Free and Discounted Phone, Internet, and Utility Programs
Staying connected and keeping the lights on aren't luxuries — you need them to work, apply for jobs, see a doctor, and manage your benefits. These programs lower the cost of phone, internet, heating, cooling, and even permanent home energy improvements. Many eligible households simply never enroll.
A note on the ACP
The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), a separate and larger broadband benefit, ended on June 1, 2024 when its funding ran out. It paid up to $30 a month against Lifeline's $9.25, so Lifeline is smaller and is not a replacement for it. Lifeline remains the active federal program. If you were previously on the ACP, Lifeline is where to look now.
How much is the Lifeline discount in 2026?
There isn't one Lifeline number — the amount depends on which service you take, and the tiers are widely reported backwards. Here is what the program actually pays.
| Service | Monthly discount | Who gets it |
|---|---|---|
| Broadband internet, or a voice + broadband bundle | Up to $9.25/month | The standard Lifeline benefit. This is what most households receive.USAC, Lifeline Minimum Service Standards |
| Standalone voice (phone only) | Up to $5.25/month | Available to eligible households through November 30, 2027. The FCC paused the phase-out of voice-only support on July 1, 2026.USAC, Lifeline Minimum Service Standards |
| Qualifying Tribal lands | Up to $25/month on top of the base — up to $34.25/month with broadband | Eligible residents of qualifying Tribal lands. Added to the applicable base amount, not instead of it.USAC, Enhanced Tribal Benefit |
You can't combine them. One Lifeline benefit per household, not per person — and you cannot take the voice discount and the broadband discount at the same time. You choose one service.
Who qualifies for Lifeline
There are two routes in, and most people who qualify get there the first way without realizing it.
1. You already receive a qualifying benefit
If you get any of these, you qualify automatically — no separate income paperwork, just proof you receive it:
- SNAP (food stamps)
- Medicaid
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
- Federal Public Housing Assistance
- Veterans Pension or Survivors Pension
2. Or you qualify on income
Household income at or below 135% of the federal poverty guidelines. The percentage is fixed by rule (USAC, Lifeline Support — How to Qualify); the dollar amount it works out to changes each year, because HHS reissues the poverty guidelines annually and they vary by household size and by state. Check the current figure for your household size when you apply.
Someone in your household counts too — eligibility is per household, not per applicant.
How to apply
- 1Apply through the National Verifier at lifelinesupport.org, the official federal application. You can apply online, by mail, or sometimes through a provider who submits it for you.
- 2Prove you qualify.Usually a benefit award letter, or income documents if you're applying on the income route. The system checks some databases automatically, so you may not need to send anything.
- 3Pick a participating providerand tell them to apply your Lifeline benefit. Approval doesn't start the discount on its own — this step is the one people miss.
- 4Recertify every year.You'll be prompted; if you don't respond, the benefit stops.
Common mistakes that cost people the benefit
- Applying for both phone and internet. One benefit per household, and one service. Pick whichever bill is larger — for most households that is broadband, which also carries the larger discount.
- Two people in one household both applying. Lifeline is per household, not per person. A second application from the same address will be rejected, and duplicate claims can put the existing benefit at risk.
- Getting approved and stopping there. Approval by the National Verifier is not the discount. You still have to choose a provider and ask them to apply the benefit to your account.
- Missing the annual recertification. This is the single most common way people lose Lifeline. Watch for the notice and respond — reapplying afterwards takes far longer than recertifying.
- Paying a company to apply. Applying is free. Nobody needs to be paid to file for Lifeline on your behalf, and the official application is at lifelinesupport.org.
- Assuming phone-only is gone. Standalone voice support is still available — up to $5.25/month through November 30, 2027, after the FCC paused its phase-out on July 1, 2026. A separate FCC rule lets some carriers stop offering Lifeline voice in particular counties, so an individual provider may decline; that limits who has to offer it, not whether you qualify. If one provider refuses, try another, or take the broadband benefit instead.
Source: Amounts published by USAC, the program administrator ↗. The voice-only phase-out pause and the carrier forbearance are stated in FCC Public Notice DA 26-705 ↗. Figures current as of 2026; last verified 2026-09-04. These amounts are set by FCC rule and are not indexed to inflation, so they hold until the FCC amends the rule.
On the ACP: the Affordable Connectivity Program ended on June 1, 2024 when its funding ran out. It paid up to $30 a month (up to $75 on qualifying Tribal lands), so Lifeline is a smaller benefit than the one it replaced for most households. It is not accepting applications and is not paying benefits. Lifeline is the federal connectivity program that remains active.
Lifeline discount (2026)
Up to $9.25/month
Off phone or internet ($34.25/month on qualifying Tribal lands). Auto-qualify with SNAP, Medicaid, or SSI.
Weatherization
Free
Insulation, air sealing, and furnace repairs — and you don't pay it back.
Key Connectivity & Utility Programs
Two things worth knowing
- →If you receive SNAP, Medicaid, or SSI, you automatically qualify for Lifeline. No separate income paperwork needed — just proof you get the qualifying benefit.
- →Weatherization is free. The program pays for insulation, furnace repairs, and energy improvements, and you don't pay it back.
Next Step
Find a Lifeline provider near you
Once the National Verifier approves you, you still have to pick a participating company and ask them to apply the benefit. USAC lists the providers serving your address.
Search providers at lifelinesupport.org →Related guides
Lifeline questions, answered
How much is the Lifeline discount in 2026?
As of 2026, Lifeline provides up to $9.25 a month toward broadband internet or a voice-and-broadband bundle. Standalone voice service is a smaller, separate tier at up to $5.25 a month. Households on qualifying Tribal lands receive up to $25 a month on top of the applicable base, which comes to up to $34.25 a month with broadband. These amounts are set by FCC rule and are not adjusted for inflation each year; USAC, the program administrator, publishes them.
Can I get the Lifeline discount on both my phone and my internet?
No. Lifeline is one benefit per household, not per person, and you cannot combine the voice discount with the broadband discount. You choose one service. If your provider offers a bundle that includes both voice and broadband, that bundle qualifies for the broadband-level support.
Can I still get Lifeline for phone-only service?
Yes. Standalone voice service is supported at up to $5.25 a month through November 30, 2027. The FCC had been phasing that support down, but its Wireline Competition Bureau paused the phase-out on July 1, 2026. A separate FCC rule lets certain carriers stop offering Lifeline voice service in named counties, but that limits which carriers must offer it rather than who qualifies for it — it does not reduce the discount, and it does not affect subscribers a carrier already serves. If one provider will not offer phone-only Lifeline, try another, or take the broadband benefit instead.
Is the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) still available?
No. The ACP, a separate and larger broadband benefit, ended on June 1, 2024 when its funding ran out. It paid up to $30 a month, up to $75 on qualifying Tribal lands. It is not accepting applications and is not paying benefits. Lifeline remains the active federal connectivity program, at up to $9.25 a month — smaller than the ACP, and not a replacement for it.
Who automatically qualifies for Lifeline?
You qualify automatically if you receive SNAP, Medicaid, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Federal Public Housing Assistance, or Veterans Pension or Survivors benefits — no separate income paperwork is needed, just proof you receive the qualifying benefit. You can also qualify on income alone at or below 135% of the federal poverty guidelines. Apply through the National Verifier at lifelinesupport.org, then choose a participating provider, and recertify once a year.
Lifeline amounts verified against USAC, Lifeline Minimum Service Standards — Support Amounts, last checked 2026-09-04.