Seattle Winter Utility Help 2026–27: City Light, PSE HELP and the Winter Shutoff Rule
Seattle winters are long, dark and damp, so electric and gas bills tend to climb just as the holidays squeeze budgets. If you're behind, there's real money on the table this season. Seattle City Light, Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) and Puget Sound Energy (PSE) each run their own hardship programs, and Washington law gives low-income households a winter shutoff shield from November 15 to March 15.
This guide covers who to call, what each program pays, and how to keep your heat on while you wait.
First: Know Who Sends Each Bill
Electricity inside Seattle: Seattle City Light, a city-owned utility.
Water, sewer and garbage: Seattle Public Utilities. Many renters never see this bill because the landlord pays it.
Natural gas: Puget Sound Energy. PSE also supplies electricity in much of King County outside Seattle.
Heating oil: a private dealer. Help comes through LIHEAP (see below).
City Light and SPU share one application, so a single form can cover both.
Seattle City Light: Three Ways to Get Help
Emergency Bill Assistance (up to $710, or $1,420 with kids)
If you've received an urgent or final shutoff notice, or you owe $250 or more past due, City Light's Emergency Bill Assistance Program can pay down your balance.
How much: up to $710 per calendar year. Households with children under 18 may get up to $1,420.
Income limit (2026): for example, $58,536 a year for one person or $112,584 for a family of four, gross.
Must have: a City Light account in your name.
Project Share (a $250 credit)
Project Share is funded by customer donations. It gives a one-time $250 credit to residential customers with at least $250 past due. The 2026–27 income limits are higher than the emergency program's: $92,160 for one person or $131,520 for four. That means many working households who don't qualify elsewhere can still get it. It's limited to one credit per household per calendar year.
Utility Discount Program (60% off going forward)
Emergency money clears the past; the Utility Discount Program (UDP) shrinks future bills. It cuts 60% off City Light bills and 50% off SPU bills. The 2026 limit is $51,228 a year for one person or $98,508 for four.
Big change for 2027: The Seattle City Council has expanded UDP income eligibility. The city says the expansion will reach more than 31,000 additional households and begins in January 2027, when new utility rates take effect. If you were turned down before, apply again in January.
How to apply for City Light help
Go to seattle.gov/UtilityBillHelp. The online application covers UDP, Emergency Bill Assistance and Project Share.
Have ready your City Light account number, government-issued ID, and income proof for each adult 18 or older who earns income.
On SNAP? You only need your account number and your DSHS SNAP approval letter (the cover page and the calculation page).
If you'd rather use paper, or you need help, call (206) 684-3000, Monday to Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Seattle Public Utilities: Water, Sewer and Garbage
SPU's Emergency Assistance Program pays up to $537 a year toward past-due water, sewer and garbage charges, or $1,074 for households with children under 18. The money can be split into up to four pledges a year.
There's an important catch. SPU's page says the home must be a single-family residence; apartments, duplexes and commercial properties don't qualify. Your SPU account must be in your name. If you rent, your City Light account must be in your name. The income limit is 80% of state median income: $58,536 for one person or $112,584 for four.
To apply by phone, call (206) 684-5800. SPU also offers payment plans to every customer, whatever their income.
Puget Sound Energy: HELP and Bill Discount Rate
PSE HELP (a $250 to $1,000 grant)
The Home Energy Lifeline Program is a once-a-year grant of $250 to $1,000, credited straight to your PSE account. The new program year started October 1, 2026, and runs through September 30, 2027. Even if you got a grant last winter, you can apply again now.
Bill Discount Rate (5% to 45% off)
This is an ongoing monthly discount of 5% to 45%, and enrollment lasts 13 months. Applying for HELP or the Bill Discount Rate automatically starts an application for the other.
Income: at or below 80% of area median income or 200% of the federal poverty level, whichever is higher. PSE looks at net income, household size and county.
Documents: PSE says most customers don't need to upload documents up front. A share of applicants are checked after enrollment.
Apply: at pse.com, or through your local community agency. For phone help, call 888-225-5773 or email billdiscount@pse.com.
PSE customers who still have a billed balance can also ask their local Salvation Army about the Warm Home Fund. PSE publishes a list of local Salvation Army contacts.
LIHEAP and SHEAP Through Byrd Barr Place
If you live inside Seattle city limits, Byrd Barr Place runs LIHEAP (federal energy assistance), the newer State Home Energy Assistance Program (SHEAP) and PSE HELP. LIHEAP can cover City Light, PSE or heating-oil costs, and even energy costs that are built into your rent. It can also help with shutoff notices and furnace repair or replacement.
Timing: Byrd Barr says its Energy Assistance Program officially opened Monday, October 5, 2026. Online form submissions open Wednesday, October 7. LIHEAP and HELP applications should be in by August 2027.
LIHEAP income (2025–26 table): about $1,956 a month for one person or $4,018 for four.
SHEAP: reaches higher incomes, up to 80% of area median income.
Contact: call 206-812-4940, email energyassistance@byrdbarr.place, or visit 722 18th Ave., Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
City Light customers north of Seattle apply through Hopelink. Customers south of the city apply through Multi-Service Center.
The Winter Shutoff Rule: November 15 to March 15
Washington's winter low-income payment program protects home heating service. It applies to city-owned utilities like City Light under RCW 35.21.300, and to PSE electric and gas under WAC 480-100-143 and WAC 480-90-143. It is not automatic. To use it, you must:
Tell the utility you can't pay, ideally within five business days of a past-due or delinquency notice.
Certify your income with your local energy assistance agency, such as Byrd Barr Place. The agency figures out what 7% of your household income is.
Apply for energy assistance and for weatherization if it's available, and agree that any assistance goes to your bill.
Stick to a payment plan. Winter payments can't be more than 7% of your monthly income plus one-twelfth of any new past-due amount. You must pay off the balance by the next October 15.
If you've already been shut off, you can still get these protections by paying any reconnection charge and meeting the steps above. Regulated utilities like PSE must also set rules in their tariffs for pausing disconnections during inclement weather.
Is PSE not following the rules? Call the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission at 1-888-333-9882. City Light is city-run, so take complaints about it to City Light at (206) 684-3000.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Program funding and rules change, so confirm with each agency before relying on them.
Frequently Asked Questions
I rent, and my landlord pays water. Can I still get help?
Yes, for electricity. City Light help needs only a City Light account in your name. UDP tenants whose landlord pays SPU can still get SPU credits on their electric bill.
Can City Light shut me off in December?
Yes, unless you use the winter payment program. Tell City Light right away that you can't pay, certify your income with Byrd Barr Place, and agree to the 7% payment plan.
I got PSE HELP last year. Can I get it again?
Yes. HELP is one grant per program year, and the 2026–27 year began October 1, 2026.
What if I earn too much for LIHEAP?
Try Project Share, City Light Emergency Bill Assistance, SPU Emergency Assistance, PSE HELP and SHEAP. All of them have higher income limits than LIHEAP.
Related Guides
Need help asking your landlord or utility for more time? Our $9 Behind on Rent Action Kit has fill-in letters and checklists. Free help is always available at 211.
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