Help paying your electric bill in Michigan
Michigan got $183.3 million in the HHS table, about $45 for each of its 4,040,168 households. Income limit 110% of the poverty guideline; program site michigan.gov/heatingassistance. Heating help reached 434,124 households in FY2024.
Who to call in Michigan
- Michigan LIHEAP public lineno data
- State program sitemichigan.gov/heatingassistance
- Michigan Public Service Commission800-292-9555 · 517-284-8100 · michigan.gov/mpsc (links checked 2026-10-02)
National LIHEAP line 1-866-674-6327; 211 for local help.
Shutoff rules and moratoria in Michigan
Michigan: cold weather: by dates; hot weather: no rule listed; health or age needs yes.
| Protection | Michigan |
|---|---|
| Colder months, by date | November 1 - March 31 |
| Health or age needs | "If a customer has an ongoing medical condition where the loss of utility service would be immediately life threatening, a utility must restore service or refrain from shutoff of service for nonpayment." |
Clearinghouse, April 2026; cites Shut Off Protection Guidelines; Shut Off Disclaimer.
Rule text read, 2 October 2026: Mich. Admin. Code R. 460.138. Michigan's Rule 38 bars shutoffs for unpaid merchandise, concurrent or different-class service at other locations, bills for service used by someone else (such as a tenant, with exceptions), and for an eligible military customer. It also bars shutoff during the heating season for an eligible senior citizen and while a complaint or hearing is pending. Definitions are in other rules not read. Quote: “During the heating season, the customer is an eligible senior citizen.”. Source: text of the rule (Cornell LII).
| Point | Michigan: Mich. Admin. Code R. 460.138 |
|---|---|
| Winter / cold | Rule 38(1)(b): shutoff prohibited during the heating season when the customer is an eligible senior citizen. Definition of 'heating season' and of 'eligible senior citizen' not read; no temperature-based ban found in the text read. |
| Who is protected | Also prohibited: eligible military customer; pending informal complaint, customer hearing or formal hearing (except under an interim determination under R 460.155, .163, .168). |
| Who the rule covers | 'A utility' under the Michigan Public Service Commission rules (Rule 38); co-ops/munis not addressed in text read. |
Not found in the text we read: heat, notice, payment plan, complaints; verify with the commission. Did not read R 460.101 definitions (heating season, eligible senior/military), notice rules (R 460.137 etc.), or the winter protection program in R 460.153 and tariffs.
Paraphrase, not legal advice. Rules change; see the shutoff rules guide.
LIHEAP in Michigan: money, limits, people helped
| Measure | Michigan | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Funds FY2026 | $183,316,283 = $160,149,073 + $4,596,342 IIJA + $18,570,868 | FY26 table |
| Income limit | Heating: 110% Federal Poverty Guidelines Crisis: 150% Federal Poverty Guidelines Weatherization: 60% State Median Income (7+ Households at 200% Federal Poverty Line) | snapshot 20 Apr 2026 |
| Benefits FY2026 | Heating: $1 minimum, $2,205 maximum Crisis: $900 Winter maximum | snapshot 20 Apr 2026 |
| Helped FY2024 | Heating: 434,124 Year-round Crisis: 129,420 Weatherization: 1,280 | snapshot 20 Apr 2026 |
| Program dates | Heating: January 1 - September 30 Crisis: year-round Weatherization: Year-round | snapshot 20 Apr 2026 |
CSV
CSVMichigan in numbers
- Michigan ranks 17th of 51 on FY26 LIHEAP dollars per household ($45), 16th on households below the poverty line (13.0%) and 21st on low-income energy burden (9.5%).
- Per household below the poverty line (525,812 of them) the FY26 funds come to $349, rank 20th of 51: 23% of a typical year's electricity ($1,526). (even split, not a payment amount)
- 356,375 households got help in FY2022 against 1,136,284 at or below 60% of state median income in the 2022 LEAD file: about 31% (mixed years).
- Heating season: January 1 - September 30. Counted FY2024: heating, weatherization.
- Neighbours: FY26 dollars per household run from $32 (Indiana) to $46 (Wisconsin); low-income burden from 7.4% (Wisconsin) to 9.4% (Indiana). Michigan: $45 and 9.5%.
Where Michigan's low-income bills bite hardest
- Highest burden: Lake County 13.7% (1,922 households); Alcona County 13.2% (1,796 households); Crawford County 13.0% (2,037 households); Keweenaw County 12.6% (311 households).
- Most low-income households: Wayne County 248,973 (10.9%); Oakland County 98,971 (8.7%); Macomb County 88,624 (8.4%).
83 counties.
Am I likely eligible in Michigan?
Median household income in Michigan is $71,149, 216% of the four-person guideline; check line 110% (2026 guideline).
How heavy is the energy bill in Michigan?
9.5% of income in low-income households, 2.7% overall. Ranking, Michigan prices.
| Group | Count | Michigan detail | Standing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Up to 60% of median income | 1,136,284 households | 9.5% of income; $2,006 a year on $21,158 | rank 21 of 51 |
| All households | 4,009,253 households | 2.7%; $2,396 on $88,648 | rank 20 of 51 |
| Below poverty line | 525,812 households | 13.0% of 4,040,168 | U.S. 12.5%; rank 16 of 51 |
| Home price 2025 | 20.03 ¢/kWh | bill $127 a month at 635 kWh | U.S. 17.23 ¢, $151 |
CSV
CSVUtility and state bill programs in Michigan
None listed for Michigan in the snapshot of 20 Apr 2026; ask the utility.
Michigan on the map
Next to Michigan
Indiana, Ohio, Wisconsin. Most FY26 funds per household: Wisconsin, $46. Michigan: $45. All 51.
5 steps if you get a shutoff notice in Michigan
- Note the notice date.
- Call the utility (Michigan Public Service Commission sets rules).
- Call the state LIHEAP office or 211.
- Ask about the cold-weather rule (dates) or health protection.
- Unresolved: Michigan Public Service Commission, 800-292-9555.
Sources
Linked above; list on the hub.
Last verified: 2 October 2026. Not legal advice.
Questions
How many Michigan households got energy help?
356,375 in FY2022, 434,124 heating in FY2024.
Is LIHEAP money enough for a Michigan bill?
$349 per poor household, 23% of $1,526.
How much LIHEAP money does Michigan get?
$183.3 million in FY2026, $45 per household, rank 17 of 51.
What income limit does Michigan use for LIHEAP?
$30,052 for three people at 110% of the guideline; median household income $71,149; FY2022 heating standard 110% for four.
How do I apply for LIHEAP in Michigan?
Site: www.michigan.gov/heatingassistance
Can Michigan utilities cut power in winter or summer?
Cold months: by dates (November 1 - March 31). Hot months: no rule listed.
How big is the energy burden in Michigan?
9.5% of income for low-income households, 2.7% for all; $2,006 a year for the first group.