Title: 34.5 million households losing utility shutoff protections by Sept. 30
Headings: Nearly 35 million households will lose their utility shutoff protections over the next month
Nearly 35 million households will lose their utility shutoff protections over the next month
Effects not felt equally
How to get help with utility bills
Status of state utility moratoriums
American Electric Power CEO talks power consumption trends during coronavirus pandemic

Content: Black households earning less than 150% times the federal poverty level were twice as likely to have their electricity shut off as white families with comparable income levels, National Consumer Law Center analyst John Howat estimates . A 2018 California study found that while Latino utility customers make up roughly a third of people living in PG&E’s service territory, 62%, live in ZIP codes with the highest shut off rates. The pandemic will likely exacerbate these issues, Thomas says. A recent survey by researchers at Indiana University found that Black respondents were twice as likely as White respondents to report they were unable to pay their utility bills in April or May.
Struggling to pay for utilities can have an impact on Americans’ health. Nearly a fourth, 22%, of the Indiana University respondents said they reduced or cut down on food and medicine in order to pay their utility bills. “Energy insecurity is already a widespread problem in the U.S. It disproportionately affects those at or below the poverty line, Black and Hispanic households, families with young children, people with disabilities and those who use electronic medical devices,” the researchers wrote . How to get help with utility bills
If you are struggling to pay your energy, water or telephone bills, contact your utility company directly to ask about bill assistance programs. Only 1% of eligible households take advantage of these programs, the NCLC finds. You may also qualify for assistance through the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), which is a federal program for low-income families that helps with energy bills. While income eligibility requirements vary by state, generally a four-person household earning less than $36,400 qualifies.