For thousands of Puget Sound Energy (PSE; Bellevue, Washington, U.S.) natural gas and electric customers, significant help is available to cut their bills. The utility's Home Energy Lifeline Program (HELP) will provide US$6.5 million over the next 12 months to reduce eligible customers' natural gas and electricity expenses. Depending on income and household size, a recipient can receive up to $750 in utility-bill assistance.

“We've seen a sharp jump in market prices for energy over the past year, particularly for natural gas,” said Darren Brady, PSE senior vice president of customer service. “The HELP fund can take a lot of the sting out of these price spikes. It not only keeps people warm, but it keeps more money in their pockets for other basic needs.”

PSE buys all the natural gas it provides to customers, passing through its gas-purchase costs — under state mandate — without markup or profit. The past year's steep increase in wholesale gas prices caused PSE's average gas rate to rise by about 14% on Oct. 1, 2005.

The utility's HELP program is administered by nonprofit community-services agencies in each of the 11 Washington counties PSE serves. The 2005-20006 earnings limit for HELP eligibility — set at 150% of the federal poverty line — is $3024 per month for a family of four. (Some counties, because of their median income, have a slightly lower HELP earnings limit.) Household size and income, together with a customer's annual energy use, also determine the precise amount of HELP assistance provided.

A separate federal program also offers energy assistance to low-income households during the wintertime; however, the HELP program offers year-round energy aid to PSE customers.

A small fraction of the basic rates paid by all PSE natural gas and electricity customers is dedicated to the HELP program. The typical residential customer pays about 30 cents per month into the assistance fund.

In addition to its HELP fund, PSE offers short-term emergency bill assistance to customers through the utility's Warm Home Fund, which consists of voluntary contributions from PSE employees, customers and shareholders, and is administered by the Salvation Army. About 4000 individuals and families annually receive assistance from the Warm Home Fund.