energy assistance Archives | Citizens Utility Board

CUB Q&A: The Low-Income Discount Rate (LIDR) Program for gas customers | Citizens Utility Board

Jim Chilsen — Tue, 16 Dec 2025 16:44:20 +0000

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Alert: One-time $150 grants available for income-qualified Ameren customers, while funds available

Jim Chilsen — Thu, 28 Aug 2025 21:29:01 +0000

In a difficult summer of spiking electricity prices, Ameren Corp.–the parent of Ameren Illinois–has announced that income qualified customers who have fallen behind on their energy bills can apply to receive a one-time $150 grant, while funds are available. This support is coming from an Ameren program that is providing $4 million in assistance to agencies in Illinois and Missouri. Ameren customers who qualify for LIHEAP can apply for the $150 grant from Ameren through their local Illinois LIHEAP agency. “We encourage customers who have fallen behind on their bills to reach out to a local LIHEAP agency to determine their eligibility and apply for funding,” said Joe Solari, vice president of customer experience at Ameren. Ameren Illinois’ summer electricity price shot up about 50 percent on June 1, increasing the average monthly bills of a typical residential customer by 18 percent to 22 percent, or roughly $38 to $46 per month, over the summer. Ameren’s price is expected to decrease from more than 12 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh) to about 8-9 cents per kWh on Oct. 1. Read CUB’s Q&A and visit CUBHelpCenter.com for more information. To identify your local LIHEAP agency and determine your eligibility for a grant, visit Help Illinois Families or call 1-833-711-0374 while funds are available. Ameren listed other financial and energy-saving opportunities: Events: In September and October, Ameren Illinois will host events to connect customers to available funding and provide consultation on in-home energy saving strategies. Energy Efficiency: Learn about energy-saving opportunities, including an income-qualified Home Energy Assessment, at AmerenIllinoisSavings.com/SaveMoney. Energy Assistance: LIHEAP (Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program): Income qualified customers can apply for financial help through LIHEAP when the new season begins on Oct 1. Ameren says: “In addition to receiving a onetime benefit on your energy bill, LIHEAP eligible customers will automatically be approved for a credit on their monthly gas bill through the Natural Gas Service Discount program. Also, deposit and late payment charges will be waived.” For a comprehensive list of energy assistance programs, bill payment options and money-saving resources, visit AmerenIllinois.com/PathToSavings.

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Correction: CUB WatchBlog Update | Citizens Utility Board

Elizabeth — Fri, 04 Oct 2024 17:32:09 +0000

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Alert: Having trouble with your energy bills? LIHEAP reopens Oct. 2

Jim Chilsen — Wed, 06 Sep 2023 15:34:04 +0000

As we head into the winter heating season, CUB urges eligible consumers to apply for Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) funding. The application process reopens. Oct. 2. Here’s the schedule for this fall: Oct. 2: LIHEAP begins taking applications for seniors (age 60 or older), people with disabilities and families with children under the age of 6 years old. Nov. 1: Households disconnected from their utilities/energy vendors or facing a disconnection notice or have less than a quarter left in their propane tank can apply for LIHEAP assistance. Dec. 1: All other income-eligible households can begin applying. July 5, 2024: The last day to apply online. After this date you can still apply through your local administering agency through August 15, 2024, or until funding is exhausted. There are two kinds of LIHEAP assistance available: LIHEAP Direct Vendor Payment (DVP) and Crisis Assistance. LIHEAP DVP is a one-time payment applicable to all income-eligible households. Crisis Assistance offers Reconnection Assistance within 48 hours of the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) receiving documentation, or 18 hours if the temperature is below 32°F. Qualifying for LIHEAP is based on income. As the state of Illinois says: “If your household’s combined income for the 30 days prior to application (gross income for all household members, before taxes are deducted) is at or below 200% of the federal poverty level, you may be eligible to receive assistance.” See the chart below. Family Size (total number in household) 30-Day Gross Income Total to Meet Eligibility 1 $2,430 2 $3,287 3 $4,143 4 $5,000 5 $5,857 6 $6,713 To learn more about LIHEAP and to apply, visit www.helpillinoisfamilies.com, call the Help Illinois Families Assistance Line at 1-833-711-0374 or contact your Local Administering Agency/Community Action Agency directly (visit the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) website to find yours).

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Heating bills will be expensive this winter. If you need assistance, call these numbers.

Hannah — Thu, 14 Oct 2021 16:59:42 +0000

Natural gas prices are double the price from 2020 and electric rates just went up, causing growing concern as cold weather draws near. Be prudent with your electric and gas usage this winter, and practice energy efficiency when possible. If you’re having a hard time paying your bills or you’ve been shut off, these are the calls you should make: 1) Call Your Utility The utility company issues your bill and is the only entity with access to your account. As such, your first call—no matter the issue—should always be to your utility. If you are having difficulty paying your bills, contact your utility, express financial hardship and ask about assistance, including the utility’s assistance programs and payment plan options. Please review the financial resources section of CUB’s website to learn more about utility assistance programs. If you’ve already been shut off, contact your utility and see what you can do to get your service back on. One of the reasons CUB stresses doing everything you can to keep your service on is because once you get shut off, the company has much more leverage to dictate what you have to do to get restored, as you are no longer a customer of the utility. Utility contact information: Ameren Illinois – 1-800-755-5000 Aqua Illinois – 1-877-987-2782 ComEd – 1-800-334-7661 Consumers Gas – 1-800-322-4158 Illinois American – 1-800-422-2782 Illinois Gas – 1-618-395-8588 Liberty Utilities – 1-855-872-3242 MidAmerican – 1-888-427-5632 Mount Caramel – 1-618-262-5151 Nicor Gas – 1-888-642-6748 North Shore Gas – 1-866-556-6004 Peoples Gas – 1-866-556-6001 Utilities Inc. – 1-800-831-2359 2) Call LIHEAP If you are in need of financial assistance to help pay your gas and electric bills, start with the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), 1-877-411-9276. Administered by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, LIHEAP is designed to help eligible low-income households pay for winter energy service. Read CUB’s fact sheet on the program for eligibility and application information. 3) Call CUB CUB does NOT provide financial assistance or oversee any assistance programs, however, if you have questions regarding your rights, check out CUB’s Gas and Electric Guide. You may also reach out to us at 1-800-669-5556, or file an inquiry or complaint using CUB’s online form.

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Consumer Alert: PIPP is back! (but funds are going fast)

Jim Chilsen — Tue, 04 Oct 2016 12:00:09 +0000

A program that helps low-income seniors and families stay current with their utility bills was reinstated after budget disputes in Springfield suspended it for a year. However, due to the program’s popularity the funding has run out in Cook County and is going fast in other counties. The Percentage of Income Payment Plan (PIPP) allows low-income households to get help paying gas or electric bills as long as they contribute a certain percentage of their gross income to those bills. “We’re glad the program is so popular with consumers, because it encourages families to stay current with their bills,” CUB Communications Director Jim Chilsen said. “As always, we’ll keep pushing for more funding for PIPP and other pro-consumer programs.” To see what assistance programs are available in your area and if you qualify, call the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, at 1-877-411-9276. CUB has a fact sheet on these programs, at www.CitizensUtilityBoard.org. Also, for more information, look under the “Need Help Paying Your Utility Bills?” section on the Electric and Gas pages.

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