Octopus Energy is giving households a free handout that can slash £300 off energy bills this autumn and winter.
The major energy supplier offers free electric blankets to eligible customers as part of its Octo Assist fund. The fund is worth £30 million and is designed to help those who are most in need to keep on top of their energy bills and stay warm during the colder months without having to worry. The scheme grants eligible customers to various types of energy saving support, including free electric blankets to help stay warm as temperatures drop.
According to Octopus Energy, electric blankets can save the average home £300 on their energy bills, as it means you don’t need to run the heating to warm your entire home.
The supplier says heating your entire house costs around £4 per day on average, whereas an energy-efficient electric blanket can heat a person for just 2-4p per hour, making it a most cost-effective way to stay warm.
Octopus Energy said: “An electric blanket can save the average home £300 per year (they cost between 2 – 4p per hour to run). We’re giving them out free to those in greatest need – particularly the elderly, or those with medical or mobility issues.”
The supplier added: “One of our boffins realised that some customers were paying to heat their entire homes, even if they lived alone. He did some calculations and found out that where heating a whole home costs around £4 a day, an energy-efficient electric blanket can heat a person for just 2-4p an hour.
“This means an electric blanket is a vastly more cost-effective way to stay warm: particularly for people with mobility issues, for example, and those who spend a lot of time in one spot. Or those with medical issues that mean they feel the cold more, or are more prone to illness.”
Octopus Energy is prioritising customers most in need for its free electric blankets, particularly those who are vulnerable and have medical needs. The blankets are limited to one per household and customers who apply for the supplier’s Octo Assist will be assessed and offered the support if they are eligible.
For those who don’t qualify for the free support, it can still be worth investing in an electric blanket to help cut your energy bills, as they cost around £60 to buy but can save you around £300 overall.
And now is a good time to make the investment as energy bills are due to rise for households in England, Scotland and Wales from October 1 when energy regulator Ofgem increases its price cap by 2%.
The increase will mean the average home paying by direct debit for gas and electricity will see their bills rise from £1,720 per year to £1,755 – an increase of £35 from the current price. Standing charges will also rise from October 1 by 4% for electricity and 14% for gas, or 7p per day, which is primarily driven by the government’s expansion of the Warm Home Discount Scheme.
The price cap sets the maximum rate per unit and standing charge that customers can be charged by suppliers for their energy use but not the total bill, so those who use more energy ultimately pay more. While the price cap won’t affect households on fixed tariffs, it still pays to cut costs where you can and getting an electric blanket is an easy way to do this.
Octopus Energy added: “To start the process, create a Paylink budget to see what support is available, and to see if you qualify for financial assistance. If you are struggling with your bills, please do contact us, as there are other ways we can help.
“If you can, do think about buying an electric blanket yourself: they tend to cost around £60 and our research shows the typical home could save £300 by using an electric blanket to keep warm rather than always heating the whole house.”
