Residents of Miami-Dade facing difficulties in paying their electricity bill can apply for various assistance programs that offer from hundreds up to $2,000 to prevent disconnection or to manage an energy emergency.
The main program is the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), a federally administered program at the local level by the county to assist low-income households with electricity, heating, and cooling costs.
The official Miami-Dade page on assistance for paying the electric bill currently offers two main LIHEAP options:
Regular assistance: up to $1,350 per year.
Crisis assistance: up to $2,000 for households facing an urgent situation with their supply.
The assistance is not normally provided in cash to the applicant. When approved, the credit is sent directly to the electric company.
Who can apply for LIHEAP in Miami-Dade?
To apply for the program in Miami-Dade, the county establishes several basic requirements.
Among them are:
Reside in Miami-Dade County.
Meet the immigration requirements established by the program.
Meet the income limits corresponding to the household size.
Be responsible for paying the energy bill for the residence.
Submit the required documentation for all household members.
FloridaCommerce, which administers LIHEAP at the state level, indicates that a family may meet the economic criteria if their income does not exceed the thresholds corresponding to 60% of the state median income or 150% of the federal poverty level, according to the applicable program rules.
The specific limit depends on the size and composition of the household and must be calculated by the agency processing the application.
There is no need to wait until you're about to lose electricity to request regular assistance
An important difference is that LIHEAP has a regular program that does not require an emergency or a disconnection notice.
Miami-Dade explains that this assistance can be granted once a year to eligible households.
The amount depends on factors such as:
Household income.
Number of members.
Family composition.
Household energy situation.
The current maximum published is $1,350.
The county also warns that this figure does not mean that all applicants will receive $1,350 or that the total of their bill will be paid automatically.
Up to $2,000 if there is a crisis with electricity
The most urgent modality of LIHEAP is aimed at households facing an energy crisis.
Miami-Dade currently provides a maximum of $2,000 for this type of assistance.
Among the situations that may lead to an emergency request are:
A final payment notice.
A disconnection notice.
The power supply has already been disconnected.
If electricity has already been cut off or there is an immediate threat of disconnection, the county indicates that the applicant should go to a Community Resource Center.
Appointments are recommended, although Miami-Dade indicates that walk-ins are also accepted.
What documents can they request?
The county advises preparing the documentation before submitting the application, as an incomplete file can delay the evaluation.
Among the documents published by Miami-Dade are:
Identification with photo of the adults in the household.
Income statements for the last 30 days.
Current electric bill.
Notice of overdue payment, final notice, or disconnection notification when requesting crisis assistance.
Documentation of Social Security benefits, SSI, or disability, if applicable.
Pay stubs.
Pension documentation.
Child support payment receipts.
Veterans' benefits or workers' compensation, as applicable.
SNAP or TANF documentation when applicable.
Birth certificates can also be requested for households with young children.
Families living in certain subsidized housing may need to provide additional documentation reflecting their allocation or subsidy for utility services.
How long does regular assistance take?
Miami-Dade indicates that those who submit a regular application subsequently receive a notification of approval or denial.
If approved, the credit may be sent to the electricity provider within a period of up to 45 days.
Therefore, a regular request should not be interpreted as a guarantee that an outstanding invoice will be settled immediately.
The county itself recommends that applicants continue to make as many payments as possible while their application is under review.
How to submit the application
Miami-Dade currently offers an option to register and submit the application online from the official program page.
You can also obtain assistance through the Community Resource Centers located throughout the county.
These centers offer various social services and generally operate from Monday to Friday between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., except on holidays observed by the county.
The phone number published for information about electricity assistance is 786-469-4640.
FPL has another assistance program of up to $750
Customers of Florida Power & Light can also access the Care to Share program.
The official FPL information states that eligible households can receive up to $750 within a 12-month period to pay electric bills.
Care to Share is aimed at customers who are facing financial difficulties and are at imminent risk of disconnection, or who have already had their service cut off.
FPL also establishes that, before using Care to Share, the household must have exhausted other available sources of energy assistance, such as LIHEAP or EHEAP.
Assistance is subject to the availability of funds.
Care to Share has its own requirements
FPL publishes among its conditions:
Live physically within the FPL service area.
To have an FPL account or to reside in the corresponding dwelling.
To be in immediate danger of disconnection or to have the service already disconnected.
Having first sought other available energy assistance.
Meet the economic limits set by the program.
No history of fraud or manipulation of the electrical service.
Among the documents that can be requested are identification, proof of residence, FPL account number, disconnection notice, and income verification.
FPL also assists with electrical repairs
Care to Share includes a different mode for certain electrical work needed in the home.
FPL publishes assistance of up to $2,000 for certain eligible repairs, such as issues with customer-owned equipment related to the meter, external connections, or specific electrical components.
This benefit should not be confused with the $2,000 from LIHEAP for a bill crisis. They are different programs and purposes.
Special assistance for households with individuals aged 60 and older
Low-income households where at least one person is 60 years or older have another option as well.
The Emergency Home Energy Assistance for the Elderly Program (EHEAP) is specifically aimed at elderly adults who are experiencing an energy emergency.
In Miami-Dade, the program is managed through Alliance for Aging.
The organization currently informs that eligible households can receive up to $2,000 for various bills related to an energy crisis, as long as funds are available.
To apply, the household must have at least one person aged 60 or older and demonstrate an emergency, such as:
Overdue invoice.
Final notice.
Service interruption threat.
Alliance for Aging publishes the phone number 305-671-6317 to locate the agency that processes applications.
Not all assistance can be claimed at the same time
LIHEAP, Care to Share, and EHEAP do not function as three independent checks that can be automatically added together.
Each person has their own requirements and rules regarding previously received assistance.
In particular, FPL notes that Care to Share serves as additional assistance when other available sources, such as LIHEAP or EHEAP, have already been used or have not fully resolved the situation.
Therefore, a family struggling to pay for electricity should explain from the outset what other benefits they have requested or received.
The aid comes at a time of higher bills
These programs become particularly significant following the approved rate increases for FPL customers.
CiberCuba reported that FPL's electricity rates began to rise in 2026, following a regulatory agreement that includes additional increases over the coming years.
The impact of these rates can be particularly significant for seniors, low-income households, and families that heavily rely on air conditioning for much of the year in South Florida.
What to do if you receive a disconnection notice
Anyone who has already received a final notification or a disconnection order should act as soon as possible.
The most important steps are:
Gather identification, income statements, and electric bill.
Keep the final notice or disconnection notification.
Contact a Community Resource Center in Miami-Dade.
Specifically ask about LIHEAP Crisis.
If there is a person aged 60 or older in the household, also consult EHEAP.
If you are an FPL customer and other assistance is not enough, check your eligibility for Care to Share.
The availability of funds may change, so it is advisable to check the official channels directly before traveling.
Help is not guaranteed just by asking for it
Meeting the basic requirements does not automatically guarantee the award of the maximum amount.
The final amount may depend on income, household size, type of emergency, existing debt, available funds, and other assistance received.
In the case of LIHEAP, the application itself does not constitute a promise of payment.
But for households facing difficulties, these programs can significantly reduce an electricity debt or prevent the supply from being disconnected.
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