State Guide October 2026 · 13 min read

State guide · Wisconsin

Wisconsin assistance programs 2026: the winter shut-off line is 250% of poverty

Wisconsin utilities may cut off winter heat only above 250% of poverty, a line higher than the energy assistance limit at every household size, and the shut-off rule starts on 1 November 2026.

By Vincent Wesley Couey · Compiled and verified 24 October 2026 · How we check programs

Short answer: Wisconsin utilities may not cut off heat for nonpayment from 1 November to 15 April unless a household's gross quarterly income is above 250% of poverty, which is $82,500 a year for a family of four, $5,839 more than the $76,661 income limit for Wisconsin's energy assistance program. That makes the winter shut-off rule the widest income door in the state, and it opens on 1 November 2026. Apply for energy assistance, because the regular-payment season has been open since 1 October (as of 24 October 2026).

Lattice finding · Wisconsin winter shut-off rule against WHEAP income limits

Wisconsin's winter shut-off line is higher than its energy assistance line at every household size from one to eight: $5,839 higher for a family of four ($82,500 against $76,661) and $33,508, or 32%, higher for a household of eight, so a household can be too well off for a heating benefit and still be protected from a winter cut-off.

Method: PSC 113.0304(4) bars disconnection of households at or below 250% of the federal poverty guideline. The HHS 2026 guideline for four is $33,000, and 2.5 times $33,000 is $82,500. The DOA 2026-27 WHEAP limit for four is $76,661 (60% of state median income). $82,500 minus $76,661 is $5,839. For eight people, 2.5 times $55,720 is $139,300, against $105,792, a gap of $33,508 and 1.32 times. For one person the two lines nearly meet: $39,900 against $39,864, a $36 gap. See the paired bars.

To get help in Wisconsin this season:

Apply for energy assistance at energybenefit.wi.gov or on 1-866-432-8947; the regular-payment season runs 1 October to 15 May.
If you are disconnected or about to be, call the same number immediately and ask your utility for a deferred payment agreement.
Apply for FoodShare through ACCESS and complete the phone interview; say "expedited" if you have almost no cash.
From 1 November, if a utility threatens a cut-off, ask which income test it used, because the burden of proof is on the utility.
Call 2-1-1 for local funds; there is no application fee for the programs on this page.

Wisconsin's winter shut-off line: 250% of poverty, above the energy assistance line

Wisconsin's winter shut-off rule protects more households than its heating-bill program pays. The Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSC) rule, Wis. Admin. Code PSC 113.0304, applies to nonpayment disconnections of service that is the primary heat source, or affects it, from 1 November to 15 April for all occupied residences. Its condition for a disconnection reads: "A utility may disconnect only those households whose gross quarterly incomes are above 250% of the federal income poverty guidelines and where health and safety would not be endangered because of the infirmities of age, developmental or mental disabilities or like infirmities incurred at any age or the frailties associated with being very young."

The Wisconsin Department of Administration (DOA) sets its energy assistance income limit at 60% of state median income, which for 2026-27 is $76,661 for four people. Against the 2026 HHS poverty guideline of $33,000, that is 232.3% of poverty, and the shut-off line is 250%. The gap is $5,839 for four people and grows with household size because median income does not rise as fast as the poverty guideline: 249.8% of poverty for one person, 189.9% for eight.

The PSC's own press releases describe the rule more broadly than the code does. Its 13 October 2025 release says utilities are prohibited from disconnecting service for nonpayment when it is used for home heating from 1 November to 15 April. The code text is what a utility must follow, so if yours threatens a winter cut-off, ask which income test it applied; PSC 113.0304(5)(a) puts the burden of proof on the utility.

Wisconsin's winter shut-off line sits above its energy assistance line at every household sizeannual income, WHEAP 2026-27 limit against 250% of the 2026 poverty guideline

WHEAP annual limits from the Wisconsin Department of Administration's 2026-27 table (program year 1 October 2026 to 30 September 2027). Shield = 2.5 times the HHS 2026 poverty guideline for the 48 contiguous states and DC ($15,960, $21,640, $27,320, $33,000, $38,680, $44,360, $50,040, $55,720 for one to eight people). PSC 113.0304(4) tests gross quarterly income, so divide a dollar figure by four to compare it with a quarter's pay. Read 24 October 2026.

