Has your job been affected by COVID-19?
Our thoughts are with our customers who have been directly or indirectly affected by COVID-19. If you have recently lost your job or your income has changed, you may qualify for a reduced energy rate through our CARE or FERA programs, even if you are already receiving unemployment benefits.
In addition, California LifeLine is a state program providing discounted home or cellular phone services to eligible households. They’ve partnered with Boost Mobile to give CARE program participants a monthly $15 discount towards prepaid cell phone plans. For more information, or to see if you qualify, visit https://www.californialifeline.com/en or visit https://www.boostmobile.com/plans/cpuc-boost-mobile.
COVID-19 Rent Relief will help income-eligible households pay rent and utilities, both for past due and future payments. To learn more, visit https://housing.ca.gov/covid_rr/
CARE and FERA Can Reduce Your Monthly Bills
Everyday expenses affect some households more than others. Fortunately, there are two programs that may lower your energy bills:
California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE) reduces energy bills for eligible customers by about 30%.
Family Electric Rate Assistance (FERA) reduces electric bills for qualified households by 18%.
Both programs have the same application and it only takes 2 minutes to sign up with no additional documentation required.
Already applied?
Tips to Complete an Application
Please provide your email address. We will send you an email with a tracking number acknowledging that we received your application. Please save the tracking number. If you do not have an email address, a tracking number is included in the Thank You notification which is provided immediately after an application has been successfully submitted.
Have a copy of your bill ready. Please input your name exactly as it appears on the bill. (For example, if the name on the bill is Doe, Jon X please enter the first name as Jon X with no period. Enter the last name as Doe).
Please wait from 15 minutes to 1 hour after applying to check your enrollment status.
Two Ways to Find Out if You Qualify
Option 1: Public Assistance Programs
You can qualify for CARE if you or someone in your home participates in at least one of these public assistance programs:
- Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance
- CalFresh/SNAP (Food Stamps)
- CalWorks (TANF)/Tribal TANF
- Head Start Income Eligible (Tribal Only)
- LIHEAP
- Medi-Cal/Medicaid
- Medi-Cal for Families (Healthy Families A&B)
- National School Lunch Program (NSLP)
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
- WIC
Option 2: Household Income
Based on Household income as of today
Even if you are receiving unemployment benefits, you may still qualify.
How many people are in your household?
Household Income for 1-2 People
As of June 1, 2020CARE
Up to $34,480FERA
Not EligibleHousehold Income for 3 People
As of June 1, 2020CARE
Up to $43,440FERA
$43,441 - $54,300Household Income for 4 People
As of June 1, 2020CARE
Up to $52,400FERA
$52,401 - $65,500Household Income for 5 People
As of June 1, 2020CARE
Up to $61,360FERA
$61,361- $76,700Household Income for 6 People
As of June 1, 2020CARE
Up to $70,320FERA
$70,321- $87,900Household Income for 7 People
As of June 1, 2020CARE
Up to $79,280FERA
$79,281 - $99,100Household Income for 8+ People
As of June 1, 2019CARE
8 people: Up to $88,240Each additional person: +$8,960
FERA
8 people: $88,241- $110,300Each extra person: +$8,960 - $11,200
Qualify? Apply online today:
Or print and apply by mail:
Need help?
Call a customer service representative:
1-800-447-6620
If You’ve Already Enrolled
Recertification
Did you receive a recertification notice in the mail? CARE and FERA participants must re-enroll every two years.
Post-Enrollment Verification
As a CARE program participant, you may be asked to verify that you are eligible.
The Arrearage Management Plan (AMP) Program
The Arrearage Management Plan (AMP) Program is a debt forgiveness payment plan option for residential CARE and FERA customers who have past due bills totaling $500 or greater which are at least 90 days old. In exchange for making on-time payment of your current monthly bill, AMP will forgive 1/12 of the eligible total past due amount. Other terms and conditions are detailed below in the FAQ’s*.
AMP is a debt forgiveness payment plan option for customers with past due bills of $500 or greater which are 90 days of age or older.
The AMP program will forgive 1/12 of your eligible utility debt after each on-time payment of your current bill. After 12 on-time payments of individual monthly bills, the debt is fully forgiven (up to $8,000 per customer).
If the past due amount displayed on your current bill is greater than the sum of your previous two months’ bills, you most likely owe an amount that is at least 90 days old. You can also call 1-800-655-4555 to receive help in determining eligibility.
To be eligible for AMP, customers must:
- be enrolled in the California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE) or Family Electric Rate Assistance (FERA) program
- have total arrears of $500 or greater, some of which are at least 90 days old
- have been a customer of SCE for at least six months
- have made an on-time payment within the last 24 months that equals or exceeds the most current customer bill at the time of payment
Unfortunately, Net Energy Metering (NEM), Direct Access (DA), and master metered customers are not eligible at this time.
At this time, NEM customers are not eligible for AMP. These customers may be included in the future.
At this time, DA customers are not eligible for AMP. These customers may be included in the future.
For customers who meet the above eligibility requirements, the amount eligible for the AMP is the total account past due balance as of the enrollment date not to exceed $8,000.
Any new bills issued on or after AMP enrollment are ineligible and will be the responsibility of the customer.
The maximum eligible amount for AMP forgiveness per instance of customer enrollment is $8,000.
Online applications will not be available until April 13.
Please call SCE’s Customer Call Center at 1-800-655-4555 so that we may address any additional questions you may have.
*This information is meant as an aid to understanding AMP. It does not replace SCE’s CPUC-approved tariffs. Any inconsistencies between this material and SCE’s tariffs are unintended, and the tariffs prevail. Please refer to SCE’s tariff books for a complete list of terms and conditions of service.
Additional Information
Sub Metered Tenants
Are you an income-qualified tenant in an apartment building, mobile-home park, residential RV park, or marina who is billed through your landlord?
Non-Profit Living Facilities
Find out if your tax-exempt group living facility—such as a homeless shelter, hospice, or women’s shelter—qualifies for CARE.
Capitation Fee Program
Are you a representative of a non-profit looking for information about our CARE and FERA sign-up reimbursement program?
California LifeLine Program
If you're receiving an energy bill discount through the CARE program, you may qualify to receive a discount on your phone services through the California LifeLine Program. To learn more, call 1-877-858-7463.
Income Qualified and Want Solar? SCE Can Help
Homeowners may qualify for a free home solar system from our partner, GRID Alternatives. Find out if the Single-family Affordable Solar Homes (SASH) program, a state of California program for low or fixed income families, can help you. Learn more