Florida Office of Public Counsel Logotelecommunications, water, gas, and electrical utilities photos
En Español | English

Lifeline and Link-Up Florida

24110 Total Applicants from 07/01/04 to 06/01/07

Call toll-free 1-800-540-7039

What is it?

  • Lifeline is a public assistance program that reduces the monthly telephone bill by up to $13.50. (The reduction is in the form of a credit and is deducted from the basic service charge.)


  • Link-Up a public assistance program that reduces the cost of the telephone installation and service transfer fee by 50% up to the amount of $30. Contact your telephone company to find out the correct process for requesting Link-Up. (The reduction is in the form of a credit and is deducted from the service installation or transfer charge.)


  • Lifeline and Link-Up are available for one telephone line per household. Phone service must be registered in the name of the applicant. (Cell phone users and subscribers to companies other than BellSouth, Embarq or Verizon should contact their service provider to apply for the programs.)


Who is eligible?

  • Low-income, residential heads of households. Income is determined by the federal poverty guidelines which are based on the number of people in the household and the total amount of money received by each member in the household. You may be eligible if your income is less than 135% of the U.S. poverty guidline.


    • 2008 U. S. Poverty Guidelines
    135% Proviso
    Size of Household
    (number of people)    		 U.S. Poverty Guidelines
    Total Household
    Annual Income

    135% of
    U.S. Poverty Guidelines
    Total Household
    Annual Income

    		 135% of
    U.S. Poverty Guidelines
    Total Household Monthly Income
    1

    $10,400

    $14,040

    $1,170
    2

    $14,000

    $18,900

    $1,575
    3

    $17,600

    $23,760

    $1,980
    4

    $21,200

    $28,620

    $2,385
    5

    $24,800

    $33,480

    $2,790
    6

    $28,400

    $38,340

    $3,195
    7

    $32,000

    $43,200

    $3,600
    8

    $35,600

    $48,060

    $4,005
    *For each additional person, add $4,860 to the 135% U.S. Poverty Guidelines Total Annual Household Income.


  • Households participating in the public assistance programs below must contact their local telephone company or visit the Florida Public Service Commission’s website at http://www.psc.state.fl.us/utilities/telecomm/lifeline/ if the request for participation is based on any one of these programs:
    • Food Stamps
    • Medicaid
    • Federal Public Housing Assistance (Section 8)
    • Supplement Security Income (SSI)
    • Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
    • Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF)
    • National School Lunch (NSL) Program's Free Lunch Program
    • Bureau of Indian Affairs Programs (Tribal TANF, Head Start Subsidy, and National School Lunch Program)

Proof of Household Income Supporting Documents

  • U.S. Individual Income Tax Statement
  • W-2 Wage and Tax Statement
  • Social Security Statement of Benefit
  • Veteran's Administration Statement of Benefit
  • Public/Private Retirement/Pension Statement
  • Unemployment Benefit Statement
  • Worker's Compensation Statement of Benefit
  • Divorce Decree
  • Child Support Decree
  • Other official agency document

Lifeline applicants may provide proof of the total household income by forwarding any one of the documents above to:

Office of the Public Counsel
c/o The Florida Legislature
111 West Madison Street
Room 812
Tallahassee, Florida 32399-1400

For additional information call: 1-800-540-7039

Applications

Brochures


Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)



PDF files can be viewed with the free Adobe Acrobat Reader.