What to do while you wait for Wisconsin benefits

Wisconsin energy assistance review can take up to 10 business days and an incomplete application is denied after 30 days, FoodShare has up to 30 days to decide, expedited FoodShare is due by day seven, and the winter shut-off rule does not begin until 1 November. These steps cover the gap, and none of them is a loan.

Ask for expedited FoodShare if you have very little cash. Federal rules give it to households with under $150 in monthly gross income and $100 or less in liquid resources, or whose income and cash fall below rent and utilities (7 CFR 273.2(i)); the card is due by the seventh calendar day.
Call 1-866-432-8947 if you are disconnected or about to be. The Home Energy Plus page tells anyone disconnected, without heat or electricity, or soon to be, to call the Statewide Information Center immediately; crisis help runs year-round.
Ask your utility for a deferred payment agreement. The PSC says utilities must offer them to residential customers who cannot pay in full, and that you can call the PSC on 1-800-225-7729 or file a complaint if you cannot agree.
Ask a medical or protective services emergency to be recorded. PSC 113.0301(13) makes a utility postpone a disconnection, or reconnect, for up to 21 days when you give it a licensed Wisconsin physician's statement or an official's notice.
Call 2-1-1 for local emergency funds, and use the Feeding America food bank locator for groceries while you wait.
If you are working, ask whether your employer or an app offers earned wage access: it lets you draw part of the pay you have already earned before payday. It is not a loan; check the fee before you use it.

Wisconsin assistance programs compared for 2026-27

The table gives each Wisconsin program's agency, when it takes applications, its income test and how fast it acts. Figures were read on each agency's own page on 24 October 2026.

Program	Agency	Applications	Income test	Speed and payment
FoodShare (SNAP)	County or tribal agency, DHS	Year round, ACCESS	Federal 130% gross	30 days; 7 days expedited
WHEAP regular payment	DOA, local agency	1 Oct to 15 May	60% of state median ($76,661 for four)	Review up to 10 business days; average heating benefit $441
WHEAP crisis help	DOA, local agency	Year round	Same limit	Call 1-866-432-8947 at once if disconnected
Winter shut-off rule	PSC, your utility	1 Nov to 15 Apr, automatic	Cut-off only above 250% of poverty	Utility must prove you are above it
Medical emergency hold	PSC rule, your utility	Any time	None stated	Up to 21 days, renewable
HVAC and weatherization	DOA, Home Energy Plus	Same online application	Eligible homeowners	Repair or replace a failed system

The cold weather rule: what a utility must do before and after a cut-off

Wisconsin's cold weather rule is a procedure as much as a ban, and each step is in the code. Under PSC 113.0304, a utility representative must "meet personally with a responsible, adult member of the household" before and again at the time of disconnection, must give its after-hours phone number, and must tell the household about deferred payment agreements and budget billing. A utility "may not disconnect service to an occupied dwelling on a Friday, Saturday, Sunday, holiday or on a day when utility personnel are not readily available" around the clock. Each utility must name an executive, by 1 November each year, who personally approves every winter disconnection, and must report each one to the PSC the same day.

After a cut-off the duty continues. By the end of the next work day the utility must visit the home to check on the household, and "if the utility or its representative observes a danger to human health or life due to the disconnection, the utility shall immediately restore service." The ordinary notice rules still apply as well: PSC 113.0301 gives a customer at least 20 days from the bill date to pay and requires written notice at least 10 calendar days before a proposed disconnection.

The rule has an edge. The PSC says that from 1 November to 15 April utilities cannot disconnect heating service for nonpayment, but customers who are already disconnected must make arrangements, because utilities are not required to reconnect until payment arrangements are made. Last season's 25 March 2026 release warned that a customer behind on bills may be at risk once the period ends on 15 April, which in 2027 falls on a Thursday. We found no PSC release for 2026-27 on 24 October 2026, so this page gives the standing rule.

Wisconsin energy help is open 61 days longer than the shut-off banheating season 2026-27, DOA / Home Energy Plus and PSC 113.0304

The Home Energy Plus application page says applications are accepted year-round and those submitted from 1 October through 15 May are for the one-time regular payment (227 days). PSC 113.0304(2)(a) applies from 1 November to 15 April (166 days). 227 minus 166 is 61 days of application season, 31 before the rule starts and 30 after it ends, in which no winter shut-off rule applies. Read 24 October 2026.

