Octopus Energy in 2022: Prices, Reviews and Contact Details

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Since they came on the scene in 2016, Octopus Energy has taken the UK energy market by storm. The winners of numerous “supplier of the year” awards over the last few years, they appear to offer anything you could want from an energy supplier. 100% renewable energy. A simple but comprehensive range of tariffs with no early exit fees. And a sterling track record for customer service. But are Octopus Energy the best energy supplier for you. Let’s take a close look at their prices, customer reviews and energy mix to determine once and for all…
Last update: November 2022

We Consider Octopus Energy To Be A Stable Supplier

As you may have heard on the news, the UK energy market is currently under an immense amount of stress as a result of a global gas shortage driving up costs and putting several energy suppliers out of business. Currently, we consider Octopus Energy to be stable as a result of strong financial backing and their designation as one of the new "Big 6". To learn more and stay updated you can read about this on our page about the UK energy crisis.

Founded 2016
Client Email hello@octopus.energy
Client Number 0808 164 1088
Log in [Log into your Octopus Energy account here
Number of clients 1.5 million approx.
Postal Address Octopus Energy, One Colton Square, Leicester, LE1 1QH

Are Octopus Energy any good?

Octopus Energy have won numerous awards and enjoy sterling customer reviews. But that doesn’t necessarily mean that the experiences of their loyal customers will necessarily match yours. Join us as we get to know everything there is to know about this promising new(ish) energy supplier and find out of they really do live up to the hype, or if their reputation precedes them.

Who are Octopus Energy?

Octopus Energy are a gas and renewable electricity supplier that is also heavily invested in green energy production. Although the brand was first established in 2015, Octopus Energy bought its first solar farm in 2011. Picking up an average of 30,000 customers a month, they are one of the fastest-growing suppliers on the market. At the time of writing they have approximately 1 and a half million costumers. After acquiring Co-op Energy in August 2019 and ENGIE in January 2020, they have a market share of around 5.7%.

Where is Octopus Energy based?

Octopus Energy’s headquarters is based in Leicester. However, they have a presence in London, as well as presences in Germany and the United States as well.

What makes Octopus Energy different?

Octopus Energy are the definition of a good all-rounder. It offers both green energy, and carbon-offset gas, as well as a flexible range of affordable tariffs and award-winning customer service. They’re also backed by the Energy Switch Guarantee, which ensures a safe and speedy switch for new customers.

Who owns Octopus Energy?

Octopus remains is owned by the Octopus Group. This is a £9bn investor in UK energy and technology.

Octopus Energy customer reviews: What do their customers say?

At Papernest, we look at all the available data to ensure a perfect fit for your household’s needs. Including customer sentiment. As we can see, there’s a lot to recommend Octopus Energy. As the winner of multiple awards, it’s fair to say that we have high expectations. But do the lived experiences of the brand’s customers match what we can reasonably expect? Let’s take a look at what Octopus Energy’s customers are saying about them on their Trustpilot page: At the time of writing, Octopus Energy has 46,558 customer reviews. Of these:

  • 42,443 (91%) were “Excellent”
  • 2,290 (5%) were “Great”
  • 372 (<1%) were “Average”
  • 259 (<1%) were “Poor”
  • 1,194 (24%) were “Bad”

This gives them an aggregate score of 4.8 out of 5 stars, pushing them into the upper end of “Excellent”. Positive customer reviews cite excellent prices (especially when compared to the “Big 6” energy suppliers), and excellent customer service. Many reviewers mention individual members of the customer service team by name. We find that this is usually indicative that a member of staff has really gone the extra mile, and this bodes well here. Customers also praise ease and speed of switching and how readily staff answered their questions. Easy and COVID-safe smart meter installations were also a recurring feature.

More info

Some customers also praise the intuitive design of the brand’s website, and how easy it is to track their usage and spending. One reviewer even states “Octopus Energy’s website and customer service is by far the best experience I have had during the last 30 years”. However, like all energy suppliers, Octopus also have their share of negative reviews. One reviewer states that while the company’s rates were attracted that their customer service did not live up to the hype. The same reviewer reported issues with their smart meter and mentions a compliant about the engineer that installed it not wearing a face covering. Other reviews mention billing inaccuracies, with one reviewer commenting that their bill had “tripled since joining”. Other common points of contention include long waits to speak to a team member over the phone, and long waits to process refunds. On the whole, however, customer sentiment towards Octopus Energy is extremely positive, with 96% of reviewers considering them either “Great” or “Excellent”.

Octopus Energy tariffs

At Papernest, we know that finding the perfect supplier for you is only half the battle. It’s also about finding the perfect tariff. The right tariff can ensure that you get the best value for money for your household’s usage. Even if you choose a great supplier, you can still be left out of pocket if your tariff isn’t carefully matched to your needs. If you think that Octopus could be the supplier for you, we’ll take the time to ensure that you get the perfect energy plan to match your usage. At the time of writing, Octopus have a modest-yet-comprehensive range of tariffs. Let’s take a closer look.

