Octopus Energy to offer pensioners up to £200 each to replace winter fuel payments

Following the government’s decision to scrap winter fuel payments for 10 million pensioners, Octopus Energy has announced that its customers will be able to apply for bill credits of £50, £100 and £200. This extra assistance is targeted at customers who are no longer able to benefit from the winter fuel payments, but still struggle to pay their energy bills in the colder months.

Octopus has stated that these payments will mean that pensioners who are unable to claim pension credit, but still rely on low incomes, will be able to access financial assistance to meet rising energy costs. Though the full eligibility details are yet to be published, this likely means that applicants will need to have been born before 23 September 1958. It is also not yet clear whether customers who formerly received a winter fuel payment would get a £50, £100 or £200 bill credit, though Octopus has described the payments as ‘discretionary credits’.

The payments form part of Octopus’s Octo Assist fund, which is used to fund support schemes targeted at the company’s most vulnerable customers. The scheme began at £2.5 million but has grown to its current level of £30 million as the energy crisis has led to more and more people struggling with their bills, while the Octopus customer base has also grown rapidly.

How to apply to Octo Assist

Octopus Energy customers can apply for support in writing, over the phone or online. Your circumstances will then be assessed to work out what assistance you are eligible for and how much help you can qualify for. Octopus will also help applicants check if they are eligible for pension credit, which would allow them to claim the winter fuel payments from the government. The energy firm estimates that as much as £1.7 billion in pension credit goes unclaimed, which means a huge number of pensioners are not getting the full benefits they are entitled to.

Greg Jackson, the founder of Octopus Energy, said the Octo Assist expansion was “to introduce extra support for the pensioners who need it most.”

He said: “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.”

Other ways to get help with your energy bills

Whether you are an Octopus Energy customer or not, the best way to get help with your energy bills is to ensure you receive all the government benefits you are eligible for. Age UK has estimated that there are more than 800,000 eligible people not claiming pension credit, which means that they will be surviving on less than £218.25 a week for a single pensioner and less than £332.95 for a couple, but not getting the pension credit they are eligible for. Now, they will also miss out on the winter fuel payment. Claiming any pension credit you are entitled to will not only lift your pension income, but also make you eligible for the government winter fuel payment.

Checking what help you are entitled to online is easy, as is applying for benefits by using online calculators such as entitledto or the Turn2us benefits calculator.

If you are not an Octopus customer, your energy supplier may still offer some help or support. If it does not, you could consider switching to an energy provider that does.

All UK providers should be willing to discuss a more affordable payment structure to make your payments manageable if you are unable to pay. It is best to contact them as soon as possible, but you can also follow the tips in our article 'How to save money on your energy bills'.