WHEAP energy assistance: apply in season, with 227 days of season

The Wisconsin Home Energy Assistance Program (WHEAP) is open as of 24 October 2026 and pays utilities and fuel suppliers directly. The DOA announced on 1 October 2026 that it expects to help 170,000 households this season, with an average heating benefit of $441 and an average electric benefit of $257. Eligibility is based on household income, household size and the home's energy costs, and the gross income limit is 60% of state median: $3,322 a month for one person, $4,344.08 for two, $5,366.25 for three and $6,388.42 for four.

The season is long. From 1 October to 15 May is 227 days, which is 62% of the year, and unlike a 31-day window it leaves room to fix a missing document. The online application takes 45 to 60 minutes, needs a valid email address or mobile number, and sends a 6-digit passcode valid for 24 hours. Have the date of birth and income for everyone in the home, your fuel type and supplier, account numbers from your bills, and landlord details if you rent. DOA warns that benefits are not guaranteed: when funds for the program year run out, no benefits are issued, even to eligible households, so an early application is the safer one.

The same application opens the HVAC program, which helps eligible homeowners repair or replace a heating system that stops working or is unsafe, the Water Conservation program for leaking or non-working water heaters, and weatherization. Apply by phone or mail through your local agency at 1-866-HEATWIS (432-8947), or find your county on the DOA program page.

Wisconsin income lines for a family of four, as a share of poverty2026 guideline $33,000 a year; WHEAP 2026-27 table; PSC 113.0304(4); FNA SNAP table

WHEAP's $76,661 divided by the $33,000 guideline is 232.3%. WHEAP is set at 60% of state median income, so its share of poverty falls as households grow: 249.8% for one person, 232.3% for four and 189.9% for eight. The SNAP figure is the federal gross limit on the Food and Nutrition Administration's eligibility page, 130% of poverty, $3,575 a month for four. Read 24 October 2026.

FoodShare in Wisconsin: the best on-time rate in the country

Wisconsin FoodShare decided 97.22% of applications on time in federal fiscal year 2025, the highest of 50 states and DC, according to the Food and Nutrition Administration's FY 2025 timeliness table. That means 2.78% were late, about one in 36, and a year earlier the FY 2024 table had Wisconsin first at 95.62%, or 4.38% late, about one in 23. FNA says the rate is a state average that can count applicant-caused delays, so it is not a promise for your county.

The Department of Health Services (DHS) lists four ways to apply: online through ACCESS, by calling your agency, by visiting it, or on paper with form F-16019. Your agency depends on your county or tribe. After you apply you must complete an interview, by phone or in person. Federal rule 7 CFR 273.2 sets the outer limits: a state must give eligible households an opportunity to participate "no later than 30 calendar days following the date the application was filed," and post expedited benefits to the EBT card "not later than the seventh calendar day." The federal gross income limit on the FNA eligibility page is 130% of poverty, $1,729 a month for one person and $3,575 for four.

What if you are denied, self-employed or already waiting?

A household that is already waiting should check dates. FoodShare owes a decision within 30 days of filing, so on day 31 call your agency and ask for the receipt date; for WHEAP, an incomplete application is denied after 30 days, so answer any request for documents the same week.

A household denied for energy assistance because funds ran out still has options. The winter shut-off rule does not depend on receiving a benefit, it depends on income, and a household at or below 250% of poverty is protected from a heating disconnection whether or not WHEAP paid. Ask your utility for a deferred payment agreement, ask your local agency how to appeal (the DOA program page lists a DEHCR Appeal Form), and call 2-1-1.

Self-employed applicants should ask their local agency for the Self-generated Income Report Form on the DOA program page, and keep a quarter of business records at hand because the winter rule is measured on quarterly income. CEOCult's self-employed tax deductions guide and quarterly estimated taxes guide explain how to keep that income record.

Scams follow every benefit season. DHS tells FoodShare users to protect their benefits and never give details about themselves or their finances to people they do not know; it points to the Federal Trade Commission at 877-FTC-HELP. We found no application fee on the DOA or DHS pages we read, so treat any request for payment to be approved as a red flag and verify by calling your local agency or ForwardHealth Member Services at 800-362-3002.

