How to Get the CARE Discount on Your SoCalGas and Edison Bills

Edison takes 32.5% off and SoCalGas takes 20%, and a household of one or two now qualifies on up to $43,280 a year.

Yes, one household can get the CARE discount on its gas bill and its electric bill at the same time. If a single person in the home gets CalFresh, that alone can qualify you.

The discount on the gas bill is 20%, according to SoCalGas. Southern California Edison takes 32.5% off the electric bill. CARE customers also pay a monthly Base Services Charge of about $6 instead of the standard $24.15, the California Public Utilities Commission says.

Here's the mistake to avoid. SoCalGas's CARE page still shows an income chart that ran out on May 31, 2026. New statewide limits took effect June 1. A household of one or two now qualifies on up to $43,280 a year, up from $42,300. A couple earning $43,000 would look ineligible on the gas company's old chart, and they aren't.

1. Check who sends your electric bill. CARE runs through the utilities the CPUC regulates, and the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power isn't on the commission's list. If LADWP bills you for power, its own discount for income-qualified customers is EZ-SAVE. If Edison bills you, keep going.
2. Qualify through benefits. You're in if you or anyone in your home gets Medi-Cal, CalFresh, WIC, CalWORKs, SSI, LIHEAP or free school lunch through the National School Lunch Program. A few tribal programs also count.
3. Or qualify on income. Add up the yearly income of everyone in the home. These are the limits from June 1, 2026, to May 31, 2027:
   • One or two people: $43,280
   • Three people: $54,640
   • Four people: $66,000
   • Five people: $77,360
   • Each person past eight: add $11,360
   If you've just lost your job, SoCalGas counts your income from the day you stopped working.
4. Check the fine print. The gas bill has to be in your name and at your primary address. You can't be claimed as a dependent on anyone's tax return except your spouse's.
5. Apply to SoCalGas. The online application takes a few minutes, asks for no documents and tells you right away whether you're approved. You can also mail the paper form to SoCalGas CARE Program, PO Box 3249, Los Angeles, CA 90051-1249, or fax it to 1-213-244-4665. If you pay for gas through a landlord or mobile-home park, use the submetered application. SoCalGas's fine print says the money goes out first-come, first-served until it's gone.
6. Apply to Edison separately. Edison's online CARE/FERA form also needs no documents. You can apply by phone through the automated line at 1-800-798-5723, or print the application and mail it.
7. Just over the line? Try FERA. FERA is an electric-only discount of 18%. For a household of one or two, it covers incomes from $43,281 to $54,100. Edison offers it, SoCalGas doesn't, and the same Edison form covers both programs.
8. Behind on your bill? SoCalGas says eligible CARE customers may be able to get past-due amounts forgiven through its Arrearage Management Plan. Edison lists the same plan among its assistance programs.
9. Keep the discount. Recertify whenever SoCalGas asks. If it asks you to prove you qualify, upload your documents on its verification page. If you stop qualifying, SoCalGas's rules give you 30 days to tell the company.

Source: socalgas.com, retrieved October 30, 2026. Other sources: sce.com, State of California, ladwp.com.