Los Angeles Utility Assistance Programs: EZ-SAVE and Lifeline Guide
Los Angeles Department of Water and Power customers can apply on a rolling basis for EZ-SAVE bill discounts, while eligible older and disabled City residents can apply separately for the Office of Finance Lifeline utility tax exemption.
Los Angeles residents looking for utility help will usually encounter two related but separate programs: the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) EZ-SAVE Program and the City of Los Angeles Office of Finance Senior Citizen/Disability Lifeline Rate. Both are active assistance routes, and neither is presented by the official agencies as a once-a-year contest with a single closing date. The practical deadline is rolling: eligible customers can apply through the published online, mail, fax, or agency contact routes while the programs are accepting applications.
The distinction matters. EZ-SAVE is LADWP’s income-qualified discount program. The official LADWP page says it helps income-qualified customers save on their LADWP bills and that enrollment can make customers eligible for other assistance programs. The current official verification page describes the discount as applying to electricity, water, and sewer services. Lifeline is administered by the City of Los Angeles Office of Finance. It is aimed at qualifying seniors and people with disabilities and provides an exemption from eligible electric and other utility taxes. It is not the same application as EZ-SAVE, and the official LADWP page sends applicants to the Office of Finance for the Lifeline application.
This guide focuses on what the official pages currently establish: who may qualify, what kind of savings each program provides, what the application requires, and how to avoid treating a related program as if it were part of the core discount.
Quick facts
| Detail | Current information |
|---|---|
| Main LADWP program | EZ-SAVE Program, formerly the Low Income Discount Program |
| Related City program | Senior Citizen/Disability Lifeline Rate, administered by the City of Los Angeles Office of Finance |
| Deadline | Rolling; the official pages provide application instructions but no annual closing date |
| EZ-SAVE benefit | A variable bill discount on eligible LADWP electricity, water, and sewer services; the official page does not promise one flat monthly dollar amount |
| Lifeline benefit | Exemption from eligible electric and other utility taxes for qualifying senior or disabled City residents; the value varies with the taxes on the applicant’s services |
| EZ-SAVE income table | Effective July 1, 2025: $42,300 for one or two household members, then $53,300 for three, $64,300 for four, $75,300 for five, $86,300 for six, $97,300 for seven, $108,300 for eight, plus $11,000 per additional member |
| EZ-SAVE proof at application | No proof of income is required when initially applying, although LADWP may later verify eligibility |
| EZ-SAVE application routes | LADWP online account, mail, fax, or customer service assistance |
| Lifeline income test | Combined household adjusted gross income below $60,600 for the prior calendar year, according to the Office of Finance page |
| Service area | Residential utility service in Los Angeles; Lifeline specifically requires a residential address within the City of Los Angeles |
What EZ-SAVE actually provides
EZ-SAVE is a standing LADWP discount for income-qualified residential customers. The current LADWP material does not describe the benefit as a guaranteed $39 monthly credit, a guaranteed 25 percent water reduction, or a guaranteed 30 percent sewer reduction. Those fixed figures should not be used to estimate a household’s savings. The official description is a bill discount on electricity, water, and sewer services, with the actual value depending on the account, service, rates, and usage.
That is still meaningful help, but it is important to set the right expectation. A customer should compare the bill before and after enrollment instead of multiplying a promotional maximum by twelve. The discount is attached to an eligible LADWP account, not paid as a cash grant. It does not turn every charge on the bill into a discount, and it does not automatically erase a past-due balance.
LADWP also describes EZ-SAVE as a gateway to other programs. The current page links enrolled or eligible customers to Level Pay, life-support equipment discounts, and the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). Those programs have their own rules. For example, Level Pay is a billing arrangement designed to make payments more predictable and can help a customer pay a balance over time; it is not the same thing as a discount. LIHEAP is a separate state-supported assistance route for immediate home heating or cooling needs, and funding can be limited. Ask about those options, but do not assume that EZ-SAVE approval automatically approves every related program.
EZ-SAVE income eligibility
The current LADWP table is marked effective July 1, 2025. It lists maximum annual gross household income as follows:
- One person: $42,300
- Two people: $42,300
- Three people: $53,300
- Four people: $64,300
- Five people: $75,300
- Six people: $86,300
- Seven people: $97,300
- Eight people: $108,300
- Each additional person: add $11,000
LADWP defines income broadly. Its published examples include salary, wages, tips, child support, spousal support, alimony, Social Security, veterans benefits, disability, unemployment, retirement, public assistance, food assistance, and employment-related non-cash income. Use combined gross income for the people who live in the household rather than counting only a paycheck or only taxable income.
The account rules are just as important as the income table. The applicant must be the customer of record on the LADWP account. The account must be the applicant’s permanent, primary residence, and the applicant cannot be claimed as a dependent on another person’s income tax return. A renter can qualify when the account is properly in the renter’s name; simply living in Los Angeles or receiving a benefit such as CalFresh does not replace the LADWP account requirement.
The official application says initial applicants do not need to submit proof of income. That does not mean the information can be approximate. Complete the application truthfully and keep supporting records available. LADWP may select an enrolled customer for verification later. The current verification instructions say that a selected customer must provide the requested proof within three months of the first verification notice to continue receiving the discount. Missing that request can cause the discount to be removed, after which the customer may need to reapply with documentation.
