Emergency guide
I got a shutoff notice
A shutoff or disconnection notice starts a short list of dates and calls. This page lists what to do today, which rules may protect you, who to call and words you can use.
General information, not legal advice. Rules depend on where you live. If you have a letter, notice or form with a date on it, get advice before that date passes.
Checked 7 October 2026 · re-check due 7 April 2027 · To keep a copy, use your browser’s print or share menu.
First: are you safe?
If the bill has you thinking about ending your life, call or text 988 in the US, or call Samaritans on 116 123 in the UK, at any hour. If anyone is in danger now, call 911 in the US or 999 in the UK. If there is no heat or power tonight, or no food in the house, call 211 in the US; in the UK, ask your supplier for emergency credit, ask your council about a warm space, and find a food bank through Trussell, below. Never heat a home with a gas oven, a charcoal grill or a camp stove, and never run a generator inside the home or garage, even with doors and windows open; keep it outside, at least 20 feet (6 metres) from windows, doors and vents. Carbon monoxide has no smell and can kill. If a carbon monoxide alarm sounds, or someone gets a headache, feels dizzy or sick, get everyone outside and call 911 in the US or 999 in the UK. If you smell gas, leave first, then call from outside: 911 or your gas company in the US; 0800 111 999 in England, Scotland and Wales; 0800 002 001 in Northern Ireland.
Today
- Find the date and the amount on your notice or letter and write both down. The date on your own paper is your deadline; the rules below only show what may protect you.
- If the heat or power is already off, or about to be, plan tonight first: somewhere warm to be, and no gas oven, grill or generator used for heat inside the home or garage.
- Call your supplier or utility today, before that date. Say you cannot pay it all by then. Ask for a payment plan you can afford, or more time. Agree only to payments you can keep up.
- On the same call, say if anyone at home is ill, older, very young or uses medical equipment that needs power. Ask for what you agree in writing.
- In the US: call 211 or the energy-assistance line. Say you have a shutoff notice, give the date, and ask for crisis help.
- In England, Scotland and Wales: ask your gas and electricity suppliers (each one, if they are different) to add you to their Priority Services Register, a free list of customers who need extra help. In Northern Ireland: tell your supplier if anyone at home is older, disabled or long-term ill.
- If you cannot top up a prepayment meter, tell your supplier at once and ask for emergency credit.
- Keep every letter and email. Write down who you spoke to, the day, and what they said.
The clocks that have started
Deadlines that can start when this happens, soonest first. Your own letters give your dates; when two dates could apply, count from the earlier one. The details of each are on the page online; its address is at the bottom.
Deadlines that can start when this happens, soonest first. Tap one to see when it starts and what happens if you miss it. Your own letters give your dates; when two dates could apply, count from the earlier one.
Jump to: United States · United Kingdom
In the United States
Act before the date on your shutoff noticeThe date on your notice.United States (set by each state)
- How long
- The date on your notice. There is no single national shutoff date or notice period. Some states pause shutoffs in very cold or very hot weather, or when a doctor certifies that someone in the home would be at medical risk; your state decides which, if any
- Starts
- the day you get the notice, or the day you first fall behind if no notice has come yet. The notice gives the shutoff date: that date is your deadline. Your state's rules decide how much notice you get and what can pause a shutoff, so do not count on any general rule
- If missed
- your service can be cut on or after the date. A weather or medical pause only delays a shutoff: you still owe the bill, and the shutoff can follow when the pause ends. Ask your utility what it needs to turn service back on
- It lets you
- ask your utility, before the date, for a payment plan or more time, and ask whether a weather or medical pause applies to your home. With the notice in your hand, you can also ask for crisis help with the bill (see the LIHEAP clock). A pause may only apply if you ask for it, send a doctor's form, or agree a payment plan: ask your utility what it needs and by when.
Where this differs: Your state's public utility commission sets the rules; the LIHEAP Clearinghouse page named below links to each state's policy. State rules generally cover regulated utilities only: municipal utilities, rural electric co-ops and delivered fuel such as oil or propane may be outside them, so ask your provider. A landlord-paid utility is a different problem: see who this page is not for.
Checked 7 October 2026 at LIHEAP Clearinghouse, US Department of Health and Human Services
Apply for crisis energy help (LIHEAP, the energy-assistance program) the day you have the noticeIf your household is eligible, federal law says your state's crisis program must provide some form of help that resolves the energy crisis within 48 hours of your application, or within 18 hours if your situation is life-threatening.United States (federal rule)
- How long
- If your household is eligible, federal law says your state's crisis program must provide some form of help that resolves the energy crisis within 48 hours of your application, or within 18 hours if your situation is life-threatening. Your state defines what counts as a crisis, and may count only working days. In an area hit by a declared disaster these limits can be set aside
- Starts
- the day you apply for crisis help, not the date on your notice. Your state may count from the day your application is complete with every document it asks for, so ask what to bring, for example the shutoff notice and a recent bill, and apply as soon as you have the notice
- If missed
- the shutoff date can pass before help arrives, because the clock only starts when you apply. If you are not sure whether crisis help is open in your state right now, ask the energy-assistance referral line or 211
- It lets you
- get help from your state's energy-assistance program, if you are eligible. LIHEAP helps with energy bills and can help prevent a shutoff or get service reconnected. LIHEAP does not charge a fee: a message that offers a grant or asks you for a fee is a scam. Tell your utility the day you apply, and ask it to hold the shutoff while your application is decided.
Where this differs: Your state decides who is eligible, how much help you get and what counts as a crisis or a life-threatening one. Federal law makes each state hold back part of its LIHEAP money for crisis help until March 15 of each program year; after that date crisis help may still be offered, so ask. LIHEAP covers energy (heating, cooling and bills), not water. To report a LIHEAP scam, call the HHS Fraud Hotline: 1-800-447-8477.
Checked 7 October 2026 at US Code, Title 42, section 8623(c) (Cornell Legal Information Institute)
In the United Kingdom
Your supplier says it may disconnect you: ask for a payment plan nowA supplier that wants to disconnect you must first give you a chance to pay the debt through a payment plan.England, Scotland and Wales
- How long
- A supplier that wants to disconnect you must first give you a chance to pay the debt through a payment plan. If you do not agree, it can ask a court for a warrant to enter your home, and it must send you a notice that it is applying. If the court grants a warrant, the supplier must give you at least 7 days' notice in writing before it disconnects you. With a smart meter, the supplier can disconnect remotely without a court warrant, after it has contacted you about repaying and visited your home; a meter outside your home also needs no warrant. Do not wait for a court letter
- Starts
- if a bill is unpaid after 28 days, your supplier may contact you about disconnecting you. Act on the first contact: do not wait for a court letter. The dates on your own letters decide; the notice period below is a minimum
- If missed
- after a warrant, the supplier can disconnect once the written notice period has passed. To be reconnected you arrange to pay the debt, the reconnection fee and costs. Once you have paid all the charges, or agreed a repayment plan the supplier accepts, it should reconnect you within 24 hours, or within 24 hours of the next working day starting if you pay out of hours. It may also ask for a security deposit, unless you have a prepayment meter. Citizens Advice says it is rare to be disconnected: a supplier is more likely to fit a prepayment meter, which has its own rules (see the next clock)
- It lets you
- agree a payment plan as soon as the supplier contacts you, or later at a court hearing if there is one. From 1 October to 31 March, a supplier must not knowingly disconnect you if you have reached State Pension age and live alone, or only with people who have reached State Pension age or children under 18. The rule works only if your supplier knows, so tell it. In those months it must also offer you support first if someone you live with has reached State Pension age, is disabled or has a long-term physical or mental health condition. Contact your supplier to let it know
Where this differs: The same winter protections and process apply across England, Scotland and Wales; Citizens Advice publishes matching pages for each nation. Northern Ireland has its own regulator and rules: start with the nidirect page on struggling to pay energy bills and the Consumer Council for Northern Ireland. Most suppliers have also signed the Energy UK Vulnerability Commitment: they will not knowingly disconnect a home with a child under 6 at any time, or under 16 from October to March, or where age, health, disability or severe money problems mean someone cannot keep themselves safe. Ask your supplier whether it has signed.
Checked 7 October 2026 at Citizens Advice
Your supplier says it will move you to a prepayment meter: answer it and ask for a repayment plan you can affordBefore moving you without your permission, your supplier must try to agree another way to repay, make at least 10 attempts to contact you in different ways, and visit your home to check a prepayment meter is safe and suitable.England, Scotland and Wales
- How long
- Before moving you without your permission, your supplier must try to agree another way to repay, make at least 10 attempts to contact you in different ways, and visit your home to check a prepayment meter is safe and suitable. Citizens Advice says it must then give you at least 7 working days' notice before switching a smart meter to prepayment remotely, or tell you at least 21 days before it applies to court for a warrant to fit one
- Starts
- when your supplier first contacts you about an energy debt. Answer it and ask for a repayment plan you can afford: Citizens Advice says a supplier cannot move you while you keep to a repayment plan or are setting one up
- If missed
- a court can give your supplier a warrant. Before using it, the supplier must give you notice: at least 7 days for gas and 7 working days for electricity. It must give you 30 pounds of credit once the meter is fitted. It can add the warrant cost to your debt, but Citizens Advice says not if you are already struggling with living costs: tell it. If you think it broke the rules, contact it as soon as possible, ask what checks it made, then complain; if that fails, you can go to the Energy Ombudsman on 0330 440 1624
- It lets you
- tell your supplier why a meter is not safe or suitable. It must not install one if anyone at home has a terminal illness or severe health condition, depends on a continuous supply for a medical condition or powered medical equipment, or is a child under 2; if everyone at home is 75 or over with no one to help; if no one can top up because of a health condition; or if temporary circumstances such as pregnancy or bereavement make it unsafe. Citizens Advice says a supplier will not move you if you owe less than 200 pounds for each fuel, the bill is less than 3 months old, or you have told it why you dispute the bill. Ask whether you can repay through your benefits instead
Where this differs: Ofgem rules for England, Scotland and Wales; only suppliers Ofgem has approved may move you without permission, and Ofgem lists them. Keep your contact details up to date: Citizens Advice says a supplier with only your postal address does not have to try 10 times. In England and Wales, a Breathing Space arranged through a debt adviser stops a meter being fitted during it unless you already agreed. Northern Ireland has its own rules: see the Northern Ireland clock.
Checked 7 October 2026 at Ofgem
You cannot afford to top up your prepayment meter: ask your supplier for emergency credit nowYour supplier should give you temporary credit if you cannot top up.England, Scotland and Wales
- How long
- Your supplier should give you temporary credit if you cannot top up. Friendly hours credit covers nights, weekends and bank holidays until friendly hours end, and a smart meter gives it automatically. Outside those hours you can usually get emergency credit of about 10 pounds. Both are paid back the next time you top up. If you run out of that too, ask for additional support credit
- Starts
- as soon as you know you cannot top up, ideally before your credit runs out. If it has already run out, contact your supplier now
- If missed
- when your credit and any temporary credit run out you cannot use any gas or electricity until you top up again. Your supplier can only help if it knows, so tell it you cannot top up. A fuel voucher may be available through your supplier or council: check when it expires
- It lets you
- keep your gas and electricity on while you sort out a longer-term fix. Your supplier must offer to help, for example extra credit if you are in a vulnerable situation or while you work out ways to pay, and it will arrange a repayment plan if you cannot repay the credit in one go. If a prepayment meter is not safe or practical for you, for example you are 75 or older and live alone, a child under 2 lives with you, you are disabled or have a health condition, or you cannot afford to top up and live with children aged 2 to 5, ask to be switched to paying after you use the energy. If too much of each top-up goes to an old debt, ask your supplier to lower it
Where this differs: Credit amounts and friendly hours differ by supplier: check your supplier's website. These are rules for England, Scotland and Wales; Citizens Advice has matching pages for each nation. Northern Ireland has different rules: see nidirect.
Checked 7 October 2026 at Citizens Advice
Northern Ireland: your gas or electricity supplier says it may cut you offYou will not be disconnected if you are engaging with your supplier and agree a repayment plan: disconnection is a last resort, and there is no set date.Northern Ireland
- How long
- You will not be disconnected if you are engaging with your supplier and agree a repayment plan: disconnection is a last resort, and there is no set date. For gas, before disconnecting you the supplier must first offer you the choice of paying in full, a repayment plan, or a prepayment meter
- Starts
- when your supplier first contacts you about a debt. Contact it then and ask for a repayment plan you can afford. The dates on your own letters decide
- If missed
- if you are disconnected, your supplier must tell you how to get reconnected and what it will cost. If it disconnects a vulnerable household between 1 October and 31 March, it must reconnect you within 24 hours on working days, free. If a plan becomes too hard to keep, ask your supplier to review it, or contact the Consumer Council for Northern Ireland on 0800 121 6022
- It lets you
- agree a repayment plan based on what you can afford and choose how you repay. On a prepayment meter, no more than 40% of each top-up can go to the debt unless you ask for more in writing. From 1 October to 31 March your supplier cannot disconnect you if you are of pensionable age, disabled or chronically sick, or live with someone who is: tell it. It also cannot disconnect you for the debt while a complaint or dispute with it is unresolved
Where this differs: Northern Ireland only. These rules are the Utility Regulator's Code of Practice on Payment of Bills and cover electricity and gas, not heating oil. Suppliers also sign up each winter to a voluntary Consumer Energy Charter: ask yours what it offers this winter.
Checked 7 October 2026 at Utility Regulator (Northern Ireland)
Water bill: your water cannot be cut off for not paying, but call the company nowThere is no cut-off date: your water company cannot disconnect a household for not paying.England and Wales
- How long
- There is no cut-off date: your water company cannot disconnect a household for not paying. If you do not pay or contact the company, it can send reminders, phone you, pass the debt to a debt recovery agent and, as a last resort, take you to court to recover the money
- Starts
- the day you miss a payment, or know you will. Contact your water company then, before it sends reminders or passes the debt on
- If missed
- your water company cannot disconnect a household for not paying, but unpaid debt can lead to court action and extra costs. Citizens Advice also says the company can get money taken from your benefits
- It lets you
- make an offer you can afford and ask for a payment plan: an early arrangement removes the risk of further legal or court costs being added to your account. Ofwat says your company should deal with your circumstances sensitively, and that you can ask the Consumer Council for Water to look into it (0300 034 2222 in England, 0300 034 3333 in Wales) if you are unhappy with the response. Your company may be able to help through a charitable trust
Where this differs: England and Wales only. Scotland: most homes pay for water with council tax, and the council collects arrears with council tax arrears: it can go to court and take money from some benefits, so treat it as a priority debt. If you get Council Tax Reduction you should also get money off the water charge. With a water meter, Scottish Water bills you directly: call it. Ask Citizens Advice Scotland for help. Northern Ireland: households do not get a water bill; if you get one, call NI Water on 0345 744 0088. This does not apply to a business water bill.
Checked 7 October 2026 at Ofwat
Who to call
Jump to: United States · United Kingdom
In the United States
say what is happening, for example: I have a shutoff notice dated [date] and I cannot pay it
Call 211 · 24/7 in most areas
Before you call: what to have ready
Have ready
- a few facts about your current living situation
- any income you have
- the children or other dependents who live with you
They may ask
- about your current living situation
- about any income you have
- about any children or other dependents who live with you
They can
- connect you to local help with rent, mortgage, utilities, food and health care
- talk to you by phone; some local 211s also offer text and web chat, so check yours
- use 180 languages on request
- keep the call confidential, and it can be anonymous
- give you other ideas if you do not qualify for one program: you can call again
They cannot
- give you money themselves: 211 is the number for information and referrals to services
- help in a life-threatening emergency: call 911 first if you or someone you love is in one or may be a danger to someone else
LIHEAP — Help With Energy Bills
the energy-assistance line and office finder for your state; ask for crisis help and give the date on your notice
Call 1-866-674-6327 · Referral line Mon–Fri; website any time
Before you call: what to have ready
Have ready
- your city, county and state: the hotline email asks for them, and the office search tool searches by state, territory or tribe
- your household size, income and any benefits you receive: eligibility depends on them and varies by state
- your shutoff notice and a recent bill: some state programs ask for them to show the crisis
They can
- give you the energy-assistance referral line on 1-866-674-6327, and point you to your state's LIHEAP office
- tell you what LIHEAP can cover where you live, which may include energy bills, crisis assistance, equipment repair and weatherization
They cannot
- pay you from this line: the federal office does not give grants to individuals; help comes from your state or tribal LIHEAP office, which decides who is eligible
- ask you for a fee: LIHEAP does not charge one, and a message that offers a grant or asks for a fee is a scam to report to the HHS Fraud Hotline on 1-800-447-8477
A person answers on weekdays. ACF gives 9am to 7pm Eastern and energyhelp.us gives 10am to 6pm Eastern, so call between 10am and 6pm Eastern to be sure.
if your landlord pays the utility and it is being cut: find free legal help in your state
lawhelp.org · Online
Before you call: what to have ready
Have ready
- the state or territory where you live: the site starts by asking you to choose it
They can
- send you to legal aid and other low-cost legal help near you
- give you legal help guides, including one on court fees and getting them paid
- help you create legal documents for free in areas such as housing, with LawHelp Interactive
In the United Kingdom
Citizens Advice (Adviceline, England)
free help with energy debt and the other bills behind it (England)
Call 0800 144 8848 · Usually 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. Not available on public holidays.
Before you call: what to have ready
Have ready
- your postcode if you call from a mobile: if you do not have one, say one nearby such as a GP surgery, takeaway shop or taxi company
They may ask
- your postcode, from a mobile, to find your local Citizens Advice
They can
- connect you to your local Citizens Advice (Adviceline, England)
- talk to you by online chat: Universal Credit claims 8am to 6pm Monday to Friday, debt 9am to 8pm Monday to Friday and 9:30am to 1pm Saturday
- help with a new Universal Credit claim through Help to Claim, free and confidential, from the application to the first payment
- take Relay UK calls (18001 then 0800 144 8848)
They cannot
- answer on public holidays: Adviceline is not available then
- cover all of the UK on this number: it is for England, Wales has a separate Advicelink line, and there are a few parts of England not yet covered
- help everywhere: most local Citizens Advice can only help if you live or work in their area
Usually busiest at the start of the day. At busy times you might wait up to an hour, and a call not answered within an hour is disconnected, so try again later. Calls are free from mobiles and landlines.
Citizens Advice consumer service (energy and other consumer problems)
the Citizens Advice energy line (England and Wales): ask whether your case can go to the Extra Help Unit if you are about to be cut off
Call 0808 223 1133 · Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. Closed on bank holidays.
Before you call: what to have ready
Have ready
- brief details of the problem and what you have done so far to try to solve it
- the name and address of the seller or trader, which for an energy problem is your supplier
- your reference number, if you have already contacted the helpline about the same problem
They may ask
- what you need advice about and your postcode, if you use chat
They can
- give you practical and impartial advice on how to resolve your problem, and tell you the law that applies to your situation
- pass a complaint to your energy supplier
- pass information about complaints on to Trading Standards, which you cannot do yourself
- talk to you in Welsh on 0808 223 1144, or take Relay UK calls: 18001 then 0808 223 1133
- take an online form about a gas or electricity problem every day, if the helpline and chat are closed
They cannot
- make a complaint for you or take legal action on your behalf
- answer on bank holidays: the lines are closed then
- help with a heat network problem by chat or online form: for that you need to call the helpline
An adviser will answer your call as soon as possible, usually within a few minutes. A call should take an average of 8 to 10 minutes.
if your energy supplier will not put a bill or billing problem right: complain to it first. After 8 weeks, or with a deadlock letter, you can take it to the Energy Ombudsman, free, within 12 months of the letter. The pages do not say it stops a disconnection, so ask Citizens Advice about that.
Call 0330 440 1624 · Phone lines: Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm. Closed on weekends and bank holidays.
