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If you are having trouble affording your utility bills, there is good news! New Jersey offers a diverse portfolio of utility assistance and energy efficiency programs for low- and moderate-income households. See income limits and program information below:

*If you are income eligible for USF/LIHEAP, apply for those programs first and then if still in need seek additional assistance from the PAGE program.

 **Lifeline determines income in terms of married or single only and is for seniors and the disabled.

The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) approved the Residential Universal Bill Credit, which provided direct $100 in energy bill assistance to all 3.9 million New Jersey residential ratepayers with an active electric account with one of the four public, investor-owned utility companies: Public Service Electric and Gas, Atlantic City Electric, Jersey Central Power and Light, and Rockland Electric Company. Bill credits were applied to electricity bills in September and October 2025. Residents received a $50 credit for each month.

The New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA) has a variety of programs that can help you with utility bills, rent and removal of lead hazards from your home. Use the anonymous "to determine if you are eligible for assistance, and for more information on how to apply.  

The Universal Service Fund (USF) provides monthly credits on electric and gas bills to help make bills more affordable. Credit amounts are primarily based on the amount you spend on energy that is over a certain percentage of income. All income eligible participants receive a minimum monthly credit of $20 on their gas and/or electric bill. The maximum monthly credit is $200 for gas and electric combined.

USF-Fresh Start: Eligible USF electric and gas customers with overdue balances of $60 or more will be automatically enrolled by their utility company into the Fresh Start program when they enroll in the USF program. Fresh Start provides forgiveness on the overdue balance amount that existed at the time of USF enrollment. Fresh Start is available once every five years. The gas and electric utility companies administer the Fresh Start program with oversight by the BPU.

How do I receive Fresh Start forgiveness for my overdue balance? Each month a USF-Fresh Start customer pays  their current monthly charges in full, 1/12 of their Fresh Start overdue balance will be forgiven by the utility company. The utility company will send information to Fresh Start customers when they are enrolled explaining how the program works and updates regarding their status in the program. The customer should call their utility company with any Fresh Start questions but can reach out to the Board of Public Utilities at 800-624-0241 or file a complaint online at:  if the customer cannot resolve the issue with their utility company.

How do I apply for USF and USF-Fresh Start?*

• Apply online at  and upload all required documents.
• Check email regularly for application status updates or check on the status by logging back into the website.
• Click for Frequently Asked Questions about USF.
• For further information go to: 
• Call the NJ Utility Assistance hotline at 800-510-3102 to:
• Find your local USF/LIHEAP application agency or utility payment center if you need assistance completing your application.
• Follow up on the status of your application
• If you are disabled and homebound, request a home visit for assistance in completing your application. 

USF shares its application with the federal Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP). You can apply for both programs at the same time during the HEAP season (10/1 - 6/30), or apply online for USF only during the summer months.

*Note: You cannot apply for Fresh Start, but if you are eligible, you will be enrolled by your utility company and receive information about Fresh Start in the mail.

USF is administered by the Department of Community Affairs. Fresh Start is administered by the utility companies with oversight by the Board of Public Utilities.

The Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) helps New Jersey households pay for heating costs, medically-necessary cooling expenses and emergency funds. Renters who have their heating costs included in their rent may also qualify. HEAP provides help for gas, electric, deliverable fuels and qualifying heater repairs and replacements. Applications for HEAP are accepted from October 1st through June 30^th while funds last. The HEAP program shares its application with the USF program. For application options, please see above “How do I apply for USF and USF-Fresh Start?”

HEAP is administered by the .

The Payment Assistance for Gas and Electric (PAGE) Program provides relief on gas and electric bills for low- to moderate-income New Jersey households (see income limits above). Those who are income eligible for USF should apply for USF first before seeking supplemental assistance from PAGE. To self-screen for program eligibility, apply online, or print an application, please visit  or call 1-866-657-4273.

PAGE administered by SHARES Nation, Inc. but is made possible by the New Jersey Department of the Treasury and is subject to availability of funds.

Note: Households with undocumented individuals may apply for USF, PAGE and HEAP described above. Please note that while HEAP requires at least one household member to have a social security number, this is not a requirement for the USF and PAGE programs. For more information, call 2-1-1.

SHARES also provides assistance to income-eligible New Jersey households for paying their energy, telephone, broadband (internet), water, wastewater, property tax, rent and mortgage bills. Municipal utility grants for water, sewer and electricity also available to customers of partnering municipalities. For more information, call 1-866-657-4273 or visit

The Winter Termination Program protects specific categories of customers from having their water, wastewater, gas or electricity shut off between November 15 and March 15 of each year.

