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Benton PUD’s Helping Hands funds are available for qualified low-income customers who need assistance paying their electric bill. Funds are collected throughout the year from customers, employees, and members of the community and are then disbursed to qualified customers by Community Action Connections (CAC).
Assistance Amount
Qualified customers may receive a $300 payment, based on their Benton PUD account status and total annual household income. Only one payment voucher per household is allowed every 12 months.
Eligibility
Helping Hands recipients must meet both the low-income criteria and financial need criteria in order to be eligible.
Low-Income Criteria
A Benton PUD customer's total annual household income level is up to 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI) or 200% of the Federally Established Poverty Guidelines (FPL), including income sources of all household members. Annual income is calculated using the previous month’s income multiplied by 12. The chart below captures the maximum annual household income to qualify for Helping Hands.
Financial Need Criteria
Applicants need to demonstrate only one of the following financial need conditions:
- Household with justified crisis/emergency expenses (unexpected expenses or day-to-day costs that cause a hardship on an ongoing basis)
- Household whose average income reduced by 25%
- Household whose rent increased by 25%
- Household received a 3-day or 5-day pay or vacate notice
- Household past due on mortgage and may be faced with foreclosure
How to Apply
To apply for Helping Hands, visit CAC with all of the required documentation listed below. If qualifications are met, CAC will issue a payment voucher to Benton PUD that will be applied to the customer's account.
Required Documentation - must bring ALL of the listed documents to be approved
- Social Security cards for all household members
- Identification cards for all household members 18 years or older
- Birth certificates for all children 17 years or younger residing in the household
- Current proof of address in applicant's name (other than the Benton PUD account)
- Past Due Notice or Disconnection Notice from Benton PUD
- Gross income form all sources for the previous month, including but not limited to: employment, unemployment, TANF, child support for all household members 18 years or older
Other Types of Assistance
Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) helps households maintain affordable, dependable utility services and avoid disconnection during the winter months. For more information contact Community Action Connections (CAC) at (509) 545-4042 or visit their website at www.bfcac.org.
Assistance is available on past due utility bills for Benton County veterans, their families, and the families of deceased veterans who were honorably discharged from the military. To apply for assistance, contact the Benton and Franklin Counties Department of Human Services at (509) 783-5284.
You can find more information about the Veterans Assistance Fund here.
Bill discounts of 10%, 15% and 25% are available for qualifying Senior, Disabled, or Veteran/Active Military customers. Visit our Low-Income discounts page to review eligiblity requirements and the application process.