Before you call: what to have ready
Have ready
- proof you complained to your supplier first, such as emails or letters, or notes of calls with the date, time and name of the person
- your deadlock letter, if you have one, or the date you first complained, to show 8 weeks have passed
- meter readings, bills and bank statements that show the problem
They may ask
- for your evidence within 14 days if the supplier does not make an early offer you accept
They can
- tell your supplier to credit your account, cancel an account, change your tariff, apologise or pay you money
- help you fill in the forms if you cannot or are not confident doing it yourself
- arrange interpreters and a British Sign Language service for phone calls
They cannot
- take a dispute if you have not given the supplier 8 weeks or been sent a deadlock letter, if you asked a court to look at it, or if you left it over 12 months after a deadlock letter
- fine or punish a supplier
- help you build your case: it is impartial and does not help either side
Most disputes are decided within 6 weeks of the Ombudsman having evidence from both sides, and complex cases can take longer. If you accept the decision, the supplier has 28 days to carry it out. You can say no to the decision and go to court.
Citizens Advice Cymru (Advicelink Wales)
free help with energy debt and the other bills behind it (Wales)
Call 0800 702 2020 · Monday to Friday 8am to 7pm. Saturday 9am to 1pm.
Before you call: what to have ready
They can
- connect you to an adviser through Advicelink (Wales) on 0800 702 2020, free from mobiles and landlines
- talk to you by online chat about any other kind of problem, usually 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday
- take Relay UK calls: 18001 then 0800 702 2020
- point you to the Citizens Advice consumer service for problems with energy, water or post
They cannot
- answer on public holidays: Advicelink is not available then
- help you in person if you live outside your local office's area: most local Citizens Advice can only help if you live or work in their area
Usually busiest at the beginning and end of the day. At busy times you might wait up to an hour, and a call not answered within an hour is disconnected, so try again later.
Citizens Advice Scotland (Scottish Citizens Advice Helpline)
the same help in Scotland, including its Extra Help Unit for people at risk of disconnection
Before you call: what to have ready
Have ready
- your postcode: the page finds your local Citizens Advice Bureau by postcode
They can
- put you through to an adviser at your local bureau by phone on 0800 028 1456, the Scottish Citizens Advice Helpline
- give free, confidential and impartial advice, and help you work out next steps
- raise a complaint with an energy supplier for you through its Extra Help Unit, if you may be considered vulnerable or at risk of disconnection
- give advice online, on its advice pages
advice on bills, money and debt in Northern Ireland, where the energy rules differ
Before you call: what to have ready
They can
- give advice on benefits, personal debt and managing bills, through the freephone helpline on 0800 915 4604
- answer by email at advice@adviceni.net
- point you to an Advice NI member near you if you need face-to-face advice
They cannot
- see you in person themselves: for face-to-face advice you contact a local advice centre run by an Advice NI member
Consumer Council for Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland: free help if your gas or electricity supplier will not agree a plan you can afford, and complaints about NI Water
Call 0800 121 6022 · Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. Closed at the weekend and on public holidays.
Before you call: what to have ready
They can
- give you advice and information, and investigate and resolve complaints
- take an enquiry or complaint on the freephone line 0800 121 6022, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm
- take a message through their online contact form
They cannot
- answer at the weekend or on public holidays: they are closed
- take bank account details through the online form: their page says never to include personal information such as a bank account number or sort code
Consumer Council for Water (CCW)
if your water company will not agree a payment plan you can afford (England and Wales)
Call 0300 034 2222 · 8.30am to 5pm, Monday to Friday
Before you call: what to have ready
They can
- give free advice and support about your water company or retailer
- help you resolve a complaint against your water company or retailer
- take your call on 0300 034 2222 (England) or 0300 034 3333 (Wales), Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5pm
- point you to their make a complaint page, which they say to follow when you want to make a complaint
They cannot
- answer outside Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5pm
free debt advice if the energy or water bill is one of several debts (England, Wales and Scotland; in Northern Ireland, use Advice NI)
Call 0808 808 4000 · Phone: 9am to 8pm Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 1pm Saturday. Online tool My Money Steps: 24/7.