Below you can find the cost information associated with these tariffs.


Plan name Tariff type Is the tariff live? Average electricity annual cost (£/year) Average gas annual cost (£/year) Average total annual cost (£/year) Exit fees (£/fuel) Green tariff?**
/ Standard Variable £ 649.882* £ 479.512* £ $UK_NRJ_OCT_SVT_annualc$* £ 0.000 ✔️
/ Green - Fixed 12 £ 867.616* £ 585.520* £ $UK_NRJ_OCT_GF12_annualc$* £ 0.000 ✔️

Prices displayed are national averages * Based on Ofgem’s TDCV (2,900.00 kWh of ⚡ and 12,000.00 kWh of 🔥 per year). ** A tariff is green if each kWh consumed is compensated by the injection in the grid of a kWh of renewable energy. Prices incl. VAT.


Octopus Variable Rate Tariffs

Octopus currently has one variable rate tariff.

The costs associated with this tariff can be seen here:


Plan name Tariff type Type of fuel Is the tariff live? Standing charge (p/day) Unit rate cost (p/kWh) Average total annual cost (£/year) Exit cost (£/fuel) Green tariff?**
/ Standard Variable Electricity 27.390 p* 18.960 p* £ 649.882* £ 0.000 ✔️
/ Standard Variable Gas 23.850 p* 3.270 p* £ 479.512* £ 0.000 ✔️

Prices displayed are national averages * Based on Ofgem’s TDCV (2,900.00 kWh of ⚡ and 12,000.00 kWh of 🔥 per year). ** A tariff is green if each kWh consumed is compensated by the injection in the grid of a kWh of renewable energy. Prices incl. VAT.


OCT Fixed Rate Tariffs

OCT has several fixed rate tariff plans. We have an overview of them down below.

The pricing on these tariffs can be seen here:


Plan name Tariff type Type of fuel Is the tariff live? Standing charge (p/day) Unit rate cost (p/kWh) Average total annual cost (£/year) Exit cost (£/fuel) Green tariff?**
/ Green - Fixed 12 Electricity 27.390 p* 20.070 p* £ 867.616* £ 0.000 ✔️
/ Green - Fixed 24 Electricity 27.390 p* 20.070 p* £ 682.072* £ 0.000 ✔️
/ Green - Fixed 12 Gas 26.590 p* 4.070 p* £ 585.520* £ 0.000 ✔️
/ Green - Fixed 24 Gas 26.590 p* 4.070 p* £ 585.520* £ 0.000 ✔️

Prices displayed are national averages * Based on Ofgem’s TDCV (2,900.00 kWh of ⚡ and 12,000.00 kWh of 🔥 per year). ** A tariff is green if each kWh consumed is compensated by the injection in the grid of a kWh of renewable energy. Prices incl. VAT.


Octopus Economy 7 Tariffs

At Octopus you can also become a client if you have an economy 7 meter. They have several plans for economy 7 customers.

As mentioned previously, these tariffs have two separate unit rates, one for peak hours of consumption and another for off-peak.

Pricing on these tariffs can be seen here:


Plan name Tariff type Type of fuel Is the tariff live? Standing charge (p/day) Day Rate (p/kWh)* Night Rate (p/kWh)p* Average total annual cost (£/year) Exit cost (£/fuel) Green tariff?**
/ Economy 7 - Standard Variable Economy 7 27.480 p* 20.520 p* 14.040 p* £ 616.524* £ 0.000 ✔️
/ Economy 7 - Green Fixed 12 months Economy 7 27.480 p* 22.610 p* 15.480 p* £ 669.217* £ 0.000 ✔️
/ Economy 7 - Green Fixed 24 months Economy 7 27.480 p* 22.610 p* 15.480 p* £ 669.217* £ 0.000 ✔️

Prices displayed are national averages * Based on Ofgem’s TDCV (2,900.00 kWh of ⚡ and 12,000.00 kWh of 🔥 per year). * Assuming the average Economy 7 tariff user consumes around 58% of his energy on peak and 42% off peak. ** A tariff is green if each kWh consumed is compensated by the injection in the grid of a kWh of renewable energy.


Do Octopus Energy have smart meters ? What smart meter does Octopus Energy use?

Yes, Octopus Energy supply smart meters to their customers. These allow energy consumers to better track their usage and spending. They also transmit your usage data directly to the supplier. So you need never again worry about inaccurate bills caused by estimates or going through the inconvenience of reading your meter and reporting your usage. Octopus currently supply the second generation of smart meter. These are called Smart Meter Equipment Technical Specifications 2 or SMETS2. These use a DCC network to communicate with the supplier. The advantage of this is that they will continue to communicate with your supplier should you switch energy plans again. The first generation of smart meters (SMETS1) do not do this.

