TWO energy providers are handing out free electric blankets as the Ofgem price cap has risen for the winter.
The cap has increased from £1568 to £1717 and comes into effect on October 1 – remaining at this level until the new year.
It comes after the Labour Government scrapped the universal Winter Fuel Payment while the Scottish Government said it had been left with no choice but to do the same north of the Border.
Here’s all you need to know.
How to claim free electric blankets
Ovo energy is offering electric blankets to households to its most vulnerable customers through its £50 million customer support package.
The package opened on October 1 and you can find out more information about getting in touch with Ovo on the company’s website HERE.
Elsewhere, Octopus Energy has also announced the relaunch of its electric blanket scheme, which first started in January 2022.
Octopus’s energy scheme is open to all customers through its £30m Octo Assist Fund although priority will be given to those who are “medically vulnerable, elderly or living alone”.
Find out more information on applying on Octopus’s website HERE.
Martin Lewis comments
Finance expert Martin Lewis has hit out at the UK’s energy system in a post on Twitter/X on Tuesday morning.
He said it was time to rename the price cap as the “energy pants cap”.
“No one, who’s capable of switching, should be on it right now,” he said.
Lewis made a number of recommendations for anyone who is facing difficulties as a result of the price cap rise.
He said this included:
- Fix at 9% less than the cap
- Get a discounted tariff (i.e price cap but cheaper)
- Get a special EV tariff
- Sophisticated users can go for Octopus Agile/tracker tariffs with rapid price moves
Lewis has previously urged the UK Government to rethink its decision on cutting the universal Winter Fuel Payment.