Lifeline eligibility for seniors and people with disabilities
Lifeline is a separate City of Los Angeles Office of Finance program. LADWP’s current Lifeline page describes it as an exemption on electric and other utility bills for senior and disabled citizens and directs applicants to the Office of Finance. The Office of Finance page says the applicant must use utilities at a residential address within the City of Los Angeles and be responsible for paying the utility bills under the applicant’s own name.
The current Office of Finance requirements include one of two qualifying statuses: the applicant is at least 62 years old, or the applicant has a disability that prevents substantial gainful activity because of a medically determinable physical or mental impairment expected to result in death or to be of long-continued and indefinite duration. The page also lists a combined household adjusted gross income below $60,600 for the prior calendar year. Finally, the tax on the relevant utilities cannot be paid by a public agency or from funds supplied specifically to pay that tax.
The Lifeline benefit is best understood as a tax exemption, not as a fixed monthly bill credit. The amount saved depends on the eligible utility taxes that would otherwise appear on the applicant’s services. The Office of Finance application asks for utility bills and income documentation, so a customer should not rely on the lighter EZ-SAVE application process when applying for Lifeline.
What to gather before applying
For EZ-SAVE, start with the LADWP account number, the customer-of-record name, the service address, household size, and combined gross annual income. The online route requires an LADWP online account or registration. If you use the paper route, fill in every required field, sign and date the form, and keep a copy of what you send. The current LADWP page lists this mailing address:
LADWP
EZ-SAVE Program, Room L63
P.O. Box 515407
Los Angeles, CA 90051-6707
The page also lists fax number (213) 241-1465 and customer service at 1-800-DIAL-DWP, or 1-800-342-5397. Hearing and speech assistance is listed at 1-800-432-7397. If LADWP later sends a verification notice, follow that notice rather than sending random documents. The verification instructions identify tax returns or transcripts, Social Security statements, SSI award letters, and certain public-benefit award letters as examples of acceptable proof. Redact Social Security numbers and bank account numbers before sending copies unless the agency specifically instructs otherwise.
For Lifeline, prepare proof of age if applying as a senior. The Office of Finance lists a California driver license, California identification card, or another acceptable age document. An applicant using the disability route needs a recent physician certification that addresses the required long-term disability standard. The Office of Finance also asks for the complete LADWP bill showing the applicant’s name and service address, plus gas and telephone bills where applicable. For income, its page lists the California resident tax return Form 540, Social Security benefits statement, SSI award letter, General Relief award letter, or CalWORKs/AFDC documentation. If none applies, the page says a notarized income letter may be required. It specifically warns that some common documents, including pay stubs and a federal Form 1040, are not accepted for the Lifeline income proof listed on that page.
How to apply
- Confirm that the address and account fit the program. EZ-SAVE is for an eligible residential LADWP customer of record. Lifeline requires a residential utility user within the City of Los Angeles who is responsible for the utility bills in their own name.
- Select the correct route. Use the LADWP EZ-SAVE online application, or download the official form and mail or fax it. For Lifeline, use the Office of Finance application linked from the official Lifeline page.
- Enter household and income information carefully. For EZ-SAVE, include the combined gross income of the household even though documents are not required at the initial application stage. For Lifeline, use the Office of Finance’s adjusted-gross-income standard and its requested prior-year records.
- Submit a complete application and save evidence of submission. Keep the confirmation page, a copy of the form, the mailing receipt, or the fax confirmation. This is especially useful if the discount does not appear on a later bill.
- Respond to follow-up requests. EZ-SAVE verification has a three-month response period after the first verification notice, according to LADWP’s current instructions. Lifeline applicants should respond to Office of Finance requests using the contact information on the application or program page.
- Review the bill after processing. Confirm that the eligible discount or exemption is present, but do not assume that a payment plan, arrears adjustment, medical allowance, or state assistance has been added unless the agency separately confirms it.
Related help when the bill is already past due
Applying for EZ-SAVE can be worthwhile even when the account is behind, but the discount itself is not a promise to forgive debt. LADWP’s EZ-SAVE page points customers to payment agreements and Level Pay. Level Pay is intended to create a more predictable monthly payment and may incorporate past-due amounts into the payment arrangement. The assistance-programs page also points customers to LADWP Cares, California state utility bill assistance, and 211 LA for other agency programs.
Ask LADWP to review the account for each relevant option. A household with a life-support device may need the Life-Support Equipment Discount. A household with a qualifying medical condition may need the Physician Certified Allowance Discount. Those are different programs with separate certification requirements. A household seeking emergency bill help may need LIHEAP or another state program. Keep the names separate when speaking with customer service so the representative can check the right application and eligibility path.
Bottom line
This opportunity is current and rolling, not a closed 2025 grant round. Start with EZ-SAVE if you are the LADWP customer of record and your combined gross household income fits the published table. Consider Lifeline separately if you are 62 or older or meet the Office of Finance disability standard and your household income is below that program’s threshold. The official agencies describe variable bill discounts and utility-tax exemptions, not the old fixed savings figures repeated on the previous version of this page. Apply through the official LADWP or City Office of Finance routes, retain your submission record, and treat any later verification request as part of staying enrolled.
Official links: