How to Heat Up St. Louis: Essential Utility Assistance Programs
Revised July 13, 2026
How can I get help paying my electric bill in Missouri?
Heat Up St. Louis helps seniors, people with disabilities, and low-income families across 40-plus Missouri and Illinois counties pay past-due heating bills — natural gas, electric, propane, or wood. Apply online at heatupstlouis.org, choose the form for your area, and upload proof of income. Call the General Office at 314-657-1599 only if you have a question after you apply.
Keep reading ↓Picture a Tuesday in January. The wind is coming off the river hard enough to rattle the storm door, and the disconnection notice has been sitting on the kitchen counter for three days because looking at it doesn’t make the number any smaller. Maybe it’s a grandmother in Florissant who raised four kids in that house and has never once been late. Maybe it’s a young family in Belleville deciding between the gas bill and the grocery run. Maybe it’s a disabled veteran in Arnold who keeps the thermostat at 62 and still can’t make the math work.
If any of that feels close to home, here’s the first thing to know: you are not the only one, and you are not out of options. Missouri and Illinois have a real safety net for heating bills — local charities, a big federal program, and help straight from the utility companies themselves. Most people who need it have simply never been told where to look.
This guide walks through every door worth knocking on, with real phone numbers, real eligibility rules, and the exact steps to apply — verified against each program’s current information for the 2025–2026 heating season.
Bookmark this page, share it with a neighbor, and let’s get your heat sorted out.
What is Heat Up St. Louis, and who does it help?
Heat Up St. Louis is an all-volunteer regional charity that has been keeping the lights and heat on for a quarter century. Founded by Gentry W. Trotter in 2000, it works through a network of roughly three dozen partner agencies to pay past-due utility bills for the people who feel a cold snap the hardest: seniors, people with physical disabilities, and low-income families with children.
Two things have changed since a lot of older guides were written, and both matter:
- It now helps with natural gas. Older information said Heat Up couldn’t assist with gas bills. That is out of date. The program now provides grants toward natural gas, electric, propane, and even wood heating.
- It reaches far past the city. Heat Up St. Louis and its sister program serve a network spanning 40-plus Missouri and Illinois counties — from North County and Jefferson County to St. Charles, Franklin County, and the Metro East. Whether you’re in Ferguson, De Soto, Washington, or Granite City, there’s a form for your area.
According to the organization’s own history, it has impacted more than 1.5 million people since it began. It runs on donations and community fundraising, so grants are limited and awarded as pledges directly to your utility company — the money doesn’t come to you, it goes to the bill.
• Who: seniors, people with disabilities, low-income families
• Covers: past-due natural gas, electric, propane, wood
• Where: 40+ MO & IL counties, including the City of St. Louis
• Apply: online at heatupstlouis.org
• Questions after applying: General Office 314-657-1599 • Senior Automated Line 314-241-7668
• Not sure who serves your area? Resource hotline 314-241-0001
How do I apply to Heat Up St. Louis?
You apply online first. Heat Up St. Louis asks you to fill out the web application for your region before you call anyone — the phone lines are for questions, not intake. Here’s the process, step by step:
- Go to heatupstlouis.org and open the application. Choose the form that matches where you live: St. Louis City, St. Louis County, or Outstate Missouri & Metro East.
- Have your utility details ready. You’ll need your utility company’s name, your account number, and the amount you owe.
- Upload proof of income. Accepted documents include a year-to-date check stub, an SSI or Social Security award letter, an unemployment statement, a pension award letter, or an official child-support form. Screenshots are not accepted — upload the actual document.
- Tell your utility company you’ve applied. As a courtesy, let your provider know you’ve submitted an application and are waiting on a pledge. This is honest, and it can buy you a little time.
- Call only if you have a question. After you’ve applied online, the General Office (314-657-1599) and the Senior Automated Line (314-241-7668) are there for follow-up.
If your utility provider or local community-action agency isn’t showing up on the program’s list, call the resource hotline at 314-241-0001 and they’ll point you to the right place. Apply early in the season — funds are limited and go fast once the cold sets in.