Before you call: what to have ready
They can
- give free, confidential and independent debt advice by phone on 0808 808 4000, 9am to 8pm Monday to Friday and 9.30am to 1pm Saturday
- talk to you by webchat at the same hours
- give tailored advice online at any time through My Money Steps, if you would rather not talk
- show advice for England and Wales or for Scotland: you choose your country on the site
They cannot
- offer a Northern Ireland choice: the site's country picker lists England and Wales, and Scotland
free debt advice you can start online at any hour
Call 0800 138 1111 · Phone: Monday to Friday 8am to 8pm, Saturday 9am to 2pm. Online advice any time.
Before you call: what to have ready
Have ready
- details of all the money you owe: if you are not sure, your credit file lists your missed payments
- a budget showing what you can and cannot afford: StepChange says to share one with the people you owe
They can
- give free debt advice online at any time of day or night, and let you stop and begin again later
- tell you your options for dealing with what you owe, including debt management plans
- help you ask the people you owe to pause action or agree new payment terms
checks which benefits and grants you could claim to help with the bill
Before you call: what to have ready
Have ready
- about 10 minutes: the Grants Search says it takes that long
They can
- check which means-tested benefits you may be able to claim, free and confidential, with the Benefits Calculator
- search for charitable grants, which is money that does not have to be paid back, with the Grants Search
- help you find an adviser near you with the Find an adviser tool
- walk you through each stage of a Personal Independence Payment application with the PIP Helper
They cannot
- give personal one-to-one support: Turn2us no longer offers it
- take a grant application from you: the Grants Search points you to other organisations that give grants
- give you a phone number of their own: if you cannot use the online tools, their site points to Help through Hardship, which gives free confidential phone advice in England and Wales but does not offer direct payments, grants or loans
if money for the bill has left no money for food: find your nearest food bank. You need a food voucher first, from a local organisation; the page says how to get one
Before you call: what to have ready
Have ready
- how many adults and children the parcel is for, and the ages of any children: volunteers check these from your voucher
- any dietary requirements: say so when you get your voucher so the food bank can prepare
They may ask
- the community organisation that gives you a voucher asks about your individual needs, so it can help you find the right support
They can
- help you find your nearest food bank
- give an emergency food parcel with at least three days of meals once you have a food voucher from a local community organisation
- sometimes provide pet food and essentials such as toiletries and period products, where they can
- sometimes offer extra support, such as debt advice or a trained Citizens Advice adviser
- sometimes deliver food parcels: ask when you get your voucher, or contact the food bank
They cannot
- give you a parcel without a food voucher: you need a referral first
- usually give you a voucher online: you will usually need to contact a community organisation by phone or in person, and in some cases the food bank directly
if your landlord pays the bill and the supply is being cut (England)
Call 0808 800 4444 · Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm. Closed weekends and bank holidays.
Before you call: what to have ready
Have ready
- if you need an interpreter, the language you need: tell your adviser at the start, and they can get an interpreter on the call, which takes a few minutes
They can
- give you advice if you are homeless, have nowhere to stay tonight, are at risk of abuse or harm at home, or are worried about losing your home in the next 2 months
- help through webchat, or by textphone or an app through Relay UK, if you are deaf or have a speech impairment
They cannot
- provide accommodation: they give advice only
- advise outside England: Shelter England advises on English housing law only, and points to Shelter Scotland and Shelter Cymru
- answer weekends or bank holidays: the helpline is open Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm
The helpline is in high demand and you might wait over an hour at busy times. Your call will be answered unless you are still in the queue at 5pm, when the service closes. Try again if you cannot get through.
if your landlord pays the bill and the supply is being cut (Wales)
Call 08000 495 495 · Monday to Friday, 9am to 4pm
Before you call: what to have ready
They can
- give housing advice on the urgent helpline, 08000 495 495, 9am to 4pm Monday to Friday
- chat with an adviser through webchat, or point you to an advice centre near you
- point you to its advice pages on homelessness and sleeping rough, and its housing advice for people under 25
They cannot
- give you a bed: Shelter Cymru says it does not have any shelters or kitchens for people who are street homeless
- answer outside 9am to 4pm Monday to Friday
The site warns of a high volume of calls and chats and a possible delay in reply. Try again if you cannot get through, and use the website's housing advice pages meanwhile.
if your landlord pays the bill and the supply is being cut (Scotland)
Call 0808 800 4444 · Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. Closed on bank holidays.
