If you're struggling to afford your housing or utility bills, help may be available. Older Americans may qualify for federal, state, and local programs that help pay for rent, mortgage costs, property taxes, home repairs, heating and cooling bills, and other housing-related expenses.

Housing & Utility Benefits At a Glance

This guide explains the housing and utility assistance programs available to older adults, who may qualify, and where to apply for benefits.

What home repair programs are available for older adults?

Several programs can help pay for home repairs and make your home safer and more comfortable:

• Section 504 Home Repair program: This U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) program offers one-time grants of up to $10,000 and, separately, low-interest (1%) loans of up to $40,000 for eligible homeowners to repair, improve, or modernize their homes or remove health and safety hazards.¹
  
  To qualify for this program, you must own and live in your home, have a household income within your county's very low-income limit, and be unable to obtain affordable credit elsewhere. If you're applying for a grant, you must also be age 62 or older.
• Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP): The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) helps eligible families receive free home energy repairs and services. You may get help with insulation of doors, windows, floors, walls, ducts, and water heaters, as well as help modifying your furnace and other heating devices to help them work better.
  
  Homeowners, renters, and mobile-home owners may qualify for WAP. Eligibility is generally limited to households with incomes at or below 200% of the federal poverty level or those receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Priority is often given to older adults, people with disabilities, families with children, and households with high energy use or costs.

Why are these programs so important for older adults? Keeping up with home maintenance can become more difficult with age, but not doing so poses serious health hazards. Forgoing needed home repairs may increase the risk of accidents or falls, while poor indoor air quality can exacerbate respiratory and other diseases.

What programs help older adults pay utility bills?

The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is a federal program that helps eligible households pay for heating or cooling their homes. In many states, LIHEAP participants can use the funds for: 

• Home energy bills
• Low-cost projects to improve energy efficiency
• Preventing a utility shutoff or restoring service after a shutoff 
• Certain energy-related home repairs

LIHEAP is available to many homeowners, renters, and people living in subsidized housing who need help paying their energy bills. Eligibility is based on household income and other state-specific requirements. While each state sets its own income limits, they must follow federal guidelines, which generally cap eligibility at no more than 150% of the federal poverty level (FPL) or 60% of the state's median income (SMI). 

Can older adults get help paying for phone and internet service?

Being connected to family, friends, and neighbors is critical to reducing social isolation. Several benefits programs offer seniors on fixed incomes the opportunity to obtain free or low-cost telephone, internet, and assistive technology. For example:

• The federal Lifeline Support program offers discounted phone service through local telephone companies. Two Lifeline-supported programs include Assurance Wireless® and SafeLink Wireless®, both of which offer free cell phones and minutes, access to emergency services, and a choice of cell phone plans if you meet the program guidelines.
• iCanConnect provides people with vision and hearing loss with free assistive technology (and training in how to use the equipment) that can help with daily life activities, such as communicating and reading.

How can I find housing and utility benefits programs near me?

Applying for assistance to pay for food, medicine, utilities, and more is simple. Use BenefitsCheckUp.org, our free, confidential tool today.

Browse Benefits Programs

More than half of states and Washington, D.C. also offer ratepayer-funded utility assistance. These programs uses charges from commercial, industrial, and residential consumers to give bill payment assistance or energy efficiency services to eligible households.

While they vary by state and utility company, ratepayer-funded energy assistance programs may offer:

• Discounts on monthly gas or electric bills
• Bill payment assistance
• Budget billing plans
• Help during financial emergencies
• Energy-efficient appliances or home improvements
• Free home energy assessments

Older adults, people with disabilities, and households with low incomes often qualify, although eligibility rules differ by utility provider.

Our network of Benefits Enrollment Centers (BECs) also provides one-on-one assistance in applying for a wide range of benefits programs. See if one is available in your area.

"Even a modest reduction in monthly utility costs can make a meaningful difference for someone living on a fixed income," said Jessica Johnston, Senior Strategist for Economic Well-Being at NCOA. "That's why we encourage older adults to learn about the benefits programs available in their community—you may qualify for help you didn't know existed."

Source

1. USDA Rural Development. Single Family Housing Repair Loans & Grants. Found on the Internet at https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/single-family-housing-programs/single-family-housing-repair-loans-grants