Winter Fuel Support: Octopus Energy extends a helping tentacle to pensioners

• UK’s largest power supplier extends its support scheme to help pensioners who slip through the net
• Quick and easy online check unlocks extra cash for thousands of pensioners
• Octopus training staff to help pensioners check whether they are eligible for pension credit as nearly a million households could be missing out

London, Thursday 8th August 2024 – Octopus Energy, the UK’s largest electricity supplier, is doing its bit to support pensioners by extending its customer support scheme for those affected by the recent tightening of eligibility for Winter Fuel Payments (WFP).

The change to criteria for WFP means the benefit is now targeted only at pensioners eligible for pension credit, amongst the lowest income households.

But no targeting is perfect, so Octopus Energy has decided to extend its £30m Octo Assist fund to help those pensioners who need it most.

The company will now allow lower income pension households who don’t receive pension credit to claim new assistance from the fund. Thousands of discretionary credits of £50, £100 and £200 will be available to those who apply.

Other support includes:

• Written, phone or online applications available to reach as many people as possible
• Free benefit and pension credit checks to make sure you're not missing out on extra cash (as much as £1.7bn in pension credit could be currently going unclaimed)
• Worried about an elderly relative? Flag them up for a friendly phone call and instant support from dedicated Octopus specialists, if they are an Octopus customer

The OctoAssist fund has helped over 80,000 customers so far, being used throughout the energy crisis to give customers payment breaks, standing charge holidays and offer support with clearing energy bill debt. Overall, Octopus Energy has invested over £150m in keeping costs down and supporting customers since the beginning of the crisis.

Greg Jackson, Founder of Octopus Energy Group, comments: “At times like this, we can’t expect the government to do everything - companies need to work hard on affordability too. That’s why we’ve expanded our Octo Assist fund to introduce extra support for the pensioners who need it most.

“There’s a lot of government and other support for pensioners but many don’t realise it - government data shows one in three pensioners eligible for pension credits are not claiming, so we’re training our team to help with this too.“

Octopus Energy also has a number of other support initiatives still available to customers, especially those who are struggling. These include:

• Electric blankets: Free electric blankets for customers, resulting in an average winter saving of £150 per household, with 60,000 distributed so far
• Heat loss cameras: Loaning thermal imaging cameras to help customers identify and fix draughts, reducing their energy usage
• Energy Helpers: Providing tailored in-person energy-saving advice through the ‘Energy Helpers’ scheme, with over 300,000 homes visited so far
• Saving Sessions: Running ‘Saving Sessions’ to help customers save money by using less energy during peak periods, with over 2 million participants and £10 million in savings paid out over the last two winters

-ENDS-

Press Contacts

Octopus Energy Group

press@octoenergy.com

About Octopus Energy Group

Octopus Energy is a global clean energy tech business, driving the affordable, green energy system of the future. Under its own retail brand, Octopus delivers world-class customer service and cutting edge energy products to 8 million households globally. Its operations span 18 countries and the entire energy value chain. The group invests in, builds and flexibly manages renewable energy, operating a £7 billion portfolio of projects.

Octopus has licensed its advanced data and machine learning platform, Kraken, to support over 54 million customer accounts worldwide through licensing deals with companies such as EDF, E.ON and Origin Energy. Kraken enables Octopus to drive the electrification of heat and transport through smart tariffs and innovative cleantech. Backed by pension funds, investors and energy giants, Octopus Energy Group businesses deliver cheaper, greener energy and cutting-edge tech to countries and customers worldwide. For more information, check out our website.