A leading British energy supplier will hand out free electric blankets to families in a bid to help them cope with soaring energy bills. Whilst OVO Energy routinely offers additional support to customers, it is expanding its programme to assist households before the winter months arrive.
The company is understood to have distributed £190 million worth of assistance since 2022. This encompasses supplying heated blankets, efficiency kits, and smart sockets to 42,000 customers during the previous year alone.
OVO is now supporting customers through a £56 million support package which can deliver complimentary energy-saving products. Beyond the heated blankets, customers may also receive free mattress toppers to help maintain warmth whilst reducing energy consumption.
David Buttress, chief executive of OVO, said: « We’re providing support to those who need it most by working together with our charity partners and committing our largest ever customer support package. But this isn’t a long term solution. We need to make the energy system work better for everyone.
« That starts with targeted support in the form of a social tariff – no one can be, or no one needs to be left behind. »
In certain instances, customers might also receive loft insulation, heat pumps, and a new boiler.
Direct financial assistance is also on offer, including emergency credit top-ups, extended repayment plans for those in debt, and Direct Debit reductions.
How to check eligibility for the extra support
In order to benefit from the new energy support from OVO, some customers will need to prove their eligiblity. The energy firm allows customers to check if they’re eligible through their website here.
In order to get started, all you need to do is enter your OVO account number as well as your postcode. Guidance from the firm also highlights that it will need to known your monthly available spend after you’ve paid off your bills – this can be checked with an online budgeting tool.
Guidance from the OVO website adds: « If you think you’ll struggle to pay your bills and you’re an OVO customer, then you might be eligible. It doesn’t take long to apply for support and you’ll get your answer right away.
« When you apply for support, things like household income, any disposable income, and medical needs will be taken into account – to help prioritise those who need help most. »
