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Check if you qualify for CARE or FERA in under 2 minutes.

Find out if you're eligible

How to qualify for CARE

To qualify for the CARE discount, you must already participate in certain public assistance programs or meet the income guidelines.

Qualify based on other programs

You are eligible for CARE if you or anyone who lives with you is in one of these public assistance programs:

  • EBT/CalFresh/SNAP (Food Stamps)
  • Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
  • Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)
  • CalWORKs (TANF) or Tribal TANF
  • Head Start Income Eligible (Tribal Only)
  • Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
  • Medi-Cal for Families (Healthy Families A & B)
  • National School Lunch Program (NSLP)
  • Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance
  • Medicaid/Medi-Cal (under age 65)
  • Medicaid/Medi-Cal (age 65 and over)

Qualify based on income

If no one in your home is in one of the public assistance programs listed, you can still qualify based on how many people live in your home and how much money they make. Your household means everyone who lives in your house, condo, apartment, or mobile home.

 

To find your household income: 

  1. Add up all the money and non-cash benefits that everyone in your home gets — this is your total gross income.
  2. Compare that total to the the income guidelines table below.

 Note: To qualify, your household income must be the same as or less than the amount shown for your household size.

 

Eligibility requirements

  • The PG&E bill must be in your name.
    • If you're a sub-metered tenant, you must have the landlord's energy bill in your name.
  • You must live at the address to which the discount applies.
  • Another person (besides your spouse) can’t claim you as a dependent on an income tax return.
  • You must not share an energy meter with another home.
  • You must account for all sources of qualifying household income.
  • This combined household income must meet the program’s income guidelines.
  • You must enroll in qualifying public assistance programs.
  • After you enroll, you may need to provide proof of qualifying household income.
    • You may also be required to participate in the Energy Savings Assistance program.
  • Your monthly electric usage must not exceed six times the Tier 1 allowance.
    • Tier 1 is the lowest priced rate tier within PG&E’s standard Tiered Base Plan.

 

You must renew your eligibility every two years

You must renew your eligibility every two years. If you're on a fixed income, you must renew your eligibility every four years.

 

Go to CARE renewal

 

 Note: You must also notify PG&E if your household no longer qualifies for the CARE discount.

CARE income guidelines table

*Income should be before taxes and based on current income sources. Valid through May 31, 2027. Household income includes all taxable and nontaxable revenues from everyone living in the home, including but not limited to: wages, salaries, interest and dividends, spousal and child support payments, public assistance payments, Social Security and pensions, housing and military subsidies, rental income, self-employment income, and other employment-related non-cash income.