My utility help stayed low priority for weeks

During winter 2026, I applied for utility help through the Allegheny County assistance office after my gas bill jumped. I live in Hazelwood, and the house was getting cold enough that my mother slept in a coat. The energy assistance forecasting tool still kept the application in a low-priority group.

An assistance office worker told me the score was based on household size, past usage, and shutoff risk, but she could not show me the exact calculation. We waited six weeks. By the time help came through, the late fees had already made the bill harder to catch up.