Utility bills are rising — and families across the country are feeling it. For some households, that means quietly shifting groceries around the budget. For others, it means facing a past-due balance that seems impossible to shake. What many customers don’t realize is that utilities are rolling out some of the most expansive assistance programs in years, aimed not just at emergencies but at long-term financial stability. And here’s the truth: far more people qualify for these programs than you’d expect.

Hardship Grants: Real Money for Real Emergencies

Utilities like Duke Energy and PG&E are funding hardship grants through local nonprofits with names like Share the Light, REACH, or Helping Hands. Regardless of the branding, the support is the same: a direct, non-repayable grant applied to your account.

These funds are designed for households facing imminent disconnection or dealing with a documented hardship. And here’s what most people don’t realize: income caps often reach 200–300% of the federal poverty level, meaning many working families earning $50,000 to $70,000 a year still qualify.

These aren’t programs reserved for “the poorest.” They’re programs for people in crisis — and anyone can find themselves there.

Arrearage Management: A Clean Slate for Longstanding Debt

For households carrying old utility debt — sometimes stretching back years — Arrearage Management Plans (AMPs) offer something rare: forgiveness. Utilities across the country, including PECO and BGE in the Exelon family, as well as Eversource in New England, National Grid in the Northeast, and DTE Energy in Michigan, now wipe out past-due balances when customers make consistent payments on their current bill.

Each month you pay on time, a portion of your old debt disappears. After six to twelve months, the entire overdue balance can be erased.

Most AMPs are available to income-qualified customers or those already enrolled in assistance programs like LIHEAP. But eligibility is often broader than people assume. For families who survived a long crisis and never quite caught up, AMPs can be the financial reset they’ve been waiting for.

Budget Billing: Turning Spikes Into Steady Lines

Not all financial strain comes from personal hardship. Increasingly, households are feeling the squeeze from forces far beyond their control — higher energy demand from AI data centers, shifting regulatory requirements, fuel price volatility, and more extreme weather that drives up consumption. All of this makes monthly bills less predictable than they used to be. Budget Billing is one of the simplest tools utilities offer to counter that instability.

Companies like AEP average a customer’s past 12 months of usage and charge the same amount every month, eliminating the spikes that come from heat waves, cold snaps, or market fluctuations. No summer shock, no winter surge — just a steady, predictable bill.

Almost every residential customer qualifies, regardless of income. And in an era of rising and unpredictable costs, that consistency can be its own form of relief.

Payment Arrangements: A Soft Landing When You Fall Behind

If you’re behind but not in crisis, payment arrangements offer breathing room. Nearly all major utilities now allow customers to spread past-due balances over 3 to 12 months, interest-free. Some require a small down payment; many don’t.

These programs prevent disconnection-making, remove late-fee pressure, and give customers time to recover without the stress of an accumulating balance. And yet many people don’t realize they can simply call and ask for one.

Free Home Upgrades: Long-Term Relief for Households Struggling With High Bills

For many families, the strain of rising utility costs isn’t a one-time emergency — it’s a month-after-month challenge. When a home is older, poorly insulated, or filled with outdated equipment, even moderate rate increases can push a household into financial distress. That’s why utilities are investing in long-term solutions that lower bills at the source.

Across the country, companies are funding weatherization and energy-efficiency programs that send certified contractors directly into people’s homes to identify where energy is being lost and fix it — at no cost to the customer. Depending on the utility, these upgrades can include installing LED lighting, sealing leaky ductwork, adding insulation, weather-stripping drafty doors and windows, or replacing inefficient thermostats with smart, programmable models. In some cases, families even receive new, energy-efficient appliances free of charge.

These programs typically focus on income-qualified households, including seniors, renters, and families enrolled in assistance programs such as SNAP, Medicaid, or LIHEAP. And the impact can be significant: for homes that are older or draftier, upgrades often reduce energy use by ten to thirty percent — savings that show up immediately on the next bill and continue for years.

Duke Energy’s Neighborhood Energy Saver program is one example, but nearly every major utility now offers some version of this approach: an upfront investment that provides lasting relief for customers who are consistently struggling with high monthly costs.

Smart Appliance Rebates: Lower Upfront Costs, Lasting Efficiency

Not every program requires income qualification. Utilities like Southern Company and NextEra Energy (FPL) offer incentives that reduce the cost of purchasing energy-efficient appliances. These rebates often take hundreds of dollars off the price of heat pumps, smart thermostats, washers, dryers, and refrigerators.

All customers typically need is a receipt and a simple online submission. The result is a double win: a lower upfront cost on day one, and ongoing monthly savings from reduced energy use. For families attempting to stretch their household budget, these rebates can make efficiency upgrades far more accessible.

How to Get Help Now

The most important thing for customers to understand is that none of these programs are automatic. They exist, they’re funded, and they’re often underutilized — but they require one step that many people hesitate to take: calling and asking for help.

Utilities now staff dedicated assistance teams whose sole job is to walk customers through available support, determine eligibility, and connect them to programs that fit their situation. That conversation can uncover options people didn’t know they qualified for, from emergency grants and debt-forgiveness plans to budget billing or efficiency upgrades. It’s often far simpler than customers expect — and in many cases, approval comes within days.

For families under pressure, reaching out can open doors to relief, clarity, and a little more breathing room each month.