or Veterans Administration funds.
- Customers who cannot pay their bill and receive state, city, Medicaid and/or federal or state financial assistance
Shut Offs and Life-Threatening Situations
In Connecticut, gas and electricity cannot be shut off during the winter or the summer if doing so would lead to dangerous scenarios and such customers have submitted to their utility a medical protection form completed by their medical provide.