Octopus and Santander launch UK’s first high-street bank mortgage for Zero Bills homes
First-of-its-kind mortgage designed specifically for Octopus' Zero Bills homes
Eligible buyers could borrow up to £30k more as mortgage reflects guaranteed no home energy bills thanks to world-first tariff
Makes it easier for more people to buy future-ready homes equipped with heat pumps, solar panels and a battery
London, 23rd July 2026 - Buying a home with no energy bills just got easier, as Octopus Energy and Santander launch the UK's first mortgage from a high-street bank designed specifically for Octopus Zero Bills homes.
The new mortgage is available on selected newbuild homes eligible for a guaranteed 10 years of no home energy bills thanks to Octopus' world-first Zero Bills energy tariff, helping more people access homes that are cheaper to run from day one.
Launched in 2022, Octopus’ Zero Bills allows customers to move into homes packed with cutting-edge green tech – including a heat pump, battery and solar panels – with no home energy bills for at least 5-10 years, guaranteed.*
Santander’s Zero Bills mortgage recognises that Zero Bills homeowners have lower monthly outgoings, as they are guaranteed not to pay a penny for their home energy bills. This means eligible buyers could borrow up to £30k more than they would for a similar home with typical home energy costs.**
The announcement comes hot on the heels of the Future Homes Standard, which requires new homes to include technologies like heat pumps and solar panels – accelerating the shift towards homes that are cleaner, smarter and cheaper to run.
Demand for these technologies has surged in recent months, with households looking to escape energy market volatility. Data from Octopus Energy shows heat pump sales up 103%, solar panel sales up 78%, and EV charger enquiries up 42%, as more Brits try to boost their energy independence.***
Santander’s latest Tomorrow's Homes research shows that more than half (52%) of UK adults believe that improving the energy efficiency of their home would have a significant impact on their lives, with eight in 10 (80%) saying reducing their energy bills is the main motivation for making home improvements.****
Nigel Banks, Zero Bills Director, Octopus Energy, said: “Not all homes cost the same to live in, so they shouldn't all be treated the same when it comes to mortgages. Zero Bills homes come with guaranteed no home energy bills, giving homeowners lower monthly outgoings from day one.
"This mortgage with Santander recognises that lower cost of living, helping more buyers access cleaner, smarter homes and brings the benefits of Zero Bills living to even more people."
Ben Merritt, Head of Mortgages, Santander UK, said: "As the first major bank to recognise the benefits of Octopus Energy's Zero Bills homes within our affordability assessment, we're helping customers make the most of lower household outgoings when buying an eligible newbuild home.
"By taking into account the 10-year Zero Bills guarantee from Octopus, this provides greater flexibility in the amount some customers are able to borrow, helping more people access homes that are designed to be energy efficient and more affordable to run.
"This partnership is another example of how we're evolving our mortgage offering to reflect the changing needs of homeowners and support customers who are buying energy efficient homes."
Ryan Jude, Programme Director, Green Finance Institute, said: “The £242 billion flowing through the UK mortgage market each year is one of the most powerful levers we have to help households upgrade to warmer, more efficient homes. Santander’s enhanced affordability offer opens the door for more people to invest and upgrade with confidence, building momentum behind a more innovative mortgage market.
“The GFI has long supported the role of enhanced affordability in the green mortgage market to support homeowners with low or no energy bills to be able to borrow more, and we are delighted to see Santander put this concept into practice.”
So far, Octopus has approved over 6,000 Zero Bills homes through partnerships with leading developers, such as Vistry, Thakeham, Wates and gs8. Zero Bills homes cover affordable and private rent, plus private and shared ownership properties.
Octopus Energy aims to deliver 100,000 Zero Bills homes by 2030, and has already rolled out the initiative in Germany, France, New Zealand, and the UK.
To find out more about Santander’s Zero Bills mortgage, contact your broker, or visit https://www.santander.co.uk/personal/mortgages
-ENDS-
Notes to editors:
* Please note that EV charging is not included. EV charging is billed separately at the Intelligent Octopus Go rate. Limits, Exclusions & T&Cs apply, more at: https://octopus.energy/policies/smart-tariffs-terms-and-condition/#zerobills10
** For example, customers purchasing a five-bedroom family home could access up to £30,000 more compared with Santander's standard affordability assessment. Actual borrowing amounts will depend on individual circumstances, property type, loan to income limits, lending policy, underwriting assessment, and product eligibility.
*** All sales figures are taken from internal Octopus data comparing sales from March 2026 to February 2026.
**** Santander UK's Tomorrow's Homes research. A survey of 1,990 UK representative adults, commissioned by Santander UK in February 2026.
Press contacts
Octopus Energy Group
+44 (0)20 4530 8369
Zero Bills Contacts
zerobills@octopus.energy
Santander Contacts
mediarelations@santander.co.uk
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 9 million households globally. Its operations span 32 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 60 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 information, check out our website.
About Santander UK
Santander UK is a financial services provider in the UK that offers a wide range of personal and commercial financial products and services. The bank serves its customers via a nationwide branch network, telephone, mobile and online banking. Santander UK is subject to the full supervision of the FCA and the PRA in the UK. Santander UK plc customers’ eligible deposits are protected by the FSCS in the UK.
About Banco Santander
Banco Santander (SAN SM) is a leading commercial bank, founded in 1857 and headquartered in Spain and one of the largest banks in the world by market capitalization. The group’s activities are consolidated into five global businesses: Retail & Commercial Banking, Openbank, Corporate & Investment Banking (CIB), Wealth Management & Insurance and Payments. This operating model allows the bank to better leverage its unique combination of global scale and local leadership. Santander aims to be the best open financial services platform providing services to individuals, SMEs, corporates, financial institutions and governments. The bank’s purpose is to help people and businesses prosper in a simple, personal and fair way. At the end of 2025, Banco Santander had €1.4 trillion in total funds, more than 180 million customers, 7,100 branches and 198,000 employees.