How to Get Assistance with Bills

TransUnion data states that approximately 52% of people living in the United States are struggling to pay their bills. 75% of the individuals are incapable of meeting most of their bills. They mostly attribute their financial woes to the COVID-19 pandemic since many Americans became jobless after the lockdown.

The most common bills in the United States include:

• Internet
• Water
• Phone
• Electricity and light
• And gas bills

People have different spending habits, responsibilities, and interests, which leads to different bills. You cannot compare your bills with other people's.

And even when money is tight, you are accountable for your bills. Inflation has led to surges in bill payments in the United States in the recent past. Bill payments are stressful, especially if you earn low incomes.

At times, you are forced to prioritize your most essential bills and forego others, especially if you are experiencing financial hardships. It is advisable you apply for grants or work double shifts to earn more money to pay the bills.

If you are having bill problems, DoNotPay is your perfect solution as it helps you access bill assistance. It helps negotiate all your bills by appealing to your service provider on your behalf. It can also get you bill assistance from the government and other non-profit organizations.

Understanding Bill Assistance

Bill assistance is the support you get if you are struggling to pay bills. Many service providers have programs that help with bill payment. Most of these programs are offered to you if you are a low-income earner or struggling to pay your bills. The requirements needed to apply for bill assistance vary by state, region, and city since each service provider has unique eligibility requirements.

Organizations That Can Help to Get Bill Assistance

Unexpected emergencies such as hospitalization can strain your finances and clear your savings, leaving you with many unpaid bills. In such cases, government programs, non-profit organizations, and crowdfunding resources can help you overcome your financial setbacks.

Some of the organizations include:

• Health Wealth Foundation (medical bills)
• Citizens Energy (gas bills)
• Volunteers of America (housing)
• Salvation Army Centers(nutrition)
• The Low Income Home Energy Assistance (energy)

What Happens if You Do Not Pay Your Bills?

You are accountable for all your bills. Bill payment should be made on time, as stated on the invoice. Failure to pay your bills on time attracts late fees, damage your credit score, risk eviction or service disconnection by the service provider.

How Can You Ask for an Extension Date for Your Bill?

A bill extension is a request you make to your service provider asking for a delay or temporal reduction of payments due to financial hardships. You can ask for a bill extension date yourself or contact a professional to do it on your behalf.

The steps to take include:

1. Identify the bill you need to defer or reduce.
2. Contact the service provider/lender and explain yourself. This could be in-person or through a phone call.
3. Request to change the date of payment.
4. Ask for a bill extension.
5. Request for a payment plan or reduced payment.

Asking for an extension date by yourself can be tedious and time-consuming. Involving a trusted consultant such as DoNotPay can save you the trouble involved in getting bill assistance.

How to Get Bill Assistance Using DoNotPay

DoNotPay offers you bill assistance if you do not have enough money to cater to your needs and obligations. DoNotPay helps you to get bill assistance by placing a phone call to your service provider or sending an assertive but respectful letter to your service provider on your behalf. It also negotiates with your service provider to lower your bills or set up a payment plan.

Below are simple steps you should follow to get bill assistance using DoNotPay:

1. Go to the Negotiate Bills product on DoNotPay.
2. Choose whether you want us to call and negotiate your bill for you or send a bill negotiation letter on your behalf.
3. Provide the details that will help us negotiate your bill including the company name and how much your current plan costs.
4. Enter your contact information, including email, address, and phone number.

You leave all the work to DoNotPay; it will fight for a lower bill for you.

Why You Should Use DoNotPay to Get Bill Assistance

• DoNotPay helps you save time and resources that you could have used to get assistance by yourself.
• You do not have to download and fill in the lengthy and time-consuming paperwork while using DoNotPay. This makes using DoNotPay easy and fast.
• DoNotPay guarantees you success, as it makes the best cases for you, hence clearing uncertainties and questions about your bill assistance.
• DoNotPay has reliable customer care service that responds to all your questions regarding bill assistance.

Does DoNotPay Work Across All Companies, Entities, or Groups?

Yes, DoNotPay works with different companies, entities, groups, and individuals. DoNotPay deals with energy companies, medical facilities, charity groups, food firms, and housing agencies. DoNotPay helps you with bill assistance from different companies in the same way.

What Else Does DoNotPay Do?

Helping you get bill assistance is just one of the many things DoNotPay does. DoNotPay also helps you solve social and issues such as:

Sign up on DoNotPay to get bill assistance easily and conveniently!

Get Assistance with Bills — Frequently Asked Questions

I need financial help immediately — what should I do?

The US government offers programs that help pay for home energy, phone, and medical bills:

• Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
• Emergency Rental Assistance
• Medicaid and CHIP (Children's Health Insurance Program)
• Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
• Lifeline programs

You may also use DoNotPay to negotiate your bills and find assistance programs near you.

How can I ask for utility bill forgiveness?

The first step is to ask what your utility company has to offer, such as relief programs. Let them know you are experiencing financial hardship and request consumer protection. Equally, you may use DoNotPay to write to utility companies on your behalf and negotiate your bills.

How can I get help paying for my telephone service?

Lifeline — a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) program — helps low-income individuals and families get discounted landline and cell phone service. You may even qualify for a free phone. Learn more about the eligibility criteria here.

Can I still get COVID-19 rental assistance?

No, the government COVID-19 eviction moratorium has ended. However, you can find rental assistance programs near you here.