OVO Energy has announced a package of support worth £56 million to help keep households warm this winter
OVO Energy has unveiled a £56 million support package to help keep households warm this winter, set to launch next week. Although support is available throughout the year, applications for enhanced winter assistance will open on October 1.
Since 2022, OVO has provided a whopping £190m in aid, offering measures such as heated blankets, smart sockets, and efficiency kits, assisting 42,000 customers last year alone. New polling from OVO reveals a staggering 91 per cent of people are fretting about their energy bills this winter, with seven in 10 (71%) expressing even more concern than last year.
OVO is also advocating for a social tariff to shield those who can’t afford to heat their homes through the sustained period of high prices expected. A new report by the Green Alliance suggests a social tariff offering discounted energy bills to low-income households would lift more people out of poverty than the government’s Warm Home Discount did in 2024.
Public support for the introduction of a social tariff is robust, with two thirds (67%) of people backing it. Over three quarters (77%) believe it would positively impact the most vulnerable households and half (53%) believe it would make a significant difference to them personally or people they know, reports the Daily Record.
OVO support for customers this winter
- Free energy saving products – This includes electric throws, smart sockets, and home efficiency kits.
- Energy efficiency upgrades – Customers could receive a wide range of energy-saving measures installed through GBIS – from loft insulation to a new boiler, or even high-end tech like heat pumps. Eligible customers could get a whole package installed, all for free.
- Financial support – This includes Direct Debit reductions, emergency credit top-ups, and extended repayment plans.
- New partnerships and increased financial relief for customers – alongside help for organisations including Warm Welcome Campaign and StepChange.
- Dedicated support – in the most financial difficulty will receive help from a specialist team.
David Buttress, CEO of OVO, said: “We’re providing support to those who need it most by working together with our charity partners and committing our largest ever customer support package. But this isn’t a long term solution. We need to make the energy system work better for everyone. That starts with targeted support in the form of a social tariff – no one can be, or no one needs to be left behind.”
David Barclay, Director of the Warm Welcome Campaign, said: “At the Warm Welcome Campaign we believe it’s vital that people can access the support they need in a place where they feel comfortable and safe, and that’s why we’re so pleased to be working closely with OVO again this winter.
“Through our partnership we will be helping our Warm Welcome Spaces across the country become places where people can receive meaningful practical support to help get them through the hardest months of the year.”
Vikki Brownridge, CEO at StepChange Debt Charity, said: “We’re pleased to continue our partnership with OVO, which will provide much needed support to customers struggling with energy bills throughout the colder months. We know the past few years have been challenging for households facing significant cost of living pressures.
“OVO’s Extra Support will help thousands of people access advice and support with energy arrears and wider financial difficulties. We look forward to working closely with OVO on this important initiative.”
Supporting charities and communities across the UK
OVO is providing support for charities on the frontline of the cost of living crisis, including:
- StepChange
- Money Advice Trust
- Scope
- Alzheimer’ s Society
- National Energy Action
- National Support Network
- Warm Welcome Campaign
- Business In The Community
- Charis
- Samaritans
- The Wise Group
- Money and Mental Health Policy Institute
- Income Max