The California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE) program is designed to provide significant discounts on energy bills for eligible low-income households across California. If you’re wondering how to reduce your electricity and natural gas expenses, understanding how the CARE program works could be the first step towards substantial savings. This program offers a crucial financial cushion, ensuring that essential energy services are more affordable for those who need them most.
At its core, the CARE program provides a discount of 30-35 percent on electric bills and a 20 percent discount on natural gas bills. These discounts are directly applied to the monthly utility bills of enrolled customers. But how does the CARE program work to deliver these savings? It functions through a rate surcharge paid by other utility customers, which funds the discounts provided to CARE participants. This mechanism ensures the program is self-sustaining and doesn’t rely on direct taxpayer funding.
Eligibility for the CARE program hinges primarily on household income. The program has specific income limits that are updated annually to reflect changes in the cost of living. As of June 1, 2024, households with the following sizes and incomes or below are eligible:
| CARE Income Guidelines* |
|---|
| Household Size |
| 1-2 |
| 3 |
| 4 |
| 5 |
| 6 |
| 7 |
| 8 |
| Each Additional Person |
| * Effective June 1, 2024 to May 31, 2025 |
Beyond income, customers are also automatically eligible for CARE if they are enrolled in certain public assistance programs. These programs include Medi-Cal, SNAP (Food Stamps), SSI, WIC, and others designed to support low-income individuals and families. This streamlined eligibility process ensures that those already receiving assistance can easily access the CARE program benefits.
To enroll in the CARE program, you need to apply through your utility company. Each utility company in California manages its CARE enrollment process. To get started, you should contact your energy provider directly or visit their website. The table below provides contact information and website links for major utility companies in California to help you access CARE applications and further details:
| Phone Numbers and Websites for Energy Assistance Programs |
|---|
| Utility |
| PG&E |
| Edison |
| SDG&E |
| SoCalGas |
| Alpine Nat’l Gas |
| Bear Valley Elect |
| PacifiCorp |
| Liberty Utilities |
| Southwest Gas |
| West Coast Gas |
For families whose income slightly exceeds the CARE guidelines, there’s the Family Electric Rate Assistance (FERA) program. FERA offers an 18% discount on electricity bills for customers of specific utility companies like PG&E, Southern California Edison, and SDG&E. The income limits for FERA are higher than CARE, targeting households that are still income-constrained but don’t qualify for the deeper CARE discounts.
| Household | 200% of Federal Poverty Guidelines (CARE/ESAP) +1 | 250% of Federal Poverty Guidelines (FERA) |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | $51,641 | $64,550 |
| 4 | $62,401 | $78,000 |
| 5 | $73,161 | $91,450 |
| 6 | $83,921 | $104,900 |
| 7 | $94,681 | $118,350 |
| 8 | $105,441 | $131,800 |
| Each Additional Person | $10,760 | $13,450 |
In conclusion, the CARE program is a vital resource for low-income Californians, significantly lowering the cost of energy through monthly bill discounts. By understanding how the CARE program works – from its funding mechanism to eligibility criteria and application process – eligible households can take advantage of these substantial savings. If you believe you may qualify, reaching out to your utility provider is the recommended next step to begin your application and access the financial relief offered by the CARE program.
