Octopus has ramped up support for customers ahead of winter’s energy price cap rise. To help Britons struggling with stubbornly high bills, the energy giant is offering up to £1million worth of support every month, as well as free home upgrades to “boost” savings.
Energy customers have been urged to check if they can receive help from the provider. Rebecca Dibb-Simkin, chief product officer at Octopus Energy, said: “We know this winter will be tough, with bills stubbornly high. Octopus are boosting our own support and urging people to help friends and family take advantage of home upgrades under the ECO scheme – we’re committing to upgrade 1,000 homes, entirely for free.”
The energy regulator Ofgem announced the price cap, which sets the limit providers can charge per unit of energy, will rise by 2% on October 1. The hike, which will impact households on variable tariffs, will see average bills for a typical dual-fuel home rise from the current annual £1,720 to £1,755 per year.
However, there is help available for those struggling with costs.
Through its Octo Assist Fund, Octopus said it delivers more than £1million in help per month, offering tailored support such as bill credits, standing charge holidays, debt write-offs, and free energy-saving tools.
Since its launch during the energy crisis, the fund has already provided over £30million to more than 80,000 households.
Customers have also been urged to help spread the word about the Government’s Energy Company Obligation (ECO) scheme, which offers energy-saving home improvements, such as solar panels and heat pumps, to eligible households. Octopus is committing to installing kit in up to 1,000 homes for free.
Even if someone isn’t an Octopus customer, they could still qualify for this support from Octopus. In this scenario, the energy provider said it would manage the entire process, from eligibility checks to installation and aftercare.
Households may qualify if they:
- Receive Government support such as Universal Credit or Pension Credit
- Live in a home built between 1980 to 2022
- Have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of E or below.
Octopus added: “Importantly, when more households take up the ECO scheme, the costs spread across the system fall – meaning bills go down for everyone.”
Eligible households can check ECO scheme eligibility in just five minutes using Octopus’s online tool.
