Octopus Energy has extended its free electricity 'Happy Hours' scheme until February 14, 2027, allowing eligible UK households with smart meters to benefit from free weekend power throughout the winter season.
The supplier, which serves around eight million homes in the UK, said nearly 800,000 households took part when the scheme launched during this summer's eclipse. Since then, it has handed out more than eight million hours of free power, worth over £1.7 million.
How the scheme works
Customers earn a token every time they successfully take part in a weekday Saving Session, which involves using less power during weekday tea times. These tokens can be exchanged for free energy hours at the weekend, typically at a ratio of two tokens per free hour.
Households receive free power at a set time, with a few different Happy Hour slots to choose from, generally on a Sunday in the middle of the day. The scheme has been upgraded to also offer Saturday sessions, with booking windows available outside the usual 11am to 3pm slot.
Eligibility and flexibility
Rebecca Dibb-Simkin, Chief Customer Officer at Octopus Energy, said: "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."
"Whether you're roasting a Sunday lunch, carving Halloween pumpkins, or powering up Christmas lights, we're keeping the green energy flowing and helping households keep their bills down."
Households can take part if they have a working smart electricity meter and pay by Direct Debit or in advance. They must also be a member of Octopus' free Octoplus rewards programme and be signed up to Saving Sessions.
Token requirements and rollover
Customers earn one token for every successful Saving Session during the week. Typically, two tokens unlock a free hour of electricity at the weekend. Customers can choose from a selection of one-hour slots or save their free electricity hours to use at a later date, up until February 14, 2027.
To keep free power viable over winter, Octopus said token requirements will change flexibly depending on wholesale market conditions. As a last resort, some weekends may not have a dedicated Happy Hour, but in those cases tokens will always rollover.
