Customers of Eversource Energy, Yankee Gas Service Company (together, Eversource), The United Illuminating Company (UI), The Southern Connecticut Gas Company (SCG), and The Connecticut Natural Gas Corporation (CNG) who meet income eligibility requirements or receive certain government benefits and are unable to pay their gas or electric bill should call their utility and ask about receiving financial hardship protection. Financial hardship protection enables customers to participate in beneficial payment arrangements, summarized below, and offers protection from shut off during from November 1 through May 1. Customers will need to submit documentation to their utility to demonstrate eligibility, which must be updated each year.

For More Information: 
Eversource Bill Help Fact Sheet 
UI/CNG/SCG Bill Help Website 

Customers of Eversource, UI,  SCG, and CNG who receive financial hardship or medical  protection also receive protection from shut-off from November 1 through May 1. No late payments will be assessed during this period, though customers are encouraged to pay as much as they are able to as their full balance will be owed at the end of the winter protection period. Payment arrangements are available to customers to help pay down a past due balance (see below). Customers must renew their eligibility for the Winter Protection Plan each year, beginning in October, by resubmitting documentation to verify a financial hardship or medical protection request.

For More Information:
Eversource Winter Protection Plan
UI/CNG/SCG Help with Bill

This program assists low-income customers with their winter heating bills by providing direct payments toward their utility gas or electric heating bills. The benefit amount depends on several factors, including household income, number of members in a household, and if any household members are considered vulnerable. The CEAP program is administered by the Department of Social Services, in partnership with the statewide network of local Community Action Agencies (CAAs). Customers must reach out to their local CAA to apply in person each year, or fill out the application online and either email or mail their application to their local CAA. 

For More Information:
Energy Assistance - Winter Heating

Eversource, UI, SCG, and CNG electric heating and natural gas heating customers can participate in MPP, a program that offers a fixed monthly payment (as low as $50 per month for customers who receive certain government benefits). MPP also matches customers’ payments twice each year and matches a customer’s energy assistance award. To participate, customers should both contact their utility and apply for energy assistance from the Connecticut Energy Assistance Program (CEAP). Customers are encouraged to enroll in MPP in November each year. Customers participating in MPP are protected from shut off all year if they continue to make their payments and receive CEAP.

New Start is available to income-eligible residential electric customers of Eversource with a past due balance of $100 or more that is at least 60 days past due a 12-month payment arrangement. Payments are based on customers’ average monthly usage. For each on-time payment made, Eversource will credit the customer’s account 1/12th off a customer's past due balance each month, with the goal of eliminating or "forgiving" the past due balance over a year (up to $20,000 annually), down to a $0 balance. Customers who continue to make payments on New Start are protected from shut-off. New Start is also available to customers receiving medical protection.

For More Information:
Eversource New Start

Eversource, Yankee Gas, UI, SCG, CNG, offer any customer, regardless of income, a flexible payment arrangement to pay off past due balances.  The arrangement will require a set down payment and may allow the customer to pay off the past due balance over 18 months.  Customers making full payments on a flexible payment arrangement are protected from shut off.  

For More Information:

Eversource Flexible Payment Arrangement
UI Flexible Payment Arrangement

If anyone in your home is seriously ill or has a life-threatening situation, and you are facing having your natural gas or electrical service shut off, you may be eligible for medical protection. Customers seeking medical protection must have their physician fill out a certification of illness form online through a medical web portal. Customers receiving medical protection are still responsible for any accrued balance.

For More Information:

Eversource Billing Rights
UI/CNG/SCG Medical Protection

1-800-286-2828 (electric)

1-800-438-2278 (gas)