Children and elderly are being left in the cold because utility companies refuse flexibility in pay arrangements. Some companies offer a five day extension but that means very little when a person gets paid monthly. Many organizations, including social services are running low on funding to help people with utility bills. If a person would make a good faith payment of 10-40 percent on their bill with an agreement to pay the remainder within 14 days, this would benefit the customer and the company. If a person leaves a home because they cannot pay the bill, chances are that the bill will be left outstanding. If the utility companies worked with the customer better, then they would be more likely to pay the bill. Many gas companies ask for a certain credit score and a minimum to fill tanks. If a person had a poor score, they can be asked to pay near $500 dollars just to get them to come out. Families are struggling just to feed their families, keeping them warm and healthy should be the first priority for everyone.