How to Get Financial Help for Heat Bills in Chicago
The harsh winter season in Chicago can cause your low heating bill to jump to hundreds of dollars of month, especially if your home or apartment isn't well insulated. If you are unable to pay the total amount of your bill at once, you can enroll in many of the financial assistance programs available to Peoples Gas customers. Peoples Gas provides natural gas to Chicago, and offers many different forms of assistance to reduce the stress of high monthly bills.
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
-
1
Call the Community and Economic Development Association at 1-800-571-2332. According to the Peoples Gas site, the CEDA has a Low Income Home Energy Assistance program that helps you pay outstanding bills and reconnect your disconnected service through state and government grants. Request a CEDA form over the phone. It will be mailed to you within two to three business days. Mail it back to the appropriate address to enroll in the program.
-
2
Sign up for a short-term payment plan by calling 1-866-556-6001. Peoples Gas will allow you to set up a short-term payment plan that spreads your outstanding balance out by adding a small amount of the balance to your current bill each month until it is paid in full.
-
-
3
Apply for a Share the Warmth grant. Share the Warmth is given to individuals who are unable to pay the heating bill and fall into the family income guidelines. Call 1-800-571-2332 and request a Share the Warmth application. If approved, any payment you make on your heating bill will be matched by the grant, according to the Peoples Gas site.
-
4
Submit a medical certificate to Peoples Gas. The medical certificate program allows you to defer your heating bill payment for 30 days if you have an illness that is causing you to fall behind on your heating bill. Download the medical certificate form (see Resources for link), have your doctor sign the form and send it to the address listed on the bottom. According to the Peoples Gas site, you can enroll in the medical certificate program only twice per year.
-
1
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Paying Bills image by ne_fall_photos from Fotolia.com