Do Octopus Energy do business energy tariffs?

Yes, Octopus also offer a range of business gas and electricity tariffs. These are bespoke, and rates are arranged with the supplier on an individual basis. However, Octopus does have plans built around the needs of certain industries. These include:

  • Electric Juice- For charging companies.
  • Electric Juie Network- For companies that have fleets of electric vehicles.
  • Panel Power- Designed for solar developers and installers.
  • Vertical Power- 100% green energy for vertical farms.

There’s also a “Power for the People” tariff in the works, that will offer green energy that is created, owned and used by Octopus Energy’s customers across the world. sky and solar panels

Octopus Energy fuel mix

Octopus Energy use 100% renewable electricity from a combination of wind, solar and hydropower. The percentages of these have not been revealed, but their website states that they are the UK’s biggest investor in solar power.

How green is Octopus Energy

Octopus is a very green supplier as they generate their own green energy as well as buying it. Their Supergreen Octopus plan also combines 100% renewable electricity with carbon-offset gas. However, they do not offer carbon-neutral biomethane gas like Ecotricity or Green Energy UK.

How to contact Octopus Energy ?

If you need to contact Octopus, the customer service team are the best people to get in touch with. They are equipped to handle queries from customers and prospective customers alike. You can contact the customer service team over the phone on 0330 808 1080 or email hello@octopus.energy.

How to complain about Octopus Energy?

If you have a complaint about Octopus Energy, you can submit this to the customer service team on the email address above. You can also send your complaint in the post to: Octopus Energy One Colton Square Leicester LE1 1QH

How to cancel Octopus Energy?

If you decide to switch to a new supplier, you don’t have to cancel your Octopus Energy plan. Just get in touch with the Papernest team and we can find the perfect new tariff. Because Octopus has no early exit fees, you can switch at any time without fear of negative consequences. We’ll even manage your switch for you, so you don’t need to do anything except pay your final bill to Octopus.

Octopus Energy how to pay

The cheapest and easiest way to pay for your energy is to set up a Direct Debit. However, you can also make one-off payments via their website here, or through their new mobile app. Alternatively, contact the customer service team over the phone to make a payment.

How often do Octopus Energy bill?

Octopus Energy bill monthly, and reassess your Direct Debit every 3 months in order to check that your Direct Debit accurately reflects your usage.

How to refer a friend to Octopus Energy

Octopus Energy has a referral scheme that allows you to get £50 credit for a friend if they sign up. You can refer a friend by clicking on this referral link.

How to apply for the Warm Home Discount with Octopus?

The Warm Home Discount is a government initiative that’s administered by energy suppliers. It allows vulnerable energy consumers to gain a flat-rate discount of £140 off the cost of their energy between the colder months of October-March. In order to qualify, you need to either be part of the core group (those in receipt of pension credit) or the broader group (those on income-based benefits).

How to change tariff on Octopus Energy

If you want to switch to a new tariff, the best thing to do is contact the Octopus Energy customer service team either over the phone or via email.

Our opinion on Octopus Energy

We consider Octopus to be a great all-rounder. They offer 100% renewable energy as well as great customer service and value for money. Their range of tariffs is modest and easy to understand, yet there’s something for everyone.

How to switch to Octopus Energy

It couldn’t be simpler to switch to Octopus Energy. Just get in touch with the Papernest team today! We’ll take the time to find the perfect Octopus tariff to suit your needs and usage. So you can rest assured that you’re getting the right deal for your needs. We’ll even manage your switch for you from end-to-end to bring you greener, cheaper energy faster and completely hassle-free. Are you ready to switch to Octopus Energy? Call us today on 0330 818 6225. We’re available from 8am to 6pm.

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FAQ

When was Octopus Energy founded?

Octopus Energy came on the scene in 2016. However, they began working behind the scenes in 2011, when they bought their first solar farm.

How much does Octopus Energy charge per kWh?

This depends on the tariff you choose. Unit rates for gas and electricity are as follows:

  • Octopus Fixed: 16.61p per kWh for electricity. 2.89p per kWh for gas.
  • Supergreen Octopus: 16.61p per kWh for electricity. 2.98p per kWh for gas.
  • Flexible Octopus: 16.01p per kWh for electricity. 2.86p per kWh for gas.

How many customers does Octopus Energy have?

At the time of writing, Octopus Energy has approximately 1.5 million customers.

How long does it take to switch to Octopus Energy?

With the Papernest team managing your switch, we can get you fixed up with your new energy plan within 15 days.

Updated on 30 Nov, 2022

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