LIHEAP: the biggest heating-help program in Missouri
The largest source of heating assistance isn’t a charity — it’s a federal program called LIHEAP (the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program), run in Missouri through the Department of Social Services. (For the full walkthrough, see our guide to how to apply for LIHEAP in Missouri.) It has two parts:
- Energy Assistance (EA) — the regular seasonal payment toward your heating bill.
- Energy Crisis Intervention Program (ECIP) — emergency help when you’ve gotten a shut-off notice or already been disconnected. Winter crisis help can be worth up to $800; summer cooling crisis help up to $300.
Who qualifies: Eligibility is based on your household size and income, using Missouri’s current income guideline (roughly 60% of the state median income), plus a resource test — generally $3,000 or less in bank, retirement, and investment accounts. Because the exact income limits change every year and vary by household size, check the current Benefit Program Limit chart on mydss.mo.gov rather than trusting an old number.
How to apply: Apply online through the Missouri myDSS portal, in person or by mail through a contracted Community Action Agency, or call 855-373-4636 (855-FSD-INFO) to request a paper application. Applications are typically reviewed within about 30 business days — faster if you’re in an active crisis — so don’t wait for the disconnection date to loom.
Help straight from your utility company
Here’s the step most people skip: your own utility company has assistance programs, and many agencies want you to contact your provider before they process an application anyway. Call them first — it can open doors, and sometimes a payment plan alone is enough to keep the heat on.
| Utility | Programs & what they do | How to reach them |
|---|---|---|
| Ameren Missouri (electric) | Keeping Current ($35–$90/month bill credit plus past-due forgiveness), Budget Billing, New Start Energy Relief (up to $1,000), Veterans Energy Assistance (up to $600). Ameren advertises up to $1,400 in stacked assistance. | 1-800-552-7583 AmerenMissouri.com/EnergyAssistance |
| Spire (natural gas) | DollarHelp (up to $1,000 toward past-due gas, now open to households up to 300% of poverty, with 18-month payment plans in Missouri), Budget Billing, and a Cold Weather Plan. | Dial 2-1-1 for DollarHelp intake Spire: 800-877-4173 |
| Missouri American Water | H2O Help to Others — emergency water and wastewater bill assistance, administered through local Community Action Agencies. | Contact your local Community Action Agency with your delinquent bill |
Learn more directly from each provider: Ameren Missouri energy assistance, Spire assistance programs, and Missouri American Water payment assistance.
The agencies that take your application in person
If you’d rather sit across from a real person — or you don’t have easy internet access — local social-service agencies handle utility-assistance intake all over the metro. Call ahead to ask about their hours and what to bring; some will ask you to notify your utility company first. A few of the main ones:
- Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis — utility assistance line 314-615-3632
- The Salvation Army — Greater St. Louis — 314-646-3000
- Community Action Agency of St. Louis County (CAASTLC) — 314-863-0015; handles both energy and water services
- People’s Community Action Corporation — 314-353-1457 (6827 S. Broadway, St. Louis 63111)
- Society of St. Vincent de Paul — St. Louis — reachable through 211
Not sure which one covers your ZIP code, or need help you don’t see here? Dial 2-1-1 (or 1-800-427-4626). United Way’s 211 line is free, confidential, staffed 24/7, and can connect you to utility, rent, food, and medical help anywhere in the region — from Lincoln County down to Ste. Genevieve and across the river into Illinois.
Know your rights: the Missouri Cold Weather Rule
Missouri law puts a seasonal brake on winter shut-offs. Under the Cold Weather Rule, which runs from November 1 through March 31, regulated electric and natural gas utilities can’t disconnect you when the temperature is forecast to drop below 32°F within the next 72 hours. That 72-hour window is new as of 2025 — Senate Bill 4 tripled it from the old 24-hour rule, giving families more breathing room during a cold stretch. (See our full guide to the Missouri Cold Weather Rule and how to stop a winter shutoff.)
Two important limits to understand: the rule generally requires you to enter a payment agreement to stay protected (it delays disconnection, it doesn’t erase the bill), and it only covers investor-owned utilities regulated by the Missouri Public Service Commission. Municipal utilities, rural electric cooperatives, and truck-delivered propane are not under PSC jurisdiction, so check your provider’s own winter policy if you’re served by one of those.
If you believe a regulated utility is treating you unfairly, you have somewhere to turn:
- Missouri Public Service Commission consumer hotline — 1-800-392-4211
- Missouri Attorney General consumer protection — 1-800-392-8222
When the heat becomes the danger: Cool Down St. Louis
St. Louis summers can be just as deadly as its winters, and the same organization runs a warm-weather counterpart. Cool Down St. Louis — also founded by Gentry Trotter — provides window air-conditioning units and electric-bill help to at-risk seniors, people with disabilities, and critically ill children, in partnership with Ameren. The program reports distributing roughly 25,000 A/C units over the years. If you’re reading this in July instead of January, that’s your door — same website, same phone numbers.
Don’t wait for the shut-off date
The single biggest mistake people make is waiting until the power is already off. Every program on this page works better — and some only work — when you reach out before the disconnection date. So here’s the short version to act on today:
- Call your utility company and ask about payment plans and assistance.
- Apply to Heat Up St. Louis online, and to LIHEAP through myDSS or an agency.
- Gather your documents — proof of income, household size, and any disconnection notice.
- Dial 2-1-1 if you’re stuck, and follow up if you haven’t heard back in a couple of weeks.
Reaching out is the hard part, and you’ve basically already done it by reading this far. Help is real, it’s local, and it’s built for exactly this moment.
Looking for more local resources? A tool like findhelp.org can point you to food, housing, and health programs near you, and you can search the St Louis Near Me Directory for St. Louis businesses and community organizations.
If you run a nonprofit or a service that helps neighbors in need, listing it is how the people looking for you actually find you.
More St. Louis help: This guide is part of our St. Louis Help & Assistance Resources hub — one trusted place for housing, food, jobs, health coverage, utility bills, and legal aid, whether you need help yourself or you’re helping someone who does.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the number to Heat Up St. Louis?
Heat Up St. Louis lists its General Office at 314-657-1599 and a Senior Automated Line at 314-241-7668. The organization asks that you complete the online application at heatupstlouis.org first, then call only if you have a question. If you’re not sure which agency serves your area, the resource hotline is 314-241-0001.
Is there a Heat Up St. Louis application online?
Yes. The application is filled out online at heatupstlouis.org, with a separate form for each region: St. Louis City, St. Louis County, and Outstate Missouri & Metro East. Have your utility company name, account number, and amount owed ready, and upload proof of income — screenshots are not accepted.
How do I check my Heat Up St. Louis application status?
Grants are paid as pledges directly to your utility company, so the fastest confirmation is often from your provider. For status questions on an application you already submitted, call the General Office at 314-657-1599 or the Senior Automated Line at 314-241-7668. Let your utility know you’ve applied and are awaiting a pledge.
What if I don’t qualify for LIHEAP?
You still have options. Heat Up St. Louis, your utility’s own programs (Ameren’s Keeping Current, Spire’s DollarHelp), and local agencies like the Urban League, Salvation Army, and CAASTLC each have their own criteria. Spire’s DollarHelp now reaches households up to 300% of poverty. Dial 2-1-1 to be matched to what fits your situation.
How do I get help with rent in St. Louis County?
Heat Up St. Louis focuses on utilities, not rent, but St. Louis County renters have options. Dial 2-1-1 (United Way) to be matched to current rent-assistance programs, and see our guides to low-income housing in St. Louis and Section 8 in St. Louis City. Availability changes through the year, so 211 keeps the most current list.
Can someone help me fill out the application?
Yes. If online forms feel overwhelming, a partnering agency can walk you through it. Call the Urban League (314-615-3632), the Salvation Army (314-646-3000), or CAASTLC (314-863-0015), or dial 2-1-1 for a referral close to home. These agencies exist to help you access the aid you qualify for — there’s no shame in asking.
Written by a dedicated team of St. Louis locals who live, work, and play right here in the St. Louis metro. Founder Lane Forman and team are committed to building the region’s most trusted directory by verifying listings and connecting local businesses with loyal customers across Missouri and Illinois.