Income-Qualified Programs Help Save Money on Electric Bills
By Sally Jeun
Susan Lu, 57, keeps the lights off at home when there is sunlight so she can save energy and on her electric bills.
When she heard about Southern California Edison’s income-qualified bill assistance programs seven years ago from a friend, she immediately signed up and qualified for the California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE) program, which gives eligible customers about a 30% discount on their electric bills.
“The program helps my family save money,” said Lu, a Diamond Bar resident. “We have four people living at home, so our family uses a lot of electricity. The CARE program is so helpful because my bill would be much higher if I did not get the discount.”
SCE customers who have seen disruptions in income or ability to work due to the COVID-19 pandemic may now qualify for these bill assistance programs, even if they are receiving unemployment benefits.
Effective June 1, the California Public Utilities Commission announced new 2020-2021 income guidelines for three bill assistance programs: CARE, Family Electric Rate Assistance (FERA) and Energy Savings Assistance (ESA). With these new guidelines, even more SCE customers may be eligible to save on their electric bills.
Customers who meet CARE income guidelines are also eligible for the ESA program, which helps customers replace old, working appliances, such as refrigerators and air conditioners, with new energy-efficient models at no cost to qualifying customers.
Those who are not eligible for CARE may qualify for FERA, which gives qualified households of three or more about an 18% discount on their electric bills. Both programs have the same application and do not require additional documentation.
“We understand it’s a difficult time for our customers,” said Mike Bushey, director, SCE Customer Programs and Services . “We are focused on enrolling eligible customers in our bill assistance programs because they can provide much needed help to customers in need. We encourage all of our customers to review these programs to see if they or their loved ones qualify to receive assistance during these challenging times.”
Approximately one-third of SCE’s residential customers are enrolled in CARE, FERA and/or ESA. SCE does not inquire about the citizenship or legal status of customers in the provision of services, does not share customer information with outside groups or agencies without the customer’s consent and does not require proof of residency for customers to participate in customer assistance programs.
Customers, including those who are ineligible for income-qualified programs, can work with SCE staff on payment arrangements that could spread out their payments and help during difficult times.
“All of my friends and family are enrolled in these bill assistance programs,” said Lu. “It’s very easy to apply, and it’s nice to save money.”
Eligibility for CARE, FERA and ESA is based on the customer’s current annual household income and the number of people in a household. Customers on limited incomes, or those who participate in government assistance programs, are encouraged to apply.
The new income guidelines for June 1, 2020 to May 31, 2021 are:
CARE & ESA INCOME GUIDELINES |
Effective June 1, 2020 to May 31, 2021 |
Number of Persons in Household |
Income Eligibility Upper Limit* |
1 to 2 |
up to $34,480 |
3 |
up to $43,440 |
4 |
up to $52,400 |
5 |
up to $61,360 |
6 |
up to $70,320 |
7 |
up to $79,280 |
8 |
up to $88,240 |
추가 1 명당 |
$8,960 |
* Upper Limit Calculation = 200% of Federal Poverty Guidelines |
FERA INCOME GUIDELINES |
Effective June 1, 2020 to May 31, 2021 |
Number of Persons in Household |
Income Eligibility Lower Limit * |
Income Eligibility Upper Limit ** |
3 |
up to $43,441 |
up to $54,300 |
4 |
up to $52,401 |
up to $65,500 |
5 |
up to $61,361 |
up to $76,700 |
6 |
up to $70,321 |
up to $87,900 |
7 |
up to $79,281 |
up to $99,100 |
8 |
up to $88,241 |
up to $110,300 |
Each Additional Person |
$8,960 |
$11,200 |
* Lower Limit Calculation = 200% of Federal Poverty Guidelines (CARE/ESA) + $1
** Upper Limit Calculation = 250% of Federal Poverty Guidelines |
To apply for CARE or FERA, visit: sce.com/care . To apply for ESA, visit: sce.com/esap .
To learn more about SCE’s bill assistance programs, visit sce.com/billhelp or call 1-800-736-4777.
For more information on SCE’s COVID-19 response and customer programs, visit: sce.com/covid19 .
Here are some other cost-saving programs and tools available to customers (in a box):
- The Energy Assistance Fund – To help customers struggling to make ends meet during the pandemic, SCE has increased the amount of bill relief provided by the Energy Assistance Fund . Income-qualified customers experiencing COVID-19 financial hardship due to quarantine, illness, caring for loved ones or business closures can apply for assistance to pay their electric bill.
- Reduced High Usage Charge – SCE’s High Usage Charge for residential customers is being reduced through at least Oct. 31. Customers who incur this charge will see it decrease by 30%, and their total bill decrease by an average of 13%, or about $100 on an average High Usage Charge summer bill.
- Rate Plan Comparison Tool – SCE offers several Time-of-Use rates that offer lower rates during daytime hours when people are now home. Visit sce.com/rateplantool to compare our rate plans.
- Budget Assistant – You can also sign up for alerts if your next projected bill is expected to exceed your spending goal using SCE’s free Budget Assistant tool. You can customize your alert options and receive alerts via email, phone or text. To sign up, visit: sce.com/budgetassistant .
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