How to apply in Wisconsin

Wisconsin has two online doors: ACCESS for FoodShare and energybenefit.wi.gov for energy help. The card below holds the order to call in and a script for the utility; copy it into your notes.

Wisconsin application checklist and utility script, 2026-27

ENERGY ASSISTANCE (WHEAP) - Apply: energybenefit.wi.gov (45 to 60 minutes) or call 1-866-432-8947. Regular payment season: 1 Oct to 15 May. - Bring: date of birth and income for everyone in the home, fuel type and supplier, account numbers from your bills, landlord name and phone if you rent. - Disconnected or about to be? Call 1-866-432-8947 immediately and say "crisis." FOODSHARE (SNAP) - Apply on ACCESS, by phone or in person at your county or tribal agency, or on paper (F-16019). - Low on cash? Say "I need expedited FoodShare." Benefits due by day 7. Normal wait is up to 30 days. Finish the phone interview. SCRIPT FOR YOUR UTILITY (Nov 1 to Apr 15) - "I cannot pay this bill in full. Please set up a deferred payment agreement. Which income test did you use under PSC 113.0304, and what is the proof that my household is above 250% of poverty?" - If the utility will not agree: PSC 1-800-225-7729 or 608-266-2001, or file a complaint on psc.wi.gov. IF YOU HEAR NOTHING - WHEAP: call your local agency after 10 business days. FoodShare: call after day 30 and ask for your receipt date. - Help line: dial 2-1-1.

For the general steps and documents, see our guide on how to apply for government assistance, and use the GrantProbe state assistance finder to find your county office.

Who qualifies for Wisconsin assistance programs

Likely eligible for at least one program

Households with gross income up to 130% of poverty ($3,575 a month for four) for FoodShare
Households at or below 60% of state median income ($76,661 a year for four) for WHEAP
Households at or below 250% of poverty ($82,500 a year for four) for protection from a winter heating disconnection
Households with a medical or protective services emergency and a physician's or official's statement, for a hold of up to 21 days

May not qualify

Households over the WHEAP limit for their size, for the heating or electric payment
Households above 250% of poverty with no health or safety risk, for the winter shut-off protection
Customers of utilities with a Commitment to Community program, which DOA says are not eligible for state Public Benefits energy help
Households whose WHEAP funds have run out for the program year, even if eligible

Which Wisconsin program to start with

If you haveNo cash on handApply for FoodShare and say "expedited" when you apply, because the card is due by day seven and Wisconsin decided 97.22% of applications on time in FY2025.
If yourHeat or power is cut or at riskCall 1-866-432-8947 immediately, because crisis help runs year-round and the regular season is open as of 24 October 2026.
If you areIncome-eligible for WHEAPApply early in the season, because benefits stop when the year's funds run out.
If you areAbove the WHEAP line but under $82,500 for fourAsk for a deferred payment plan and quote PSC 113.0304, because the winter cut-off line is higher than the benefit line.
If you haveA medical emergency at homeGet a physician's statement, because PSC 113.0301(13) gives up to 21 days.

📬 Get the free application document checklist (PDF): the documents WHEAP, FoodShare and most state programs ask for, in one list

Frequently asked questions

Can my heat be shut off in a Wisconsin winter?

Rarely, and only above an income line. Wisconsin Administrative Code PSC 113.0304 applies from 1 November to 15 April and says a utility "may disconnect only those households whose gross quarterly incomes are above 250% of the federal income poverty guidelines" and where health and safety would not be endangered. The Public Service Commission (PSC) describes the period as an annual moratorium on disconnections for nonpayment of heating service. If you are cut off anyway, call the PSC at 1-800-225-7729.

What is the Wisconsin cold weather rule income limit?

It is 250% of the federal poverty guideline, tested on gross quarterly income. With the 2026 guideline of $33,000 for four people, 250% is $82,500 a year, or $20,625 a quarter. A household at or below that line is protected from a winter nonpayment disconnection of its primary heat source; the utility carries the burden of proving a household is above it (PSC 113.0304(5)).

How much does Wisconsin energy assistance pay?

