Southern California Gas Company (SoCal Gas) launched a campaign titled “SoCalGas CAREs” for customers whose income may have recently changed due to coronavirus or other reasons, officials said Monday.

The campaign aims to let customers know of their eligibility to qualify for SoCalGas’ assistance program, California Alternate Rates for Energy or CARE, saving them 20 percent on their monthly natural gas bills, according to the company.

“SoCalGas is committed to assisting the communities we serve during this challenging period,” said Jeff Walker, vice president of customer solutions at SoCalGas. “We recognize that many families are facing unexpected hardships such as job and income loss right now and we want to remind them that SoCalGas’ assistance programs like CARE can help.”

The CARE program aids people in paying their utility bills by providing a 20 percent discount on monthly natural gas bills, according to SoCalGas.

Customers who have become recently unemployed or who are currently facing financial hardship due to the coronavirus pandemic or for other reasons are encouraged to click here, complete the online application and find out instantly if they qualify. 

Other customer assistance programs SoCalGas offers include:

Gas Assistance Fund

• If a resident is having difficulty paying their gas bill, the Gas Assistance Fund (GAF) may be able to provide them with a one-time grant for the amount of the gas bill, not to exceed $100.
• The Gas Assistance Fund is a joint effort of SoCalGas and United Way of Greater Los Angeles. They work with nonprofit partner organizations throughout SoCalGas’ service territory to administer the program.
• Residents may qualify for the Gas Assistance Fund based on their yearly household income. 

Medical Baseline Allowance

• The Medical Baseline Allowance program provides additional natural gas at the lowest baseline rate for individuals with a serious health condition.
• Residents may qualify for the Medical Baseline Allowance if a full-time member of their household:
  • Has a life-threatening illness or a compromised immune system
  • Is seriously disabled
  • Requires more heat in winter due to a serious health condition or to prevent deterioration of the individual’s medical condition
• Eligibility is based on medical condition only, not household income.

Residents can click here for more information on how to know if they qualify for these programs, as well as how to apply.

The gas company understands this is a challenging time for all and wants to assure customers natural gas service will be there for their communities, officials said. 

SoCalGas continues to make safety and emergency service appointments, including reports of suspected natural gas leaks, carbon monoxide checks, gas meter turn-ons, natural gas outage and pilot re-lights, and continues to perform work needed to safely and reliably maintain infrastructure so they can continue to provide customers with safe and essential energy services, according to the company.

In addition, service disconnections have been suspended until further notice. This means no customer is expected to have their natural gas turned off due to non-payment, according to company officials. 

SoCalGas has also temporarily waived late fees for small business customers. As a reminder, SoCalGas never charges late fees for residential customers.

Additional information about SoCalGas’ response to COVID-19 is available here.

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