Octopus Energy has extended its free electricity scheme until 14 February 2027, allowing eligible UK households to receive free power at weekends throughout the winter. The supplier, which serves around eight million homes across the country, has expanded its Happy Hours initiative following strong customer demand.
The scheme rewards customers who reduce their electricity consumption during designated weekday periods, allowing them to exchange those efforts for free electricity at weekends. According to Octopus Energy, nearly 800,000 households participated when the initiative launched during the summer’s eclipse, with more than eight million hours of free electricity distributed since then.
How Octopus Energy Customers Can Earn Free Electricity This Winter
The Happy Hours initiative operates alongside Octopus Energy’s Saving Sessions programme, which encourages households to reduce electricity consumption during periods of higher demand. Customers who successfully participate in designated weekday sessions receive tokens that can subsequently be exchanged for free electricity.
Under the updated arrangement, participants earn one token for every successful Saving Session. Typically, two tokens can be exchanged for one hour of free electricity at the weekend, although the number required may vary depending on wholesale energy market conditions.
According to the Daily Express, the scheme previously centred on Sunday sessions, generally scheduled around the middle of the day. The winter extension introduces occasional Saturday sessions and greater flexibility, including booking windows outside the usual 11am to 3pm period.
Customers can choose from available one-hour slots or retain their rewards for another weekend. Unused tokens can be carried forward until 14 February 2027, giving participants more freedom over when they claim their electricity.
Eligibility is restricted to Octopus Energy customers with a working electricity smart meter who pay by Direct Debit or prepayment. Participants must also belong to the supplier’s free Octoplus rewards programme and be registered for Saving Sessions.
The company has warned that some weekends may not feature a Happy Hour if market conditions make the offer unviable. In those circumstances, customers will retain their tokens for future sessions rather than losing their accumulated rewards.
Strong Customer Demand Prompts an Extension Until Valentine’s Day
The decision to continue Happy Hours follows substantial participation in the programme since its launch on 20 August. According to an Octopus Energy announcement, customers have already received more than eight million hours of free electricity, worth over £1.7 million.
Customer feedback has also been positive. Participants awarded the scheme an average score of eight out of ten, while 47% gave it a perfect ten. Some 87% indicated that they intended to participate again.
Rebecca Dibb-Simkin, Chief Customer Officer at Octopus Energy, said the company had responded directly to customer feedback.
“Our customers spoke, and we listened. The response to our Happy Hours has been phenomenal, so extending them through the cold winter months was a no-brainer.”
She added that the initiative would continue helping households manage electricity costs during seasonal activities, including Sunday cooking and Christmas lighting.
Happy Hours forms part of the broader Octoplus rewards programme, which has attracted almost three million households. Octopus Energy reported that customers claimed £19 million worth of rewards and freebies through the programme last year.
The extended scheme will remain available until Valentine’s Day 2027, with customers able to accumulate tokens during eligible weekday sessions and redeem them when weekend Happy Hours are offered.
