Help paying utility bills in Indiana

Apply for EAP to trigger the winter moratorium

Indiana's strongest winter protection depends on one step: applying for the Energy Assistance Program (EAP). Under Indiana Code 8-1-2-121, from December 1 through March 15, a utility may not turn off residential service to a customer who is eligible for EAP and has applied. Protection starts once your application is submitted, while the local agency decides eligibility. It covers electric and gas utilities that are privately owned, municipally owned or cooperatives. Tell your utility right away that you applied, especially if a shutoff date is already scheduled. AES Indiana, for example, asks customers to email proof of their application or an approval letter, or it will not hold the account. The moratorium does not cancel the bill, and charges from those months are still yours to pay.

Deadlines and how EAP applications work

EAP is Indiana's name for the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), and the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority (IHCDA) runs it through Local Service Providers covering every county. For program year 2027, applications open October 1, 2026 at 8 a.m. and close April 30, 2027 at 5 p.m. You can apply online through the new LITT portal, which replaced EAPConnect, or by mail or in person through your provider. Households at or below 60 percent of state median income may qualify, based on the most recent three months of income. Providers can take up to 55 days to decide, and the utility may need 30 more days to post the benefit, so keep paying what you can while you wait.

Crisis deadlines and your right to appeal

Indiana sets firm clocks for emergencies. A heating crisis exists when you have a disconnection notice, are already disconnected, have propane or fuel oil at or below 25 percent of a tank, or are within 10 days of running out of other delivered fuel. In that case your provider must take a step to ease the crisis within 48 hours. If service is already off or fuel is gone and someone in the home has a documented medical need, the deadline drops to 18 hours. If your application is denied or stalls, send a written appeal to your provider within 30 days, and expect a written answer within 14 calendar days. A second appeal goes to IHCDA. You can also reapply with updated documents 55 days after a denied application.

Notice, shutoff hours and medical statements

For electric service, the rule at 170 Indiana Administrative Code 4-1-16 requires 14 days of written notice before a residential disconnection for nonpayment. Crews may disconnect only between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. local time, never on a day the utility office is closed, and not after noon on the day before. If a licensed physician or public health official gives the utility a statement that a shutoff would be a serious and immediate threat to someone's health or safety, the utility must postpone for 10 days, and one more 10 day extension is possible with a second statement. Call before the disconnect date to set up a payment arrangement. The Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission notes that a utility must offer one only once in any 12 month period.

Utility programs in central and northern Indiana

AES Indiana's Power of Change offers income-qualified customers one-time help on an electric bill, but you must apply for EAP first and be a LIHEAP participant or show eligibility for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), the Healthy Indiana Plan or Medicaid. In Marion County, the United Way of Central Indiana runs a Winter Assistance Fund for households that do not qualify for EAP. Citizens Energy Group, which provides natural gas, water and wastewater service, automatically gives EAP-approved customers a 10 to 25 percent natural gas discount through its Universal Service Program and a $14 to $37 credit on wastewater bills. NIPSCO runs hardship programs called SILVER for seniors and SERV for veterans, with income limits above the EAP cutoffs.

Getting the IURC involved

The Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC) does not hand out money, but its Consumer Affairs Division resolves disputes about deposits, billing, termination of service and customer rights. Try the utility first, then file with the division using its online complaint form or by phone during weekday office hours. A utility may ask an existing customer for a deposit after disconnect notices in two straight months or three times in a year, so it pays to act on the first notice. Many towns run their own water utilities, and the IURC's authority over some local systems is limited, so ask your water office directly about its payment options.

Settlemont as a backup to EAP

Settlemont works alongside EAP, not in place of it, for Indiana households facing a specific utility bill. The company is a for-profit bill payment technology business, and it charges the bill owner nothing at any stage. You submit privately with six fields, choose the Utility category and enter the current amount and due date; no statement upload or account number is requested. Next, a one-time access code lets you name your utility in a private step, and Settlemont staff independently verify the utility, you and the balance. The approved page shows first name, Indiana, category and verified amount only. Supporters choose an amount and leave an email, then Settlemont confirms the balance with them before the support goes straight to the utility. Keep your EAP application and payment plan active either way.

Sources

• Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority: Energy Assistance Program
• Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission: Customer assistance
• AES Indiana: Payment assistance
• Citizens Energy Group: Assistance
• NIPSCO: Financial support programs

Facts checked November 2026. Rules change, so confirm with the agency or utility before relying on a protection.

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