Help paying utility bills in New Jersey

New Jersey's Board of Public Utilities and your basic rights

The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (BPU) oversees gas, electric, water and wastewater utilities and spells out customer rights on its website. If you fall behind, you are entitled to at least 10 days of written notice before a shutoff for nonpayment, and service can be cut after that only if you do not make a reasonable payment or agree to a payment plan. Outside a safety emergency, shutoffs are limited to 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Thursday, and they are barred on Fridays, weekends, state holidays and the day before a state holiday. In a multi-family building, the utility must post notice in a common area, send it to you, or both.

The Winter Termination Program, November 15 to March 15

From November 15 through March 15, the Winter Termination Program protects eligible households from shutoff of water, wastewater, gas or electric service. You are covered if you receive Lifeline, the Home Energy Assistance Program, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Pharmaceutical Assistance to the Aged and Disabled (PAAD), General Assistance or the Universal Service Fund. Residential customers who cannot pay because of circumstances beyond their control, such as unemployment or illness, may qualify by self-certifying. Protection is not automatic: you must call your utility and tell it you are eligible. If the utility cannot answer your questions about the program, the BPU's customer assistance line can.

Medical emergencies, disputed charges and deferred payment plans

A New Jersey utility may not shut off service while a valid medical emergency exists in your household, so tell the company immediately and ask what certification it needs. You are also entitled to at least one deferred payment plan per year if you have a balance you cannot pay. The plan considers your finances and lets you pay down the old balance while staying current on new charges. If you dispute part of a bill, pay the portion you do not dispute; while the utility investigates the rest, it may not shut off your service. These rights apply all year, so lean on them outside the winter months too, especially when summer cooling bills climb.

USF credits and Fresh Start forgiveness

The Universal Service Fund (USF), run by the Department of Community Affairs (DCA), puts a monthly credit on electric and gas bills for income-eligible households, based mainly on how far energy costs exceed a set share of income. Credits run from a minimum of $20 to a maximum of $200 a month for gas and electric combined. USF customers with overdue balances of $60 or more are enrolled automatically in Fresh Start through their utility. Each month you pay current charges in full, one twelfth of the Fresh Start balance is forgiven, so a year of steady payments can clear it. Fresh Start is available once every five years. Apply for USF online through DCAid.

LIHEAP, PAGE and NJ SHARES

New Jersey's Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), also called the Home Energy Assistance Program, helps with heating costs, medically necessary cooling, emergencies involving gas, electric and deliverable fuels, and qualifying heater repairs. Applications are accepted October 1 through June 30 while funds last, through the same application as USF, online or at a local Community Action Agency. Renters whose heat is included in rent may qualify. If USF and LIHEAP are not enough, apply for Payment Assistance for Gas and Electric (PAGE), run by SHARES Nation for low- to moderate-income households, which does not require a Social Security number. NJ SHARES also helps income-eligible households with energy, water, wastewater, phone and internet bills.

Lifeline, Comfort Partners and BPU complaints

Seniors and people with disabilities can apply for the state Lifeline utility benefit, run by the Department of Human Services, which pays $225 a year toward electric or natural gas costs; apply through the NJSAVE application. Comfort Partners, run by the BPU with electric and gas utilities, installs free measures that lower energy use for income-eligible customers. If you have a problem, contact your utility first. If it is not resolved, file with the BPU Division of Customer Assistance using the online complaint form, by phone or by mail, and describe your earlier contact. The division handles shutoffs, payment arrangements, high bills and deposit requests. For a gas smell, call your utility and 911 immediately.

Bringing a New Jersey bill to Settlemont

Settlemont is bill payment technology that connects verified bills with people and organizations who want to help pay them. A New Jersey resident can submit an overdue gas, electric or water bill privately, then use a one-time access code to identify the utility so staff can verify the biller, the owner and the current balance. Every submission is checked for duplicates and fraud signals. If approved, the public page shows only a first name, New Jersey, the Utility category and the verified amount. Sponsors such as employers and foundations can fund batches of verified bills, with program pricing on request. Support goes directly to the utility, never as cash to you. Keep your Winter Termination Program and USF steps moving too.

Sources

• New Jersey Board of Public Utilities: Assistance programs
• New Jersey Board of Public Utilities: Consumer rights
• New Jersey Board of Public Utilities: Filing complaints
• New Jersey Department of Community Affairs: Home Energy Assistance

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

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