Thousands of households can get help with paying their energy bills – including free heated throws and electric blankets
Using a heated throw means you might be able to save on heating your home(Image: Getty)
Energy firms have confirmed they are continuing with schemes to help some customers who are struggling with their bills – including giving away items they say can save money while keeping people warm. Both Octopus Energy and OVO have offers to help ranging from free home emergency kits to heated throws.
Octopus confirmed this month it will be running its free electric throw scheme again in 2026 alongside its heated throws scheme which it says can help keep warm without heating the whole house. It explains: “Our heated throws scheme is there to support customers most in need, particularly people with really specific vulnerabilities and medical needs. To make sure the blankets are getting into the right hands, we’ll be prioritising those customers.”
It added: “If you can, do think about buying a heated throw yourself. They tend to cost around £40, and our research shows the typical home could save £300 by using a heated throw to keep warm rather than always heating the whole house.”
The firm explained: “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 cost about £4 a day, an energy-efficient heated throw could heat a person for just 2-4p an hour.
“This means an heated throw 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.
“Modern heated throws, used according to their instructions, are safe and energy efficient. We use our purchasing power to buy tens of thousands and offer them for free to customers we identify will benefit most when they fill in our financial assistance tool. So far, as of August 2026, we’ve given out more than 110,000!”
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The firm explained how it decided who qualified for one of the free throws or blankets. It said: “We’ve been really trying to target people who need a blanket most, so we haven’t offered one to every customer, and we’ve tried to keep it to one per home so that we can support as many people as possible.”
And it said there could be savings of hundreds of pounds a year. It advised: “We’ve run some analysis on customers who got a heated throw and found that they saved up to 10-20% on their bills on average in the winter months after getting their blanket. Over a year, that’s a massive £300 saving.”
Octopus Energy said it is offering heated throws to the most vulnerable homes. It is one electric heated throw per household; this is so we can help as many people as possible. It also has a range of other money saving and financial aid schemes available. It says the first step is to apply to the Octo Assist fund.
Meanwhile OVO Extra Support aims to help customers who need some additional help to manage and pay for their energy. It said: “Whether you’ve had a change in your circumstances or an ongoing need, we are here to help wherever we can.”
It said its Energy Saving Support scheme offers help “from free home efficiency kits, to heated throws”. It added: “We can help to give you tailored advice and support as well as funding options to help reduce your energy costs ongoing.”
Under its Direct Financial Support schemes eligible customers may qualify for direct financial support towards their energy bill or to support existing energy debt. There is also specialist debt and benefits advice to help people maximise their income.
It said if people are stuggling then they can make a quick check and get an immediate answer. It added: “If you think you’ll struggle to pay your bills and you’re an OVO customer, then you might be eligible. It doesn’t take long to apply for support and you’ll get your answer right away.
“When you apply for support, things like household income, any disposable income, and medical needs will be taken into account – to help prioritise those who need help most. We won’t be able to offer everything to everyone – but we’re hoping to help as many people as possible. Our specialist teams will be available to speak to any of our customers who are worried about energy costs.”
OVO customers can check their eligibility here.