The Wisconsin Department of Administration (DOA) said on 1 October 2026 that it expects the average heating benefit to be $441 and the average electric benefit $257 this season, paid directly to utilities and fuel suppliers. Your amount depends on household size, income and the home's energy costs, and benefits are not guaranteed: when funds for the program year run out, none are issued, even to eligible households.

What is the Wisconsin energy assistance income limit for 2026-27?

The limit is 60% of state median income: $3,322 a month ($39,864 a year) for one person, $4,344.08 ($52,129) for two, $5,366.25 ($64,395) for three and $6,388.42 ($76,661) for four, rising to $8,816 ($105,792) for eight. These are the DOA figures for the program year 1 October 2026 to 30 September 2027.

When can I apply for Wisconsin energy assistance?

Yes, as of 24 October 2026. The Home Energy Plus application page says applications are accepted year-round, and those submitted from 1 October through 15 May are for the one-time regular payment. Applications outside that season are considered for other assistance if funds are available. Apply online at energybenefit.wi.gov or call 1-866-432-8947. Review can take up to 10 business days, and incomplete applications are denied after 30 days.

How long does Wisconsin FoodShare take?

Federal rule 7 CFR 273.2 requires a decision within 30 calendar days of filing, or benefits on the EBT card by the seventh calendar day for expedited households. In federal fiscal year 2025 the Food and Nutrition Administration measured Wisconsin at 97.22% of applications decided on time, the best rate in the country. You must also complete an interview, which is done by phone.

What if my utility cuts me off during the winter period?

Call the utility first and ask for a deferred payment agreement, which Wisconsin utilities must offer residential customers who cannot pay a bill in full (municipal utilities need not offer them to tenants). If you cannot agree, call the PSC at 1-800-225-7729 or 608-266-2001, or file a complaint on the PSC site. Rule PSC 113.0304(13) also requires the utility to visit the home by the end of the next work day after a disconnection and to restore service if there is a danger to health or life.

What if I am self-employed and applying for Wisconsin energy help?

The DOA program page lists a Self-generated Income Report Form (S-GIRF, 12-month) and a Zero Income Form among the application forms, so ask your local energy assistance agency for the form that fits your records. The application asks for income information from all sources for every adult in the home, and the winter rule compares gross quarterly income with 250% of poverty, so keep your last three months of business income together.

Is there a fee to apply for Wisconsin assistance?

The state pages we read charge no application fee for WHEAP or FoodShare. Treat anyone who asks you to pay to be approved as a red flag. DHS warns FoodShare users never to give details about themselves or their finances to people they do not know, and lists the Federal Trade Commission at 877-FTC-HELP for reports.

What can I do while waiting for Wisconsin benefits?

Ask for expedited FoodShare if you have very little cash (the card is due by day seven), apply for WHEAP and call 1-866-432-8947 immediately if you are disconnected or about to be, ask your utility for a deferred payment agreement, dial 2-1-1 for local funds, find a food bank, and if you are working ask whether your employer or an app offers earned wage access, which is not a loan.

Bottom line

Wisconsin protects more households from a winter cut-off than it pays heating benefits to: the rule's 250% line is $82,500 a year for four against $76,661 for WHEAP, and the gap reaches $33,508 for a household of eight. The rule starts on 1 November and ends on 15 April, 166 days, while WHEAP's regular-payment season runs 227, so apply early and keep a deferred payment agreement ready for the 61 days outside the rule. FoodShare is the fastest door: Wisconsin led the country at 97.22% on time.

For comparison, see our Michigan assistance programs guide, Illinois and Ohio guides, the national utility shut-off protection by state, the SNAP approval timeline by state and rental and utility assistance at the same time.

How we built this page: compiled and verified on first-party sources, read 24 October 2026: Wisconsin Administrative Code PSC 113.0301 and PSC 113.0304, the PSC's October 2025 and March 2026 press releases, the DOA's 1 October 2026 WHEAP release and program page with the 2026-27 income table, the Home Energy Plus application page, HHS's 2026 poverty guidelines, the Food and Nutrition Administration's FY2025 and FY2024 timeliness tables and eligibility page, DHS's FoodShare pages and 7 CFR 273.2 on eCFR. We did not apply to any program; eligibility is decided by the agency. The 250% comparison is our arithmetic on those published figures, and the code tests quarterly income, so confirm your own case with your utility or the PSC. This is not legal or benefits advice. See our methodology.