These categories include:

1.   Recipients of benefits under the Lifeline Credit Program;

2.   Recipients of benefits under the Federal Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP);

3.   Recipients of Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF);

4.   Recipients of Federal Supplemental Security Income (SSI);

5.   Recipients of Pharmaceutical Assistance to the Aged and Disabled (PAAD);

6.   Recipients of General Assistance (GA) benefits;

7.   Recipients of the Universal Service Fund (USF);

8.   Applicants of the Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program or any other State, local, or utility program that provides assistance or discounted rates specifically to help eligible customers pay wastewater or water bills that may exist at that time; or

9.   Residential customers who are unable to pay their utility bills because of circumstances beyond their control. Such circumstances shall include, but shall not be limited to, unemployment, illness, medically related expenses, recent death of an immediate family member, and any other circumstances, which might cause financial hardship. These residential customers shall be permitted to self-certify to the utility or Division of Customer Assistance of the Board of an inability to pay their public utility bill.

Please call your utility company to request WTP protection. If you have any questions about WTP the utility cannot answer, please call the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities at: 800-624-0241.

The Winter Termination Program is administered by NJBPU.

Gas, electric, water and wastewater customers may request reconnection of service once per year, per utility service, with proof of application to USF, LIHEAP, PAGE, or any other State, local or utility assistance program that provides assistance or discounted rates. Customer must first make a downpayment of up to 25% of the outstanding balance.

Be a smart consumer, know your rights. Read the 

Lifeline provides an annual $225 energy benefit to qualified seniors and the disabled. The benefit can help eligible homeowners and renters with electric and/or natural gas costs. You can apply for Lifeline by using the NJSAVE application, available at  . For more information about Lifeline, call 1-800-792-9745, or click here. 

Lifeline is administered by the New Jersey Department of Human Services (DHS).

The New Jersey Comfort Partners Program is a free program that helps income-eligible customers reduce their utility bills through implementing cost effective measures which save energy and money while improving their home's safety and comfort at no cost to them. Through Comfort Partners, the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) and your electric and natural gas utilities partner with you to reduce your energy use and utility bills, improve your comfort, and increase the health and safety of your home. For more information, click  or call (866) 378-4345.

The Community Solar Energy Program (CSEP) provides incentives to eligible community solar facilities to enable the continued efficient and orderly development of solar electric generating sources throughout New Jersey.

This solar program enables utility customers to participate in a solar energy project that is remotely located from their property. Call 866-657-6278 or visit .

Sponsored by the NJ Board of Public Utilities' New Jersey Clean Energy Program.

• Verizon New Jersey - If you are a Verizon New Jersey customer, please call NJSHARES at 1-888-337-3339, or visit 
• CenturyLink/United Telephone Company of New Jersey – 1-800-201-4099 – 
• Tracfone- 1-800-977-3768 - 
• Virgin Mobile- 1-888-898-4888, or visit www.assurancewireless.com
• Truconnect- 1-800-430-0443, or visit  
• Xchange- 1-877-853-3443  
• Q-Link Wireless- 1-855-754-6543, or visit  
• Telrite- 1-888-543-3620, or visit 
• Terracom- 1-888-716-8880, or visit 
• Tempo- 1-, or visit 
• Infinity Mobile- 1-888-801-0012, or visit 
• Dish Wireless- 1-833-528-1380, or visit 
• Tag Mobility-  1-(424) 219-5670  or visit 

Summer Termination Program (STP) shut off protections are in effect each June 15th-August 31st for residential electric, water and sewer customers within the protected categories covered by the Board's Winter Termination Program's rules and regulations (see "Winter Termination Program" listed above).

Atlantic City Electric Company provides grants to its residential customers who are carrying a balance of at least $250 or more. The grants can be as high as $500. Learn more at: . This program is administered by the non-profit organization SHARES.

Call  for more information at: 866-657-4273 or apply online . 

New Jersey Natural Gas provides its Gift of Warmth fund as a one-time grant of up to $500 to help residential customers experiencing unanticipated financial hardship. Gift of Warmth can reconnect service or prevent disconnection. If you have an overdue balance with New Jersey Natural Gas that you cannot pay, please start your application process today: click or call 800-221-0051 and say "energy assistance" at the prompt.