SCE Bill Help in the Inland Empire 2026–27: CARE's 32.5% Discount, FERA, Debt Forgiveness Up to $8,000 and One-Time Help
Inland Empire summers mean long stretches of air conditioning, and big Southern California Edison bills to go with them. If your household income is modest, SCE has two discount programs worth checking first. CARE takes 32.5% off your electric bill, and FERA takes 18% off for households a little above the CARE limits. Both also lower SCE's new fixed monthly charge.
If you're already behind, SCE's Arrearage Management Plan can forgive past-due balances up to $8,000 if you pay your new bills on time for a year. This guide covers who qualifies, the income limits that run through May 2027, and how to apply.
Last checked October 2026. Sources: SCE's CARE & FERA, Arrearage Management Plan, Energy Assistance Fund and Energy Savings Assistance pages; and the California Public Utilities Commission's FERA page.
The Short Version
CARE: 32.5% off your SCE electric bill. Income up to $43,280 for a household of 1 or 2, or $66,000 for 4, or automatic eligibility if someone in your home is on CalFresh, Medi-Cal, SSI, WIC or another listed program.
FERA: 18% off for households just above CARE limits, up to $54,100 for 1 or 2 people or $82,500 for 4.
Lower fixed charge: about $6 a month on CARE and about $12 on FERA, compared with the standard $24.15.
Apply: online in a few minutes, by phone at 1-800-798-5723, or by mail. SCE says no documents are needed to apply.
Behind on your bill? Enroll in CARE or FERA, then apply for AMP to have up to $8,000 forgiven over 12 on-time payments.
CARE and FERA: The Discounts
The California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE) and Family Electric Rate Assistance (FERA) programs are regulated by the CPUC and run by the utilities. According to SCE:
CARE households get 32.5% off their electric bills.
FERA households get an 18% discount.
The Base Services Charge
SCE bills now include a fixed Base Services Charge. The CPUC says the standard charge is $24.15 a month. CARE and FERA customers pay less:
CARE: about $6 a month
FERA: about $12 a month
SCE notes the exact amount depends on the number of days in your billing cycle.
Who Qualifies
You qualify based on household size and the total current income of everyone living in your home. That applies whether you live in a house, condo, apartment or mobile home.
Income limits, June 1, 2026 to May 31, 2027
| Household size | CARE: income up to | FERA: income range | |---|---|---| | 1–2 | $43,280 | $43,281 – $54,100 | | 3 | $54,640 | $54,641 – $68,300 | | 4 | $66,000 | $66,001 – $82,500 | | 5 | $77,360 | $77,361 – $96,700 | | 6 | $88,720 | $88,721 – $110,900 | | 7 | $100,080 | $100,081 – $125,100 | | 8 | $111,440 | $111,441 – $139,300 | | Each additional person | add $11,360 | add $11,360 |
These are yearly, before-tax figures. The CPUC describes CARE's limit as 200% of the federal poverty guidelines and FERA's upper limit as 250%.
Qualify for CARE through a benefit program
You can also qualify for CARE if you or anyone in your home takes part in one of these programs:
CalFresh/SNAP (food stamps)
Medi-Cal/Medicaid, or Medi-Cal for Families (Healthy Families A&B)
Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
WIC
CalWORKs (TANF) or Tribal TANF
National School Lunch Program
LIHEAP
Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance
Head Start income-eligible (tribal only)
Renters billed through a landlord
If you live in an apartment building, mobile-home park, RV park or marina and your landlord bills you for electricity through a submeter, SCE says you may still qualify for a discount. There's a separate mail-in application for submetered tenants.
How to Apply
SCE says applying is quick and no extra documents are required to apply. You have three options:
Online: the CARE/FERA application on sce.com. You'll find your service account number, which starts with an 8, in the upper left of your bill under the SCE logo.
By phone: SCE's automated line, 1-800-798-5723.
By mail: download a standard or large-print application, print it and mail it.
After you're enrolled
SCE's page also has links to check your enrollment status, recertify, and send in post-enrollment verification. No documents are needed to apply, but if SCE sends you a verification request later, answer it by the deadline. And watch for SCE's notice to recertify.
Behind on Your Bill? The Arrearage Management Plan
The Arrearage Management Plan (AMP) helps customers on CARE or FERA who have fallen behind. After 12 on-time monthly payments, the past-due debt is forgiven, up to $8,000. SCE forgives one-twelfth of the past-due amount with each on-time payment.
Who qualifies for AMP
According to SCE, you need to:
be enrolled in CARE or FERA, with the discount already showing on your bill;
have been an SCE customer for at least six months;
owe more than $500, with some of it more than 90 days past due;
have made at least one on-time payment in the past 24 months; and
agree to pay every monthly bill on time for the next 12 months.
Fine print
If you're in AMP, you can't also have an installment plan.
Net Energy Metering (solar), Solar Billing Plan, Direct Access and master-metered customers aren't currently eligible.
Moving in the next 60 days? SCE says to apply after you've set up service at your new address.
Missed payments: SCE removes you from AMP if you miss two payments in a row or three payments in total.
To apply: fill out the AMP application online, or call SCE Customer Support at 1-800-284-2365. Once your approval letter arrives, pay each new bill in full and on time.
The order matters: sign up for CARE or FERA first. SCE says AMP enrollment can't start until your CARE or FERA enrollment is active.
One-Time Help: The Energy Assistance Fund
SCE's Energy Assistance Fund (EAF), run with the United Way, makes a one-time payment of up to $200 toward your SCE bill, or up to $300 for an all-electric home. You can get it once in 12 months.
To qualify, you must be a current SCE residential customer, your name must match the bill, the address must be your primary residence, and your household income must be within the CARE income limits. To apply, SCE says to find the United Way agency closest to you and call for an appointment. SCE works with more than 80 community organizations.
Free Home Upgrades: Energy Savings Assistance
The Energy Savings Assistance (ESA) program gives income-qualified homeowners and renters energy-saving upgrades at no cost, including installation by an approved contractor. Depending on your home, that might include:
a new refrigerator, clothes washer or dishwasher
a heat pump water heater
window or wall AC replacement, central AC or heat pump replacement, or evaporative cooler maintenance
ESA's income limit for June 2026 through May 2027 goes up to 250% of the federal poverty guidelines, and participation in programs such as LIHEAP or Medi-Cal for Families can also qualify you. SCE says eligible homes include single-family homes and mobile homes, and that buildings with four or fewer units count as single-family. You apply through your SCE My Account, and a contractor visits to see what your home qualifies for. Not every service is available everywhere.
Other SCE Programs to Ask About
SCE's CARE page also lists:
Medical Baseline Allowance, for households that depend on medical equipment
Budget Billing, which evens out payments through the year
LIHEAP, the federal energy help program
a Percentage of Income Payment Plan (PIPP)
What we couldn't confirm: SCE's pages for Medical Baseline, Budget Billing and PIPP weren't fetched, so their details aren't covered. SCE's AMP page describes the balance requirement as both "$500 or more" and "more than $500." Gas bills from SoCalGas, and LIHEAP agencies in Riverside and San Bernardino counties, aren't covered here.
A Quick Checklist
Compare your income to the table, or check whether anyone at home is on CalFresh, Medi-Cal, SSI or WIC.
Apply for CARE or FERA online or at 1-800-798-5723. It takes minutes.
Watch your bill for the discount and the lower Base Services Charge.
Behind by more than $500? Once the discount shows, apply for AMP at 1-800-284-2365.
Need a one-time boost? Call your local United Way about the Energy Assistance Fund.
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