Right now
Found the pile? Start here.
If something feels urgent, this page walks you through the next few hours, one small step at a time. You don’t have to fix everything today. You just have to stop the bleeding.
The next 24 hours
1. Breathe. You are not in trouble, and you are not alone.
Missing bills is not a character flaw. It is what happens when a system that assumes one kind of brain meets a person it was not built for. You are doing the right thing right now.
2. Find anything with a shut-off or due date in the next 7 days.
You do not need to open everything. Look only for the words "disconnection", "shut-off", "final notice", "past due", or a date in the next week. Put those few in one pile. Ignore the rest for now.
3. For each urgent one, call the number on the bill and say one sentence.
"I am having trouble paying and I want to set up a payment plan or hardship arrangement." That sentence almost always pauses a shut-off. You do not have to explain or apologize. Most utilities have hardship programs they are required to offer.
4. If a utility shut-off is today or tomorrow, call 2-1-1.
Dial 2-1-1 (Connecticut’s free, 24/7 help line). They can connect you to emergency energy assistance and tell you your rights, including winter protections.
5. Stop here. The rest can wait for a coach.
You have handled the emergencies. You do not have to sort the whole pile alone. Book a free session and a real person will sit with you and work through the rest, at your pace.
Connecticut utilities
Each of these has a hardship or payment-plan option. You have the right to ask.
Eversource (electric & gas)
Payment plans, hardship status, and winter shut-off protection.
Call the number on your bill or 800-286-2000
United Illuminating (electric)
Payment arrangements and financial-hardship programs.
Call the number on your bill or 800-722-5584
Connecticut Natural Gas / Southern CT Gas
Hardship and matching-payment programs for gas heat.
Call the number on your bill
Aquarion Water
Payment plans and assistance for water service.
Call the number on your bill or 800-732-9678
Emergency help in Connecticut
2-1-1 Connecticut
Free, confidential, 24/7. Energy assistance, rent help, food, and crisis support.
Dial 2-1-1 or visit 211ct.org
Connecticut Energy Assistance Program (CEAP)
Help with heating bills through your local Community Action Agency.
Ask 2-1-1 for your local Community Action Agency
Operation Fuel
Emergency energy assistance for CT households, including those over income limits.
operationfuel.org
Winter shut-off protection
CT limits utility disconnection for hardship households during winter months. Ask your utility to be coded as hardship.
Tell your utility: "Please mark my account as hardship."
These are starting points, not legal or financial advice. Programs, numbers, and rules change — always confirm with the provider. In an immediate safety emergency, call 911.
Handled the emergencies? The rest can wait for a coach.
You don’t have to sort the whole pile alone. Book a free session and a real person will work through it with you, at your pace.