Utility Assistance

Income Eligibility

Depending on several factors, age of household members, disability status of household members, number of household member’s household income must fall within one of the categories to be eligible for assistance.

Determine your eligibility through checking to see if you meet federal poverty income guidelines based on your household size.

Utility Assistance Guidelines

Travis County utility assistance is not an "Entitlement Program."

This means that:

• Program funds must be available;
• One must apply for and qualify in order to receive assistance;
• Utility assistance is not limitless
  • Utility assistance has a cap on the amount of financial assistance you can receive each year
  • Utility assistance has a cap on the number of times you can receive utility assistance each year
• The assistance is determined on a case-by-case basis.

Income is an eligibility factor for all utility assistance.

Proof of Income for all household members over 18 is required.

Some information on every household member is required.

You will be required to provide a copy of your current utility bill and give your caseworker permission to speak with your utility provider.

Other terms or conditions may apply depending on the fund source.

Utility Assistance Programs

Travis County offers several utility assistance programs. Among these programs are funds provided by utility vendors to Travis County to assist their customers. Most only require the applicant be a resident of Travis County, that money is owed, your gross income is below a certain level for the past 30 days and you are a customer of their utility company.

Austin Energy is the largest provider of electricity in Travis County. They provide Plus One funds to Travis County HHS and other non-profits in town to assist Austin Energy customers. They also offer a Customer Assistance Program that offers discounts and fee reductions to those who qualify.

Atmos Energy, Bluebonnet Electric Coop, Pedernales Electric Coop, Reliant Energy, Texas Gas, and TXU donate funds to HHS dedicated to assisting their customers.

Travis County also administers the Comprehensive Energy Assistance Program (CEAP) and Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP) which are funded by the US Federal Government. Both programs provide utility assistance (natural gas, propane, electric, and/or water and wastewater to Travis County residents.

LIHWAP AND CEAP eligibility requires applicants to provide:

• A completed Travis County Application for Assistance
• Proof of US Citizenship or Permanent Legal Residency. For each HH member who is a US citizen or documented resident.
  • US Citizens must provide a passport, or a birth certificate and a government issued photo ID
  • Legal Resident must provide their residency documents, for example, your green card
    • For more information, please read documents that prove US citizenship and identity.
• Submit proof of income for every HH member over the age of 18 for the past 30 days
• A copy of your current utility bill.
• Signed utility vendor release of information when required by the vendor.

In addition to energy assistance Travis County offers assistance for water and trash collection.