Before you call: what to have ready
Have ready
- if you need an interpreter, tell the adviser at the start of your call; for a British Sign Language interpreter, use Contact Scotland BSL
They can
- give you advice on your rights and options if you are homeless or about to become homeless, you are being evicted or forced out of your home, or the council has refused to help
- give advice if you have nowhere safe to stay, are sofa surfing, or you or someone you live with is vulnerable
- offer online chat if you have more questions
They cannot
- offer accommodation
- help if you are not in Scotland: Shelter Scotland sends people in England or Wales to Shelter England or Shelter Cymru
- answer on bank holidays: the helpline is open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, and closed on bank holidays
They cannot always answer right away. Check their housing advice pages while you wait. Calls are free from UK landlines and most mobile networks.
Housing Rights (Northern Ireland)
if your landlord pays the bill and the supply is being cut (Northern Ireland)
Call 028 9024 5640 · 9.30am to 4.30pm, Monday to Friday
Before you call: what to have ready
They can
- speak to a housing adviser on 028 9024 5640, Monday to Friday, 9:30am to 4:30pm, if you live in Northern Ireland and need housing advice
- chat online with the helpline advisers, using the pop-up on the site; if they are not available they get back to you by email
- take your housing problem through an online form, and get back to you by email
- help solve disputes in private rented tenancies with their Housing Mediation Service
They cannot
- give advice through the general contact form: that form is for general, non-advice queries only, and advice goes through the helpline, chat or advice form
- see you at their Belfast office without notice: call first to make an appointment
Say it this way
Change anything to your own words.
I have a shutoff notice dated [date]. I cannot pay all of it by then. Could we set up a payment plan I can afford, or give me more time? Could you also tell me whether anyone in my home can get a medical or weather hold, and what you need from me? Please confirm what we agree in writing.
I have a shutoff notice dated [date]. I would like to apply for crisis energy assistance. Could you tell me whether my household may qualify, what you need from me, and whether I can apply by phone? If you do not run this program, could you point me to the office that does?
I have had a letter about [disconnection / a prepayment meter]. I want to agree a payment plan I can afford, and I can give you my income and outgoings. Could you tell me what support you can offer? Please note anyone in my home who is [older, ill, disabled or very young], and send what we agree in writing.
I cannot afford to top up my prepayment meter. Could you give me emergency or additional support credit now, and a plan to repay it? Could you also tell me whether I can be switched to paying after I use the energy?
Not for you if…
This guide is for someone whose gas, electricity or water supplier has said it will cut them off, or who is behind on an energy or water bill, or who cannot afford a prepayment meter. It is not for you if you smell gas now: leave, then call from outside (911 or your gas company in the US; 0800 111 999 in England, Scotland and Wales; 0800 002 001 in Northern Ireland), and come back to this page later. If your landlord pays the utility and it is being cut, your rights as a tenant are different: talk to a housing adviser: see the housing doors below. If the account is for a business, the rules here do not apply. Oil, propane and other delivered fuels, municipal utilities and co-ops may fall outside state shutoff rules, so ask your provider. In the UK, the energy clocks cover mains gas and electricity, not heating oil or bottled gas; Northern Ireland has its own clock, and the water clock says how Scotland and Northern Ireland differ. If you need to complain to your state utility commission, or to the Energy Ombudsman about a UK supplier, or a court has sent you a hearing date or a warrant, get an adviser or a lawyer, a legal aid office or Citizens Advice to help before the hearing.
A different emergency? Account frozen or closed · Benefits stopped · A car accident · Suspended or excluded from school · Debt collector or court papers · Eviction notice · Flood, fire or storm · Unsafe home · Hurt at work · Paid a scammer · Lost my job · Lost wallet or phone · A medical bill · Nowhere to sleep · Someone died · Someone is missing · A tax bill · Told to leave home
From the library
I got a shutoff notice, court papers or a denial letter — what do I do before the date?
Why is my utility bill so high?
How do I stay warm this winter without a huge bill?